Lake Okabena facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Okabena |
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Sailboarding on Lake Okabena
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 Lake Okabena
Location in Minnesota
Lake Okabena
Location in the United States
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Topographic Map of Lake Okabena
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| Location | Nobles County, Minnesota |
| Coordinates | 43°37′00″N 95°37′00″W / 43.61667°N 95.61667°W |
| Lake type | Glacial lake |
| Max. length | 1.25 miles (2.01 km) |
| Max. width | 1 mile (1.6 km) |
| Surface area | 776 acres (314 ha) |
| Average depth | 6.9 ft (2.1 m) |
| Max. depth | 15.3 ft (4.7 m) |
| Water volume | 224,464,680 cu ft (6,356,132 m3) |
| Shore length1 | 5.5 miles (8.9 km) |
| Surface elevation | 478.5 m (1,570 ft) |
| Settlements | Worthington, MN |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Lake Okabena is a small lake in southwestern Minnesota. It is found in Nobles County. An early map from 1841 showed the lake. This map was made by French explorer Joseph Nicollet. He explored the area in the 1830s. The name okabena comes from the Sioux language. It means "home of the heron." Today, Lake Okabena is completely inside the city of Worthington, Minnesota.
Lake Okabena's Past
In 1841, maps showed only one Lake Okabena. But an 1868 survey map showed two lakes. These were East Okabena and West Okabena. East Okabena no longer exists today.
How Railroads Changed the Lake
In 1871, the St Paul & Sioux City Railroad built tracks. They laid the tracks between the two lakes. A train station was built on the shore of West Lake Okabena. It was called the Okabena Railroad Station. Old steam trains needed a lot of water. So, water stops were built every 8 to 12 miles. The Okabena station got its water from West Okabena.
In 1872, many new settlers came to the area. A town was built there. The town and station were named Worthington. It was named after the mother-in-law of A. P. Miller. He was one of the town's founders. Worthington was located between West Okabena and East Okabena.
The Burlington Railroad built a new line in 1889-1890. This line connected Round Lake, Worthington, and Wilmont. It was built right across the dry bed of East Okabena. People believe the lake was drained for this railroad. An 1882 report described the lake. It was also on an 1884 county map. But by the time the Burlington Railroad was built, the lake was gone. A 1914 map of Worthington calls the area "formerly East Okabena lake," and "Now dry, having been drained." A newspaper article from 1899 mentions who drained the lake. But no one knows who ordered it. There is one photo of men digging the ditch that drained East Okabena.
A second ditch, called Whiskey Ditch, brings water into Lake Okabena. In the late 1800s, there was a drought. Lake Okabena's water level was very low. People wanted spring runoff and summer rain to flow into Lake Okabena. Before, this water flowed north to Heron Lake. Many men dug through a large hill for this project. The town of Worthington helped pay for the ditch.
The Burlington/Rock Island Railroad changed the eastern shore of Lake Okabena. It used to be a gentle shoreline with beaches and picnic spots. But it became an industrial area. A large power plant was built there. This plant used coal to make electricity. It also made steam heat for Worthington.
Lake Okabena Today
The Rock Island Railroad stopped running in the 1980s. Its train tracks were removed. The power plant also stopped working and was torn down in the 1990s. This area is now a city park called Sailboard Beach. It hosts a yearly sailboard racing event. There is also a music festival held there.
