Lake Shetek

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Lake Shetek
Location Murray County, Minnesota
Coordinates 44°7′12″N, 95°41′24″WCoordinates: 44°7′12″N, 95°41′24″W
Basin countries United States

Lake Shetek is the largest lake in Murray County, Minnesota, located a few miles north-northwest of Currie. Shetek means "pelican".

[edit] Geography

It is the headwaters of the West Fork of the Des Moines River. Lake Shetek contains three large islands: Valhalla, Keeley, and Loon. Dikes connect the first two to the western shore, and another connects the third to the eastern shore.

[edit] History

It is a short distance west of the site of what is locally termed the Shetek massacre in 1862. A monument on the east side of the lake built in 1925 commemmorates those killed.

The dikes were built by the WPA. Plans for a dike connecting Keeley and Loon islands were abandoned when World War II closed the WPA.[1]

[edit] References