Oral History of Lakes Menomin and Tainter

Abstract

This summer, I focused on oral history of the Red Cedar Watershed, and, more specifically, Lakes Menomin and Tainter. But what is oral history, you ask? Oral history is much like written history; it has its own slants and perspectives depending on the source. Unlike written history however (you might have guessed), it is spoken. By collecting accounts of the past through interviews, one can gather an understanding of the past as well as of the significance that people place on certain events, people, or places depending on how much or little they talk about them. Through analyzing accounts of the lakes and how they have changed, I came to a greater understanding of how these views affect actions in the present.

Over eight weeks, I interviewed more than 10 people in the Red Cedar Watershed, read interview transcripts conducted by previous REU students, attended public meetings relating to the lakes, did archival research, and took a lot of field notes. As I and my research partner, Madison Brantley, started wrapping up data collection, we also started analyzing the data we gathered. The data filled various roles in my research. I analyzed the interviews to get an idea of how people talk about the lake health and how it has changed as they’ve known it. I used the information I found in the archives to fill in the spaces of what people didn’t say in interviews. The archives proved to be a useful resource that allowed me to gather a fuller understanding of the lakes’ history. By participating in public meetings, I experienced what sort of things are being done in the present to address lake health.

After all of that - data gathering, coding, and analyzing - I drew a few conclusions.

Personal experience, strength of memories, and sense of place influence how people perceive current lake health, what they think should or can be done about declining lake health, and how they are involved in lake clean-up efforts. Based on the interviews conducted, the dominant theme is that the lakes have gotten worse. Most people expressed that they were unsure of how to move forward in addressing declining lake health, however, even if they are involved in a lake protection organization. Even though uncertainty exists for a variety of stakeholders, steps are being taken to slow the declining lake health. People who have lived in the area certainly had stories to share, but what comes with that is a sense that the lakes have gotten worse and there’s too much to do in order to reverse that decline. Thus, it can seem to be an insurmountable problem. Result: little movement forward.

There was also a sense, among other participants, that the lake has always been green, and, since we don’t know how to begin to address that, it’s an insurmountable problem. Result: also little movement forward.

There was even a small sense for some that the lakes have improved, and there isn't anything to be done. Result: you already know - little movement forward.

My archival research, on the other hand, yielded a lot of information about how Lakes Menomin and Tainter have been a vital part of the community. There were beaches, bait shops, boat rental locations, and even a boat house on Lake Menomin in the past. A triathlon was held until 2006, and generations of Stout students have enjoyed events on the lakes. Despite a feeling that the problem is insurmountable, there is a history to draw on for inspiration.

Why does this matter? Some community members feel frustrated about lake health and don't know how to proceed. Can't we move ahead anyway? Well, yes, you can try to do that. But a very important part of this is that the lakes are a part of the community, and it's unlikely that people in the community will choose to be involved in something that feels like an uphill battle. What is needed to move past this impasse is more education so the community can understand what is going on. We must work to build a consistent community understanding about the lakes' present health. For example, educational events about the history of the lakes could be held in order to establish a consistent, unified narrative in the community about the lakes' history as a community center as well as a clear vision for the future. In this way, people can better comprehend the situation, and are more likely to come together for such a worthy cause.