Aunt Polly's Wash Tub Explained
| Aunt Polly’s Wash Tub |
| Other Name: | Soft Water Lake |
| Location: | Wisconsin |
| Coordinates: | 43.0848°N -88.4637°W |
| Inflow: | none |
| Outflow: | none |
| Depth: | [1] |
| Islands: | none |
| Cities: | Oconomowoc, formerly Summit |
| Pushpin Map: | Wisconsin |
Aunt Polly’s Wash Tub is a lake in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. It is the only lake in the area that has soft water.[2]
It was previously called Soft Water Lake[3] until it was named for Polly Gage (1805–1882)[4] who lived on the lake and took advantage of the water’s softness for the laundry of the Nashotah Mission.[5] Gage lived there until 1880 when the property was foreclosed.[6] The family of Laura Tallmadge (1842–1879) also lived on the lake.
The area once was called “Pabst Swamp Preserve”. After the Gages left, the son of Frederick Pabst,, purchased the land around the lake for Pabst Farms, and farm employees would ice skate on the lake in winter.[7]
The lake is now in, which was named for former city attorney Bill Chapman.[8]
The lake was once stocked with German carp and bullfrogs. Fred Pabst, Jr. later stocked it with goldfish.
Notes and References
- Book: Ecological Society of America. Committee on Preservation of Natural Conditions . Shelford . Victor Ernest . Naturalist's Guide to the Americas . 1926 . Williams & Wilkins . 287 . 16 February 2023 . en.
- Book: The History of Waukesha County, Wisconsin, Containing an Account of Its Settlement, Growth, Development, and Resources . 1880 . Western Historical Company . 728 . 16 February 2023 . en . 6873365.
- Book: Juday . Chancey . The Inland Lakes of Wisconsin: The Hydrogeography and Morphometry of the Lakes . 1914 . State of Wisconsin . Madison, WI . Map xiv . en . 3648367 . IV Oconomowoc–Waukesha Lakes . Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey Scientific Series . 9 . Edward A. Birge, Director.
- News: Died. . 18 March 2023 . The Weekly Wisconsin . March 15, 1882 . Milwaukee, Wisconsin . en . Mrs. Polly Gage, of Nashotah, aged 76 years, fell asleep at St. John’s Church Home, in this city, on Friday evening..
- Book: Barquist . Barbara . Barquist . David . Oconomowoc barons to bootleggers . 1999 . 9780967517902 . 60–61 . Barbara and David Barquist . 16 February 2023 . en.
- News: Stevens . John . Thompson . E. D. K. . Sheriff's Sale. . 18 March 2023 . Waukesha Daily Freeman . 19 May 1881 . 8 . en.
- Book: Eastberg . John C. . Pabst Farms: The History of a Model Farm . Pabst Farms, Inc. . 978-09823810-2-1 . 167 . en . Three: A Model Farm. 2014 .
- News: Chapman Park Dedicated in Honor of Former City Attorney . 17 February 2023 . City of Oconomowoc Newsletter . City of Oconomowoc . Spring–Summer 2020 . Oconomowoc, WI . 4 . en.
