1980
• Gail Reece, the caretaker at the Park from 1956-1980, retires. More information on Gail
• Sewer Project Started in 1979 these photos are from 1980, along Lincoln Avenue in the Park.
• Boutelle's Bakery, was sold by The Boutelle's
1981
• The construction of DLSD sanitary sewer collection system around the lake was completed
1982
• McDonalds opens in Delavan
1983
• Lake experiences one of the worst algae blooms on record.
• Button from Pig Roast in Delavan.
• Button from Octoberfest in Delavan.
1984
1985
• Button from Pig Roast in Delavan.
1986
• 1980’s the Men’s Club raised funds to rebuilt the entrances to Delavan Lake Assembly.
1987
1988
• Kmart opens in Delavan
World Events
Presidents
• Jimmy Carter • Ronald Reagan • George H. W. Bush
1950
1981
1982
1983
1984
• The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is recognized as the cause of HIV/AIDS,
1985
1996
1987
1988
• Construction of the Channel Tunnel begins.
• Invasive species, Zebra mussels, found in the Great Lakes system.
1989
1989
• Delavan Enterprise recaps the first 100 years of the Park (click for the pdf verison).
• Mrs. Fiedler asked Fr. Watts to say this for a family party and the Park was invited to the Mass.
• The lake Level was dropped to save the lake, in September 1989.
• When the water was dropped you could walk across the bay from Assembly park to Lake Lawn's golf course.
Thanks to Tom Stapleton for these photos.
• Lake drawdown begins.
• 1989-1993: State, federal and local governments undertake a $7 million restoration project on Delavan Lake and its watershed.
• Concrete "cribs" used to hold piers in place became visible when the lake was drawn down 10ft.
• No fishing signs were posted until 1992.
• Fish were restocked in 1990 and 1991.
• In a joint project of Wisconsin's DR, the City of Delavan, the EPA and the Delavan Lake Sanitary District, the lake was chemically treated.
• The cleaner water was a boom for recreational users of the lake as well as water fowl and growth of aquatic plants.
• Assembly Park residents faced new challenges with aquatic mill foil growth and swimmers itch brought on by a surge in the geese and duck populations.
• You could walk across the lake bed from Assembly Park to Lake Lawn golf course when the lake was lowered
Here is what the Tribune wrote about it...
"DELAVAN, WIS. — It is not shallow enough to reveal the bones of Juliet the elephant. But six weeks of massive pumping have dropped Lake Delavan`s level 10 feet in one of the broadest water-rehabilitation projects ever undertaken, environmental officials say.
Rob Mohr, Caretaker of the Park With the water down to a level where it is cost-effective to apply a toxic substance, hundreds of thousands of carp and buffalo fish will be killed next week to restore ecological balance to the 2,072-acre Delavan Lake.
That`s only part of a $5.5 million local, state and federal program to rehabilitate the lake and its surrounding watershed, and to prevent it from returning to its polluted state. About $3.7 million of that is coming from local taxpayers. There are 2,200 cottages on Delavan Lake, roughly half of them owned by Illinois residents."
Here is a link to the complete Tribune storyThe dropping of the lake level was dropped 10 feet, exposed the concrete cribs used to hold the piers in place. No fishing signs were posted until 1992. This was a joint project of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource, the City of Delavan, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Delavan Lake Sanitary District, the lake was chemically treated, killing all the fish. Fish were restocked in 1990 and 1991.
As of November 2007, the lake is still need of attention. For additional information please see this link to the Delavan Lake Improvement Association.
• 1989-92: Outlet dam modified and outlet dredged.
• 1989 a thank you to all those who prepared this book for the Centennial.
