The Geological And Human History
The last of the glaciers that covered Michigan retreated about 10,000 years ago.
As they withdrew from the area, they left moraines, bogs, lakes, rivers, tills, drifts, and out washed plains.
All of these are found as evidence in the Proud Lake Area. About the area can be found masses huge boulders,
cobbles, pebbles, sands, and clays. Some of the moraines are a mile wide and more. The glacier drifts and tills
are from inches to 1,000 feet thick. The melt waters of the glaciers left muck land and swamps. Many of
these
bottoms are marl and lime. The Proud Lake water frontage is on three lakes and river, Lower Straits Lake, Reed Lake,
Proud Lake, and the Huron River. Within radius of 4 miles of these lakes and rivers this area consists of the water
shed of the Huron River, Rouge River, and the Clinton River. Because of the diversity of the land and the water of
Proud lake Area, we have hardwood swamps, quaking bogs, hardwood forest, and pine plantation. There are many lower
plants in the classes of ferns, mosses, lichens. The animals found in the water area of Proud Lake were originally
beaver, muskrat, min, otter, and other small marine animals. The land area abound with deer, elk, and other animals
of this type. The first Indians known in the area consisted of the tribes of the Ottawa, Ojibwas, Chippewa,
Pottawatomie, and the Pontiacs. The Proud Lake Area primarily consisted of the Pontiacs and the Pottawatomie.
These Indians trapped and hunted the area for beaver, mink, muskrat, weasel, deer, fox, coon, rabbit, ducks,
and geese. The fishing of the area is trout, pike, bass, and pan fish. The main villages of the Indians were
located at Walled Lake, Novi, and Farmington. The Walled Lake tribes came across from the Sleeth Road are on
section line 7, down through the Proud Lake Area to the Huron River at the time called “Clam Landing,” across to
Beaver Dam which is now the marsh Trail, and camped on a high sandy area which is now the end of the Service Road
going toward the campground to the southeast of the area headquarters. The Novi encampment moved in from the old
Grand River Trail to the Wixom Trail following the high ridges. The first government claims of the northwest
territory were under General Anthony Wayne, October 11, 1796. The first Governor of the total territory of
Michigan was Governor St. Clair which was called the St. Clair territory. The territory of Michigan covered
parts of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and parts of Wisconsin. In 1805 the first actual Governor of Michigan colonies
was Louis Clarl,. In 1818 they made the first actual survey of the area then followed by an open land sale in
1820. In that time the total population of Michigan was 8,896. The county of Oakland was founded in January 10
1819. The Oakland territory bounder beginning at the southeast corner of township one, north, range 11 east,
north of the base line, thence north to the southeast corner, township six in said range, then west to the Indian
boundary, then south to the beginning which formed the county now called Oakland. This became official on
December 31, 1822. The first settlement near Proud Lake was the township of Commerce beginning on the corner
of commerce and South Commerce roads. In 1896, William Baughn bought 128.24 acres. The area across from the
outdoor center was bought by a man named Norton. The Abrahams and the Gieglers, respectively, had 40 acres
and 128 acres. John Fesser owned the original Winterhalter farm before 1911. Martin Winderhalter then took
over a total of 208 acres. It was at this point that the land was then bought by the Montclair Hunt Club which
consisted of the original land which is now known as the Proud Lake State Recreation Area.