Hillsdale in Hillsdale County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Sandy Beach / Baw Beese Lake
Photographed By Craig Doda, December 28, 2019
1. Sandy Beach / Baw Beese Lake Marker
Inscription.
Sandy Beach, also, Baw Beese Lake. .
Sandy Beach. People began using Sandy Beach as a popular, but informal, swimming spot in the mid-nineteenth century. In 1955 nine Hillsdale County residents formed the Baw Beese Memorial Park Association to acquire and convert this area into a public beach. Using money from fundraising drives, the group purchased the land from Edwin and Mae Leypoldt of Cleveland, Ohio. Hillsdale City Recreation Director James Inman organized work groups to clear brush, widen the beach and create picnic areas. Area high school students made up one group. Local volunteer carpenters, electricians, bricklayers, painters and plumbers built the beach house using donated materials. It was later altered to include a concession stand. In 2013 the Hillsdale Rotary Club began a multi-year beach improvement project that included renovating the beach house.
Baw Beese Lake. According to early Hillsdale County histories, this lake was named for Baw Beese, the leader of a Potawatomi band that lived nearby when hunting and fishing in the area. Non - Natives who began to live here in the early nineteenth century described Baw Beese as generous and friendly.” In 1840 Baw Beese and his people were forced to move to Iowa, then Kansas, under the terms of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. This area soon became a popular picnic, fishing and swimming spot for settlers and their descendants. In 1892 the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad built a resort on the lake's northern shore. It featured a boathouse. lunch counter. dance pavilion, hotel. docks, picnic areas and a toboggan run. Excursion trains from nearby cities brought visitors to the resort's gates. In 1915 the resort closed, and the buildings were dismantled.
Sandy Beach
People began using Sandy Beach as a
popular, but informal, swimming spot
in the mid-nineteenth century. In 1955
nine Hillsdale County residents formed
the Baw Beese Memorial Park
Association to acquire and convert this
area into a public beach. Using money
from fundraising drives, the group
purchased the land from Edwin and
Mae Leypoldt of Cleveland, Ohio.
Hillsdale City Recreation Director
James Inman organized work groups to
clear brush, widen the beach and create
picnic areas. Area high school students
made up one group. Local volunteer
carpenters, electricians, bricklayers,
painters and plumbers built the beach
house using donated materials. It was
later altered to include a concession
stand. In 2013 the Hillsdale Rotary
Club began a multi-year beach
improvement project that included
renovating the beach house.
Baw Beese Lake
According to early Hillsdale County
histories, this lake was named for Baw
Beese, the leader of a Potawatomi band
that lived nearby when hunting and
fishing in the area. Non - Natives who
began to live here in the early nineteenth
century described Baw Beese as
generous and friendly.” In 1840 Baw
Beese and his people were forced to
move to Iowa, then Kansas, under the
terms of the Indian Removal
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Act of
1830. This area soon became a popular
picnic, fishing and swimming spot for
settlers and their descendants. In 1892
the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern
Railroad built a resort on the lake's
northern shore. It featured a boathouse.
lunch counter. dance pavilion, hotel.
docks, picnic areas and a toboggan run.
Excursion trains from nearby cities
brought visitors to the resort's gates. In
1915 the resort closed, and the buildings
were dismantled.
Erected 2017 by Michigan Historical Commission-Michigan History Center. (Marker Number L2290.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Parks & Recreational Areas. In addition, it is included in the Michigan Historical Commission series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1955.
Location. 41° 53.963′ N, 84° 36.069′ W. Marker is in Hillsdale, Michigan, in Hillsdale County. Marker is on Lakeview Drive, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Hillsdale MI 49242, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 13, 2021. It was originally submitted on November 25, 2020, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 306 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on November 25, 2020, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Mark Hilton was the editor who published this page.
