May 2026 • Nebraskaland 29
Dikes were built to capture and hold the spring water and create three terraced
lakes. It appears, however, that the Commission decided the north lake, likely shallow
and better at raising mosquitoes than fish, had to go. In what may have been the first
aquatic habitat project in the state, the lakes were drained in 1942, one dike removed
and others raised, and the two remaining lakes deepened and restocked with fish.
The Commission purchased another 55 acres on the west side of the park in 1949
and built a third lake, the largest, increasing the amount of water on the area to 43
acres. In 1996, a portion of the dike separating the two east lakes was removed as
part of another aquatic habitat project, and the park once again had just two lakes.
When the park opened in 1933, it was one of 26 that had been established in
the state by the Commission and its predecessors. Hungry for places to recreate,
the park was a hub of activities, including church picnics, family reunions and an
annual fireworks show on Independence Day.
Alexandria and Alexandria West wildlife management areas, featuring native
tallgrass prairie, oak woodlands and nearly 2 miles of Big Sandy Creek, cover more
than 1,200 acres to the north and west of the park. The areas are popular among
deer, small game and quail hunters, as well as birdwatchers and nature lovers.
The lakes aren't what they used to be, which might be why the park is so quiet
these days. The aging outlet structures are leaking, which has left the lakes a few
feet lower than they should be, and common carp have muddied the waters. Yet
the area still has a quality channel catfish population, as well as some largemouth
bass and other panfish, that keep anglers busy. And the lakes remain a great place
to paddle a canoe or kayak. Game and Parks hopes to find funding to fix the outlets,
but the repairs will carry a hefty price tag.
While some regulars wish more people would visit the hidden gem, others are
happy that few people know about the park — part of the reason it is so quiet.
Whether more visitors come or not, the park will likely remain a peaceful retreat,
and a great place to park a camper or pitch a tent, sit around the campfire and look
up at the stars.
N
ABOVE: Layne and Dalton Wolfe of Tobias play with their remote-control boats on Lake 2.
TOP LEFT: Brylee Eyer of Jansen holds a largemouth bass she caught while fishing on Lake 2.
TOP CENTER: A white-tailed doe and her fawns stand in the middle of the road between
the park and the adjacent Alexandria Wildlife Managment Area.
