Summary
Round Lake is a small inland lake in Beaver Island’s northern interior. GNIS classifies it as a lake, and the 2023 Beaver Island Master Plan describes it as approximately 24 acres and privately owned, with public access allowed by Central Michigan University.
The Master Plan gives Round Lake an unusually specific ecological profile: it holds water only seasonally, does not support fish populations, connects to a wetland complex called “Cornelius’ Swamp,” and serves as a spring stopover for ducks, sandhill cranes, and geese. A December 1961 Beaver Beacon report independently places local goose hunting at the northeast end of Round Lake and names the nearby Welke farm. The sources support the lake’s hydrological and wildlife significance, but do not establish the origin of the Cornelius’ Swamp name or the terms of the current public-access arrangement.
Open questions
- Can the Master Plan’s “Cornelius’ Swamp” be matched to a mapped wetland or a separate historical place record?
- When did Central Michigan University acquire or begin allowing access to Round Lake, and what restrictions apply?
- Can historical surveys establish the lake’s seasonal water regime and any earlier use beyond the 1961 hunting report?
Sources
- U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System, Domestic Names (Michigan), retrieved 2026-07-28.GNIS feature 636313; feature class 'Lake'.federal · gnis · gnis_names
- Beaver Island Master Plan, 2023 update.Describes Round Lake as a roughly 24-acre private seasonal lake in the northern interior, connected to Cornelius’ Swamp, used as a spring stopping point by ducks, sandhill cranes, and geese; the plan also notes public access through CMU.
- Beaver Beacon, December 1961, “A Goose Story.”Reports Rogers Carlisle hunting blue geese at the northeast end of Round Lake and identifies the surrounding Welke farm context on Beaver Island.