Lake Bronson State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Lake Bronson State Park WPA/Rustic Style Historic Resources
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The WPA-built observation/water tower
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | Kittson County, Minnesota |
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| Nearest city | Lake Bronson, Minnesota |
| Area | 3598 acres (14.5km²) |
| Visitation | 110,975 (2006) |
| MPS | Minnesota State Park CCC/WPA/Rustic Style MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 89001659 |
| Added to NRHP | October 25, 1989 |
Lake Bronson State Park is a fun state park located in the northwestern part of Minnesota. You can find it off Kittson County Highway 28 East, close to the town of Lake Bronson. This park is a great spot for outdoor adventures and learning about history.
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Park Geology and Nature
Today, Lake Bronson is the main feature of the park. This area is unique because it's where open prairie meets thick forest. This mix of habitats means you can see many different kinds of wildlife here.
Thousands of years ago, a giant glacial lake called Lake Agassiz covered this whole area. As the lake slowly disappeared, it left behind long gravel ridges on the mostly flat land. Streams then cut through these ridges over time. The dam that created Lake Bronson actually blocks one of these old gravel ridges. It holds back the water from the South Branch of the Two Rivers.
Park History
Did you know that Kittson County didn't have any natural lakes? That's pretty unusual for Minnesota, a state famous for its many lakes!
In the early 1930s, America was going through a tough time called the Great Depression. At the same time, Kittson County was also suffering from a long drought. Local leaders decided they needed to build a reservoir to store water. They chose a spot on the South Branch of the Two Rivers, near the town of Bronson.
They asked the state and federal governments for money to build this important project. Finally, in 1936, the funding came through! By then, the plan had grown. It wasn't just about a reservoir anymore. It would also be a fun recreation area. County officials knew that local families and visitors would love having a park.
Building the Park and Lake
Construction of the reservoir began in April 1936. Crews from the Works Progress Administration (WPA) did the hard work. The WPA was a government program that gave jobs to many people during the Great Depression.
Building the dam was tricky because the ground was like "quicksand." It was hard to find a strong, stable base for the dam. Workers had to use pumps to pull water out of the quicksand as they built. Since the sand would get wet again, the pumps weren't a permanent fix. So, the dam was designed with ten special pipes. These pipes drain water into a tunnel that runs through the dam's three spillways.
The dam was finished in June 1937. It created a large, 325-acre (1.3 km²) reservoir. Everyone in the area was very happy to have the new lake!
Park Structures and Renaming
The land around the new reservoir became a state park. WPA workers then built several cool structures using local stone. The most famous building is a 45-foot (14 m) tall, six-sided stone water tower. It's also an observation tower where you can get great views!
Other buildings followed, like an office, a garage, a picnic shelter, and places to change for swimming. In 1939, the town of Bronson even changed its name to "Lake Bronson" to celebrate the new lake and park.
Today, Lake Bronson State Park is a very popular place for fun in northwest Minnesota. People from North Dakota, southern Canada, and all over Minnesota come to visit. You can enjoy fishing, swimming, canoeing, and water skiing on the lake. In winter, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing are popular activities. The park was recognized for its historical importance in 1989 when it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
