Walled Lake History

Have you ever stopped to wonder where Walled Lake got its name? What’s intriguing is that, despite numerous theories on the origin, there is no solid evidence revealing how or by whom it was named. The most widely accepted theory suggests that the so-called “wall” is a stretch of large boulders extending roughly 200 feet from the shoreline, running parallel to the northeast shore. During summer months, 3 buoys mark this underwater geologic structure to ensure boaters stay clear. The boulders are approximately 2-3 tons in weight and have breached the surface of the water on numerous occasions.

 

The origin of these immense stones remains a mystery. A frequently referenced article, “A Remarkable Wall of Stone,” is cited in many books regarding the history of Walled Lake, and it states there are four theories that prominent geologists have posited*:

 

1. Drift deposit that that formed during a glacial moraine

2. Earth crust upheaval, akin to small island formation

3. Human Intervention

4. Translation of ice, moving large rocks in the movement

 

The article also states that the wall of stone is 100 rods in length (1650 ft), is 4 ft high, and 5 ft thick. It is said that it is covered in soil, grass, and trees measuring up to 3 ft in diameter. The rocks beneath are described as irregularly arranged, implying that this was a natural formation. However, in some sections, the stones were laid more evenly, presenting a uniform face toward the water. 

 

The author of History of Oakland County, Michigan, Samuel W. Durant, states that the author of the original article likely exaggerated dimensions and different aspects of this structure. He notes that very similar processes are seen in other large bodies of water in Oakland County, most notably Cass Lake and Orchard Lake. Daniel Ward, a farmer that lived on Cass Lake, noted that thick ice during winter months would expand from the center as atmospheric conditions changed. This would crowd boulders, and the high forces would push sand, gravel, and trees on the shoreline toward banks on the outskirts of the water. These boulders would act as a “scraper” on the lake bottom creating sandbars in its wake. 

 

This aforementioned wall is not the structure that is seen today. A Story of a Village Community by H.O. Severance in 1931 states that this large wall could be seen on the western shore, preventing trees on the shoreline from being washed into the water. Durant states that there was likely a similar wall on the northeastern shore that was dismantled to accommodate the road. These structures were likely removed at some point in time to accommodate the quickly growing village.

 

The remnants of this geological formation can be seen a few hundred feet from the northeastern shore. Numerous boulders lined together as if placed by the hands of man.

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This underwater structure is bare, with no vegetation growing on its surface. Over the next centuries, these boulders may gradually shift closer to the shore, much like they did in the past. This is believed to be a process known as glacial moraine; however it is on a much smaller scale. 

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References:

1. Durant, Samuel W. History of Oakland County, Michigan. L. H. Everts & Co, 1877. 
2. Severance, Henry Ormal. The Story of a Village Community. G. E. Stechert & Co, 1931. 

*An original copy of “A Remarkable Wall of Stone” has not been retrieved.