As the train cruised past Pewaukee Lake, I was struck by how vast it looked. Turns out, it's the biggest lake in Waukesha County’s aptly named “Lake Country”, about five miles long and a mile wide, with an average depth of 15 feet, dipping down to a chilly 46 feet in the deepest spots. The beauty was breathtaking!
These waters aren’t just for show. Pewaukee Lake is a hub for inland sailing, with national regattas hosted regularly by the Pewaukee Yacht Club on the southern shore. It’s like the Hamptons of the Midwest... if the Hamptons had brats and cheese curds.
Back in 2008, the lake got a little too ambitious and spilled over during heavy spring and summer rains, causing major flooding and millions in damage. Mother Nature clearly doesn’t care about property values.
Historically, Pewaukee Lake has been a summertime escape for Milwaukee residents. But here’s the cool part. In the 1800s, blocks of ice were cut from the lake during winter, packed in sawdust, and hauled to Milwaukee. Before refrigeration, this was how people chilled their food, and Milwaukee’s many breweries definitely weren’t going to tolerate warm beer.
So yes, the lake is beautiful. But it also kept the cheese cold and the beer flowing. Thank you, Pewaukee Lake. I appreciate you.
