Aunt Polly's Wash Tub

Aunt Polly’s Wash Tub is a lake in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. It is the only lake in the area that has soft water.^[2]

Aunt Polly’s Wash Tub
Soft Water Lake
Aunt Polly’s Wash Tub
Location	Wisconsin
Coordinates	43°5′5.1486″N 88°27′49.3294″W
Primary inflows	none
Primary outflows	none
Average depth	10 feet (3.0 m)[1]
Islands	none
Settlements	Oconomowoc, formerly Summit

It was previously called Soft Water Lake^[3] until it was named for Polly Gage (1805–1882)^[4] who lived on the lake and took advantage of the water’s softness for the laundry of the Nashotah Mission.^[5] Gage lived there until 1880 when the property was foreclosed.^[6] The family of Laura Tallmadge (1842–1879) also lived on the lake.^[5]

The area once was called “Pabst Swamp Preserve”.^[1] After the Gages left, the son of Frederick Pabst, Fred Pabst, jr. [Wikidata], purchased the land around the lake for Pabst Farms, and farm employees would ice skate on the lake in winter.^[7]

The lake is now in Chapman Park [Wikidata], which was named for former city attorney Bill Chapman.^[8]

The lake was once stocked with German carp and bullfrogs.^[5] Fred Pabst, Jr. later stocked it with goldfish.^[7]

References

1. Ecological Society of America. Committee on Preservation of Natural Conditions (1926). Shelford, Victor Ernest (ed.). Naturalist's Guide to the Americas. Williams & Wilkins. p. 287. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
2. The History of Waukesha County, Wisconsin, Containing an Account of Its Settlement, Growth, Development, and Resources. Western Historical Company. 1880. p. 728. OCLC 6873365. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
3. Juday, Chancey (1914). "IV Oconomowoc–Waukesha Lakes". The Inland Lakes of Wisconsin: The Hydrogeography and Morphometry of the Lakes. Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey Scientific Series. Vol. 9. Edward A. Birge, Director. Madison, WI: State of Wisconsin. p. Map xiv. OCLC 3648367.
4. "Died". The Weekly Wisconsin. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. March 15, 1882. Retrieved 18 March 2023. Mrs. Polly Gage, of Nashotah, aged 76 years, fell asleep at St. John's Church Home, in this city, on Friday evening.
5. Barquist, Barbara; Barquist, David (1999). Oconomowoc barons to bootleggers. Barbara and David Barquist. pp. 60–61. ISBN 9780967517902. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
6. Stevens, John; Thompson, E. D. K. (19 May 1881). "Sheriff's Sale". Waukesha Daily Freeman. p. 8. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
7. Eastberg, John C. (2014). "Three: A Model Farm". Pabst Farms: The History of a Model Farm. Pabst Farms, Inc. p. 167. ISBN 978-09823810-2-1.
8. "Chapman Park Dedicated in Honor of Former City Attorney". City of Oconomowoc Newsletter. Oconomowoc, WI: City of Oconomowoc. Spring–Summer 2020. p. 4. Retrieved 17 February 2023.