Related Records

1. A series of news clippings documenting the Staar family's time at their seasonal cottage on the Rest Lake island near the channel. - Frank and Minnie Staar (Chicago) owned the island and a small mainland parcel since approx 1905. By the fall of 1910, Judge George Kersten was listed as "visiting" and the island was referred to as the Staar and Kersten cottage. Daughter Minna marries Judge George Kersten in 1912. The island was later referred to as "Kersten's Island".

   Record Type: Archive

   
2. Documents referencing the Staar and Kersten families use of their Rest Lake properties. 1934-1959 - Documents show that Minna Staar Kersten and her brother Henry Staar owned the "Staar Island" or "Kersten Island" on Rest Lake until it was sold to John and Virginia Langum in 1955. Minna's husband, Judge George Kersten, was declared insane in 1925 and died in 1934 (news clippings attached). It appears that Minna stayed at Bart's Rest Lake Resort in 1944 but built a new home on Rest Lake by 1950. (See documents attached). Henry and family continued to stay on the island during that time. Minna passed away on Christmas Day 1959.

   Record Type: Archive

   
3. Rest Lake island at the mouth of the channel from Stone Lake. ca 1900s - Originally owned by Frank Staar (ca 1905) of Chicago who had a seasonal cottage there. In 1910 it was referred to as the Staar and Kersten Cottage. Daughter Minnie (Minna) married Judge George Kersten in 1912. The island is often called Judge Kersten's Island. Kersten died in 1934 and Minna and brother Henry Staar owned the property until 1955 when it was sold to John Langum. In the 1970s and 1980s the island property was in disrepair and fell victim to vandals as it was mostly uninhabited. Rich & Sue Clack purchased the island in 1997. This land was not always an island. It was part of the peninsula on the north side of the channel. It possibly was separated in 1901-02 when a new dam was built for a massive 1902 log drive. Kersten built an inlet to an interior pond. Note the landing made of logs and the height of the log stumps on the left in image #3.

   Record Type: Photo

   
4. "The Islands of Rest Lake" by Jim Bokern 1888-2008 - This article discusses the history of Fox Island, Judge Kersten Island, the "floating" island and bog islands.

   6/2023

   Record Type: Archive