"History and Description of Lyon County, Minnesota", 1884
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Town of Rock Lake.
The township of
Rock Lake, which is town 109, range 42, lies on the south line of the county and one mile from the west line. It derives its name from a lake which lies in the northwest corner of the town, the name of which was given it by the early settlers on account of the character of its banks which in some places are nearly walled up with boulders. It is a beautiful little lake with some timber on its shores, deep water and stocked with fish It is a favorite picnic ground and one of the attractions of the town.
The town was first settled in the spring of
1871 by the
McNabbs from
Canada, who located on section 14 on the north shore of lake
Yankton. This lake is smaller than
Rock Lake and not so deep, but is an attractive body of pure water, and furnishes much pleasure to the people of
Balaton which is built on its south shore. In
1872
W. and
E. Hamm,
G. W. Linderman,
C. Osborn,
J.W. Lester,
J. A. Van Fleet,
J. T. Crouch,
A. Town, Mr.
McKay and Miss
Lina Bishop were residents of the town. Other early settlers were
W. Livingston,
L. Town,
G. A. Glotfelter,
E. R. Weeks,
L. Nichols,
J. Abernethy,
O. E. Persons and
H. L. Gifford.
The town was organized in
Oct. 1876, and the following officers elected:
W. Livingston, chairman;
W. Hamm and
Jas. Abernethy, supervisors;
A.N. Daniels, clerk;
G. W. Linderman, treasurer;
J. A. Van Fleet and
Geo. A. Glotfelter, justices;
E. R. Weeks and
A. McNabb, constables. This election was held at the school house on the land owned by
J. Abernethy, now in school district No. 60.
The first marriage occurred in
Oct. 1879,
C. M. Fichler and
Cora Hamm. The ceremony was performed by justice
O. E. Persons.
The first death was that of
Geo. A. Glotfelter,
June 21, 1878.
The first birth that of a son to one the
McNabbs.
There have been since the town was organized 52 births and 16 deaths.
Rock Lake postoffice was established in
1874,
R. Weeks, postmaster. The office was kept at
Weeks' house in
Lyons, however. He was succeeded by
A.C. Dann in
1875, and during the same year
J. A. Van Fleet was appointed, and removed the office to his house in
Rock Lake. He was properly the first postmaster in the town. The office was discontinued in
1881,
Balaton having sprung up with the building of the D. C. railroad through the town, and the postoffice at that town supplying the territory heretofore supplied by the Rock Lake P. O.
There are four school districts in the town and two substantial school buildings, one on section 8 and one on section 23 at
Balaton.
Religious services are held in both these houses by the Presbyterians and Methodists.
There are sixty voters and about 250 inhabitants in the town.
The assessor's report for
1883 gives
Rock Lake 1,596 acres under cultivation, of which 801 were wheat, 494 oats, 181 corn, 102 barley, 18 potatoes. There were also 39 acres of cultivated forest trees. The last assessed valuation of the town was $64,391. As real estate has not been assessed for two years, there will probably be a large increase in the next assessment.
The surface of
Rock Lake is rolling prairie, containing the usual amount of rich meadows and fertile farming land.
The Dakota Central railroad, a branch of the C. & N. W. which runs from
Tracy to
Pierre on the
Missouri river, passes through
Rock Lake from east to west, giving the town one station in
Balaten. The Duluth road when completed will undoubtedly give the town a competing market in a station near by on the west.
The
Cottonwood river takes its rise in or near this town, and flows across it giving drainage, water supply and rich meadows.
The population of
Rock Lake is mostly one of intelligent, thrifty and prosperous Americans. No town in the county can claim a better class of settlers.
There are three lakes in the town,
Rock Lake and
Yankton, before mentioned, and
McKay lake on sections 3 and 4.