Aunt_Polly’s_Wash_Tub
Aunt Polly's Wash Tub
Lake in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, United States
Aunt Polly’s Wash Tub is a lake in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. It is the only lake in the area that has soft water.[2]
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. , 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 , 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]