The next stop in our journey down the LaMoure County Back Roads Project takes us to the Cottonwood Creek Recreation Area and Lake LaMoure. It was back in 1971 when a group of people began talking about how much nicer it would be to have a place that was closer to home for fishing, a place here in LaMoure County. As they discussed this over and over, the logical spot seemed to be here, where the Cottonwood Creek enters into the James River Valley.

In 1972 the creation of Lake LaMoure began. It was funded by the State Game and Fish Department, the State Water Commission, the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, the LaMoure County Water Resource Board and the City of LaMoure. The work would begin with many long tedious hours of paperwork and research, work that would later pay off, creating a beautiful Lake area for the young and old to enjoy.

1800 acres of land had to be purchased from approximately seven different landowners averaging about $100 per acre. The State Game & Fish Department held the title to the land and then leased the recreational portion of this land to the City of LaMoure, who created a Public Recreation Board to oversee the development and maintenance of the recreation area.

With just a small creek running through this land and very few trees, the project began in 1972. It took about three months to build the dam, the beach, the boat landings, restrooms, tables, etc. In 1974 Lake LaMoure was filled. The lake has eleven miles of shoreline, 167 miles of drainage with an average depth of 18 feet and the deepest point being 42 feet. The project contains 1750 acres of land and water and the surface of the lake containing 500 acres. Total cost of this project was $647,000.

In 1974, with help from the LaMoure County Soil Conversation District, tree planting began. The early plantings could be done by machine planting at a rate of 10,000-15,000 trees a year. The State Game and Fish Department stocked the lake with trout and the lake opened for fishing in 1975.

Several years later, the land that could be planted with trees by machine was complete. Many draws, hills and other areas were left unplanted. The LaMoure Lions Club held a "Tree Planting Bee" which has become an annual event on the third Monday of May each year. People from across LaMoure County began to join together to continue planting the trees. Approximately 400 acres of land have been planted with approximately 300,000 trees, and another 200 acres have yet to be planted to reach their goal. Under normal conditions, approximately 15 acres per year can be planted.

To help with the tree planting process, they have enlisted the help of the large number of squirrels living in the lake area. Each fall large quantities of Bur Oak acorns and Ohio Buckeye nuts are gathered and placed around the lake. The squirrels quickly find them. Although the squirrels eat many of the acorns, many are also buried. With the help of the squirrels, it wasn’t long before new volunteer seedlings were noticed.

It became obvious that this project was going to need continual funding in order to maintain the area. Where would the funds come from? In 1995 the State Game and Fish Department deeded the leased land to the City of LaMoure for the recreation area on the north side of Lake LaMoure. This brought the option of creating lots for camping that could be rented out on the north side of the lake. Sixty lots were created to raise the money to cover the expenses of maintenance and to keep it as the beautiful recreational area it had become.

Boats, Jet Ski’s, water skiers, fisherman, campers, and swimmers can be found enjoying this area throughout the summer. During the winter, small ice fishing shacks dot the surface of the lake. An area of land, containing no trees and just a small creek running through it, caught they eyes of a group of people and throughout the years has become a beautiful recreational area used by many year after year.

Continue with us on our tour of this road when our next stops will be at the Toy Farmer, the CCC Dam and Park, and the LaMoure Co. Courthouse as we rediscover the history that lies in the James River Valley.