• Thursday-What'sUP June 29 - 10:13 am

Joseph Hurley was driving along M-26, just past Eagle Harbor, rounded a curve and into view came this lovely little body of water named Lake Bailey. One end of this inland lake is covered with lily pads, which look like they don't get disturbed by anything but perhaps a few ducks. It's a peaceful looking place, with a small boat launch and a few homes built around it on the roadside. Looks like it would be a wonderful place to launch your kayak and take a quiet tour.

Looks like the perfect spot to take in some peace and quiet.

A real must place to visit. I'd probably want to stay a while.

A great lake to sit back and do a little fishing on. Although the Northerns are a bit small (hammer-handle sized), they are still fun to catch especially on a fly rod; you think there's a monster on the other end until you bring it in. I've also heard of people catching trout out of Bailey, but I never have......

Won't you come home Bill Bailey,won't you come home.It has been such a long time since a had a Northern on the line.I should give my brother a jingle.

Does anyone know where the name originated? Bailey's Pond is also up in that area. I'm guessing it got it's title after someone named Bailey. Beautiful spot. Also, a nice view of Lake Bailey from atop Brockway Mountain.

I believe it was Lake Bailey that my grandfather used to refer to as "the donut lake", because from on Brockway the island in the middle of the lake made the lake appear to be a donut. Thank you, Mr. Hurley, for sharing the photo!

Bill Bailey....didn't Pearl Bailey (remember her?) sing that?

Next week we're heading up to the Copper Country for a week of R&R. Does Lake Bailey (or any other nearby lakes, like Bear Lake) have a fishing pier where young kids could fish from?

It is a beautiful lake, probably wonderful for boating & fishing, but I don't recommend wading in it. The last time we were up there, we stopped to see the lake, and my 9-year old (then 7) took off his shoes & went for a walk in the water, nice & warm, but when he came out there were 3 or 4 leeches on his ankles. Yuck!

I remember as a kid, My mom used to refer to Lake Bailey as "Mosquito Lake". Wonder why?
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By Doug Smith (Smitty) on Thursday, June 28, 2007 - 11:16 am:
I remember as a kid, My mom used to refer to Lake Bailey as "Mosquito Lake". Wonder why?

Mosquito Lake was Lake Medora, I believe.

On some of the older (1800's) geologic maps of the Keweenaw, Lake Medora used to be called Mosquito Lake. I'm not sure as to when the change in names took place, sometime in the early 1900's I believe. The mining district that is near Lake Medora, however, still retained the name "Mosquito Lake District" even after the lake changed......

I also remember Lake Medora being call Mosquito Lake in the early 50's. My grandparents never referred to it as Lake Medora.

Hoosieryooper--My Dad and Grandpa also referred to Lake Bailey as "Donut Lake" for the exact reason you mention.

Rumored to have Tiger-Muskee in it as well as the Norhterns.

That's interesting to hear, Kenty. I wonder how widely the name Donut Lake is used. Probably not too widely.

It seems like the lake and island are actually long and narrow, too. It's the angle of the view from Brockway that makes it look round. I guess my grandpa was teaching me about optics. :-)

One would have to guess that an early version of a Keweenaw Co. tourist bureau decided to change the name of Mosquito Lake to Lake Medora. Mosquito is sort of negative. There was also the Medora Mining Co. which operated near Mandan. They may have also owned land near or around Mosquito Lake which would make Medora a natural for a new name.
Bailey Lake is slowly progressing from lake, to pond, to swamp, to meadow. Even in my lifetime, I have seen open water on the west end were there is now reeds and muck.

I have to wonder on Paul's posting. How old is Lk Medora and about how long will this transition take?

Sorry meant Lk Baily.

It's a pretty good guess that Lake Bailey and Lake Medora are as old as the last glacial advance that covered the area, which according to Dr. Nat, was about 8,000 years ago. The progression of Lake Bailey to swamp and meadow is nothing new; it's the natural cycle for a lake. Even the mighty Great Lakes someday will suffer the same fate as little Lake Bailey and become a meadow, a rather large one at that.

As far as I know, Medora Mining Co. never owned any land on or near Mosquito Lake. All of their land holdings were around Mandan and to the south of present day US-41. I have the original mining maps from the period, the only problem is that they are safely stored and a bugger to pull out......

Why is it named Lake Bailey? There is a great book written in the 1840's by John St John. It is called"A TRUE DESCRIPTION OF THE LAKE SUPERIOR COUNTRY".Reprinted in 1976 by Black Letter Press, S.B.N. 0-912382-20-1
A man named Bailey was an early settler from Eagle Harbor at the time. I forget what his title was but I remember the author was supposed to meet with Douglas Houghton in Eagle Harbor on the night he drowned. It is meant to be the first true description of what to expect here for early minerals lease holders and speculators. His travels start in the Soo by canoe with a guide.Best description I ever read of the era.

Lake of the Clouds used to be named Carp Lake.

As I recall the average life of a lake is about 10,000 years. I always saw a pair of mallards on the south (lily pond) end of Bailey and thought those birds really had it made.

I think the lake look s very beautiful... but trying to kayak in it is not so much.... there is about 2 feet of water and 4 feet of soft muck...... i wouldn't want to fall in.... also on that island my mother and sister camped there and said there were 6 ft by 3 ft mounds on the island..?? I wonder if there was a makeshift cemetery there long ago??

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