Lake City in Wabasha County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
A Very Old Fish Story
— Great River Road Minnesota —
Prehistoric Relics
Lake Pepin teems with fish, including species whose ancestry can be traced to prehistoric times. Among the largest and most unusual are the sturgeon and the paddlefish.
These primitive fish were abundant in Lake Pepin until the 1930s, when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began building a network of locks and dams that altered the Mississippi River's flow all the way to St. Louis. Migratory fish like then sturgeon, paddlefish, and skipjack herring could no longer move freely upstream to spawn, and their numbers have decreased dramatically.
Sport and Commerce
With more than 85 species of fish, Lake Pepin is a resource for recreational and commercial fishing. Important game fish include northern pike, white bass, black crappie, bluegill, sauger, and walleye. Carp, smallmouth buffalo, bigmouth buffalo, flathead catfish, and freshwater drum are important commercially fished species.
1988, State of Minnesota, Department of Natural Resources
Erected 1988 by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Great River Road marking program.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Minnesota Great River Road series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1988.
Location. 44° 26.78′ N, 92° 15.697′ W. Marker is in Lake City, Minnesota, in Wabasha County. Marker is on South Lakeshore Drive (U.S. 61) south of West Elm Street, on the left when traveling south. Marker is at the Lake City Concourse. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Lake City MN 55041, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Historic Lake Pepin: Birthplace of Waterskiing (a few steps from this marker); Louis McCahill Memorial Park (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Patton Park (approx. 0.3 miles away); The First Settler (approx. 0.4 miles away); Ralph W. Samuelson (approx. half a mile away); Gold Star Memorial (approx. 0.7 miles away); The Sea Wing Disaster (approx. 1.1 miles away); Site of Fort St. Antoine (approx. 2.3 miles away in Wisconsin). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lake City.
Also see . . .
1. Lake Pepin. Wikipedia entry. "[It is] the largest Lake on the entire Mississippi River." (Submitted on January 30, 2012.)
2. Minnesota Department of Transportation. Historic Roadside Development Structures Inventory. "The marker is built of metal with a plastic sign mounted at a slant." (Submitted on January 30, 2012.)
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on January 30, 2012, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 951 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 30, 2012, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.