History - Green Lake Property Owners Association

The Green Lake Property Owners’ Association was originally called the Green Lake Conservation or Protective Association and was organized in the spring of 1935 primarily to oppose the Willmar Chain-of-Lakes Project. This project, part of a plan to divert water from the watershed above Green Lake, was soundly defeated through the efforts of the Association. Minutes of the first meetings of its members and directors have never found; however, notes by Marion Gratz written at that time indicate that the aims of the Association were being expanded to include:

“The establishing of a permanent organization through which all property owners around Green Lake, as well as others interested in Green Lake, can work together so that matters such as winter fishing, better roads, conservation, and protection of property, as well as anything pertaining to the common good can be given the weight of an organized body.”

This statement more or less sums up the objectives of the organization as it exists today.

A meeting of the directors on July 25, 1936, the second year of its

existence, records the election of Peter Bonde, president; Fredolf Hultgren, vice president; and S.T. Robertson, secretary-treasurer. Other directors were Paul Struck, Art Nelson, and Paul Latham. Mentioned among the early members are the names F. E. Gillette, Emil Olson, Minnie Larson, O. R. English, Walter Wilson, Mrs. P.C. Davidson, G. O. Sage, H.J. Bardin, Earl Maul, Mrs. W.F. Gratz and F. O. Hillman.

The Association was incorporated in 1965. Directors at the time were E. N. Farness, Lloyd F. Johnson, Nels Miller, M. O. Hanson, John Spicer, Erroll Wanamaker and Jay Putnam.

The Association provides its members with a patrol service during the winter months. A newsletter, called the “Green Lake Breeze” after the first Spicer newspaper, is distributed three times a year and a directory of Green Lake property owners is published at about five-year intervals.

The Association has also supported a large number of projects of interest to its members, involving activities such as fish rearing ponds, water safety, bike paths, water quality and pollution control investigations, zoning restrictions, caterpillar spraying and so forth.

A long proposed plan for sewer and water extending around Green Lake was later implemented as a complete upgrading of individual septic tanks and a mound system. Only the west side of Green Lake is included in the Spicer water and sewer system, although the septic systems are controlled by the Green Lake Water and Sewer District.

The membership at the present time consists of about 320 of the 670 property owners around Green Lake. It is of interest to note that 92 percent of the property owners are from Minnesota and 42 percent are year-round residents.