User:Cookejoshua33

Big Star Lake

Big Star Lake is a medium sized lake in located in Baldwin, Michigan. The lake has a maximum depth of 25 feet (7.62 Meter) and an average depth of 14 feet (4.267 Meter). Ice covers the lake in the winter months and rests around 70 Fahrenheit (21.11 Celsius) in the summer months. Big Star Lake consists of three large bays and one small bayou on the west end. Wildlife varies from small to large with bass, sun fish, beavers, muskrats, deer, and bears using the lake year round as either a permanent residence or a quick watering hole.

Big Star Lake is one of the only lakes in the area with established lake rules and guidelines for residents and visitors alike. The lake requires that all water vehicles must not have a wake between the hours of 7:30 PM and 11:00 AM EST to protect natural wildlife and allow residents quite hours. The lake also requires a counterclockwise path around the lake for boater safety and to prevent possible collisions.

History

The lake was once used in the logging community in the early 19th century as a logging pond to transport white pine trees across the water. The pines were taken to a railroad line on the north east portion of the lake where the trees were loaded up onto small logging locomotives and transported to the nearby city of Grand Rapids to be processed. When the area was logged to completion the rail line was dismantled leaving only the former rail grade (Portions of the rail grade are still visible in certain locations).

The lake is generally used in the modern era as a seasonal recreational lake. Big Star Lake is used for an abundance of summer activities such as; Fishing, Boating, Swimming, Tubing, Kayaking and many other recreational activities as well. With more than 900 residences placed around the lakes border the population peaks in the summer season and has a large population dip in the winter months. Most residents are seasonal but the lake is beginning to accumulate more people as the area grows and becomes more popular.