Summary
Greene’s Lake is a named inland lake in Beaver Island’s southwestern interior. GNIS records the variants “Green Lake,” “Greene Lake,” and “Greens Lake,” while its feature-history note associates the name with “Big Neal” Greene; that etymology remains a GNIS-derived claim pending a separate local biographical source.
The 2023 Beaver Island Master Plan describes the lake as approximately 62 acres, shallow, and often frozen completely in winter. It emphasizes the rich wetlands around the lake and says that Michigan DNR owns most of the shoreline. The plan’s broader fisheries discussion says the lake is part of a bog complex and inhospitable for most fish but popular with herpetofauna. It does not establish the date or terms of DNR acquisition.
Open questions
- Can “Big Neal” Greene be identified in census, land, or Journal of Beaver Island History records?
- What wetlands and herpetofauna surveys support the Master Plan’s ecological description?
- When did Michigan DNR acquire most of the shoreline, and what public access exists today?
Sources
- U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System, Domestic Names (Michigan), retrieved 2026-07-28.GNIS feature 627366; feature class 'Lake'.federal · gnis · gnis_names
- USGS GNIS, Feature Descriptions (T121), retrieved 2026-07-28.Feature 627366 description names “Big Neal” Greene as an early settler.federal · gnis · gnis_feature_descriptions
- USGS GNIS, All Names (national), retrieved 2026-07-28.Variant names: Green Lake; Greene Lake; Greens Lake.federal · gnis · gnis_variant_names
- Beaver Island Master Plan, 2023 update.Describes Greene’s Lake as about 62 acres, shallow, often frozen solid, surrounded by rich wetlands, and largely bordered by Michigan DNR land.