Silver Lake (Grand Traverse County, Michigan) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Silver Lake |
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| Lake Kratochvil | |
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Raspberry Island from the western shore of Silver Lake
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 Silver Lake
Location in Michigan
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| Location | Grand Traverse County, Michigan (Garfield Township & Blair Township) |
| Coordinates | 44°41′44″N 85°41′08″W / 44.695508°N 85.685679°W |
| Type | Kettle lake |
| Part of | Grand Traverse Bay Watershed |
| Primary inflows | Mud Lake |
| Primary outflows | Silver Lake Outlet (Beitner Creek) |
| Max. length | 3.45 mi (5.5 km) |
| Max. width | 2,607 ft (794.6 m) |
| Surface area | 600 acres (242 ha) |
| Average depth | 23.4 ft (7.1 m) |
| Max. depth | 96.0 ft (29.2 m) |
| Surface elevation | 863 feet (263 m) |
| Islands | Anderson/Montague Island, Drake Island, Moresby Island, Raspberry Island, Trega Island |
| Settlements | Kratochvil's Plat (Ghost Town) |
Silver Lake is a beautiful lake located in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. It used to be called Lake Kratochvil. The lake stretches about 3.45 miles (5.5 km) from its northern to southern ends.
Silver Lake is known for its lovely pine tree shores, interesting shape, and many small land areas sticking out (called peninsulas) and islands. It's also very deep, reaching 96 feet (29.2 meters) at its deepest point. This makes it the second deepest lake in Grand Traverse County! Two smaller lakes, Mud Lake and Hidden Lake, are just north of Silver Lake.
Today, many homes and parks are built around the lake. You'll see lots of houses, especially bigger ones, on the northern and eastern sides.
What is the History of Silver Lake?
Silver Lake was first named Lake Kratochvil. It got its name from a small nearby town called Kratochvil's Plat, which is now a ghost town (meaning no one lives there anymore). The town was named after Frank Kratochvil, an early settler in the area. Frank's daughter, Anna, was the mother of W.D.C. Germaine, who became the mayor of nearby Traverse City. Later, the lake's name was changed to Silver Lake.
For a while in the early 1900s, Blair Township was even known as "Silver Lake Township."
In 1965, a group called the Silver Lake Improvement Association was started. Their goal was to help take care of Silver Lake and keep it healthy.
In 1987, a special dam was built at the very southern end of the lake, in an area called Kevwitch Cove. This dam helps control the water level and flow into Beitner Creek.
Where Does Silver Lake's Water Go?
The closest town to Silver Lake is Grawn. Water flows into Silver Lake from its northern end. Then, it flows out of the southern end, through the dam, and into the Silver Lake Outlet. This outlet connects to Beitner Creek, which also gets water from nearby Bass Lake. From there, the water travels through Blair Township and eventually flows into the Boardman River, which then empties into Lake Michigan.
What Can You Do at Silver Lake?
Silver Lake is a very popular spot for fishing! People love to catch different kinds of fish here, including Bass, Bluegill, Perch, Pike, Lake sunfish, and Walleye.
There is a public dock on the eastern shore where you can launch your boat. The Silver Lake Recreation Area is a fun park for everyone, located northeast of the lake. Holiday Park Campground is a large public campground on the southern end of the lake, right off US 31. It has boat access and even offers camping spots on Tent Island, which it owns. Every year, the lake hosts exciting boat races (called regattas) and fishing competitions.
In the winter, Silver Lake is also a favorite place for ice fishers to enjoy their sport.
