Long Lake (Indiana)
| Long Lake | |
|---|---|
| Location | Porter County, Indiana |
| Coordinates | 41°36′55″N 87°12′43″W / 41.61528°N 87.21194°WCoordinates: 41°36′55″N 87°12′43″W / 41.61528°N 87.21194°W |
| Type | lake |
| Surface elevation | 604 feet (184 m) |
Long Lake is a large interdunal wetland in the Indiana Dunes region of Northwest Indiana. It was originally approximately 8 miles in length, but has been shortened due to development and drainage. It has a surface area of 34 hectares, and a maximum depth of 1.8 meters. There are three small islands, and the total shoreline length is 4.6 kilometers.
Long Lake is bisected by a major local arterial road, County Line Road. The eastern portion of the lake lies in Porter County in the town of Ogden Dunes, and the western portion is in Lake County in the Miller Beach community. The vast majority of Long Lake is within the boundaries of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, although a small area at the eastern end in Ogden Dunes is used by the American Water company for a water purification plant
Along the southern edge of the lake the Norfolk Southern railway, South Shore Line railway, and U.S. Route 12 highway run in parallel. The north side of Long Lake was formerly traversed by the Indiana Harbor Belt railway. That railway has now been replaced by the Marquette Trail and Long Lake Trail, multi-use trails used by cyclists, hikers and birdwatchers.
Long Lake was one of the focus of Diana of the Dunes conservation efforts. Others joined these conservation efforts to preserve the Indiana Dunes.
In the 19th century, the ice of Long Lake furnished a livelihood for early inhabitants of the small town of Miller, which later became Miller Beach; ice was harvested from the lake and shipped to market by rail. The ice also provided a surface for ice-skating between Miller and Baillytown. A recreational fishery also flourished on the lake in the early 20th century, when a more diverse biota was present than today, including largemouth bass and yellow perch.
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Wikipedia