EARLY HISTORY 
 
 
                                     "Lake Gordon" 
 
 
      The early history of the St. Croix Flowage which is now "Lake
Gordon," dates back, the same as other historical 
spots, to a location previously occupied by Indian tribes, with their villages.'
Just above the present dam site, there was 
located in the olden days, a large Indian Village called by the Chippewas:
"Na-may-way-ka-wa-gon," meaning, "fishing 
sturgeon through the ice." These Indians had their own cemetery, but
now all traces of both village and cemetery have 
disappeared. The "village" occupied one of the most beautiful spots
of the St. Croix River, about five miles from the 
present village of Gordori, Wisconsin, where Antoine Gordon, Grandfather
of Rev. Phillip Gordon, arrived and estab- 
lished a trading post and stopping place, in 1862; and carried the U. S.
Mail, from Bayfield, Wisconsin, to St. Paul, by 
contract. 
 
      At the time Antoine Gordon moved to this territory, there were many
Indians scattered along the St. Croix Valley, 
in at least 15 villages or small groups, numbering several hundred men and
women. The Chippewas were mostly mem- 
bers of the so-called "Lost Tribe of the St. Croix." William Gordon,
who is still alive, and Father of Rev. Phillip Gordon, 
remembers the St. Croix in the early days, as a fisherman's paradise, and
a natural sanctuary for deer and wild ducks. 
This territory was surrounded by a great stand of virgin timber, white and
norway Pine, and the old logging dam, upon 
which the preserit dam is constructed, was constructed for logging operations.
The loggers moved their operations up 
the St. Croix River as far as Solon Springs, Wis., which was then known as
White Birch, but Gordon, Wis., on the St. Croix 
River, approximately eight miles from Solon Springs, was headquarters. 
 
      The large saw mills were located at Stillwater, and the logs had to
come down the rivers, it being the only means 
of transportation to the Mills. It became necessary to provide reservoirs
to hold a volume of water for each spring drive. 
The most advantageous site was picked by these lumberjacks, and that is the
site of the present dam. It was con- 
structed nearly 60 years ago, and was the beginning of the St. Croix Flowage,
known now as "Lake Gordon," upfon the 
St. Croix River. 
 
      The old dam was built in 1687, by the Musser, Sauntry & Tozer Co.,
and used until logging in this territory had its 
final drive, and was constructed of timber and rock. It had five 18 foot
gates, which were 11 feet 8 inches in height; the 
style of the gates at that time, known as half moon type. In about 1888,
early in the morning, they had a scare that 
the dam was going to give way, but through quick work, the lumberjacks saved
all the properly. The dam was repaired 
and strengthened after that date, with no further trouble. 
 
      "Lake Gordon," or St. Croix Flowage, as it is called, was
the key to the water supply for all the logging operations 
along the upper St. Croix River and its tributaries, and depended upon its
water supply from the Eau Claire Lakes, 
through the Eau Claire River, and St. Croix Lake, through the St. Croix River,
at Solon Springs. 
 
      The first steamboat that ever appeared on the flowage came from Stillwater
in 1888, and was familiarly known as 
"The Baby," and was christened with due ceremony later as the "City
of Gordon." Its length was 20 teet with an 8 foot 
beam, and a propeller, and the "City of Gordon" remained in service
until about 1895, when it was reshipped to Still- 
water. It is still running at the present time, being used as a tug. 
 
      In 1895, Captain McDougall, of Whaleback fame, designed a second boat
for the company. It was built ai Gor- 
don, and launched at the landing just below the present Ranger's Station.
This boat was 28 feet long, and 12 feet wide, 
with a steam engine. It continued in service until 1912. A great many people
confused this boat with the "Mary Buck." 
It is true that the "Mary Buck" played an important part in logging,
in the early days, but this boat was on the Eau 
Claire Lakes only. Her old hull is still pointed out to sightseers on the
upper Eau Claire Lakes. 
 
      All boats on the flowage were used to haul supplies, and for towing.
The logs were rafted, and taken by the, 
little steamers, on down to the present dam. The spiinig drive always started
as soon as the lake opened; usually the 
early part of April, and lasted until early July. In those days, lumbermen
always tried to finish with a drive by the 4th 
of July, aid ended with a large celebration. There would be from 300 to 400
men on the drive; the logs would go down 
the St. Croix River as far as the Rush City Bridge, and the Moon Company
would handle them from there to the mills at 
Stillwater. 
 
      The White and Norway Pine timbered in this area was of a superior grade.
It is impossible to estimate the amount 
of timber taken off. Although there were many different camps, it was not
unusual for one camp to put in four to six 
million feet of logs during a drive. After the Norway and White Pine had
gone, of course, the Jack Pine was taken off, 
and the last and final drive was made in 1912. This finished logging operations
to a large extent, in the Gordon area, 
and the last stand of virgin timber was history.