Kabetogama ( ) is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

in Kabetogama Township, Saint Louis County,

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

, United States, located within the

Kabetogama State Forest The Kabetogama State Forest is a state forest located in Koochiching and Saint Louis counties, Minnesota, United States. The forest borders the Superior National Forest and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to the east, the Sturgeon Ri ...

. The community is located 27 miles southeast of

International Falls International Falls (sometimes referred to as I-Falls) is a city in and the county seat of Koochiching County, Minnesota. The population was 5,802 at the time of the 2020 census. International Falls is located on the Rainy River directly acro ...

on Saint Louis County Roads 122 and 123. Kabetogama is located 49 miles north of

Cook Cook or The Cook may refer to: Food preparation * Cooking, the preparation of food * Cook (domestic worker), a household staff member who prepares food * Cook (professional), an individual who prepares food for consumption in the food industry * ...

. U.S. Highway 53 is nearby.

Voyageurs National Park Voyageurs National Park is an American national park in northern Minnesota near the city of International Falls established in 1975. The park's name commemorates the ''voyageurs''—French-Canadian fur traders who were the first European settle ...

is also in the vicinity. The boundary line between Saint Louis and Koochiching counties is also nearby.

Notes

Adjacent Kabetogama Lake is one of four major lakes that make up the

. Kabetogama is the gateway into the park. Kabetogama Lake has of waters and has 200 islands. Kabetogama Lake was carved from an ancient glacier flow. Kabetogama Lake runs into Namakan lake to the east. Kabetogama is noted for walleye fishing. There are also northern pike, crappie, perch, and bass. At the entrance to the lake, there is a large statue of a walleye with a saddle that people can climb onto and have their picture taken. It's an icon that's associated with the lake and the fishing. The islands of Kabetogama Lake and surrounding area have miles of trails and various campsites for park visitors to use. Many families homesteaded houses or cabins on Kabetogama Lake before it was a part of Voyageurs National Park. One long-time resident of the Kabetogama community was noted woodcarver Hermund 'Herman' Melheim. He and his wife Lillian built a log cabin there in 1933. There he created innumerable intricate objects from white pine, including over 80 clocks, one of which appeared in

Ripley's Believe It or Not! ''Ripley's Believe It or Not!'' is an American franchise founded by Robert Ripley, which deals in bizarre events and items so strange and unusual that readers might question the claims. Originally a newspaper panel, the ''Believe It or Not'' feat ...

newspaper column. Lumberjack and guide John Salmi published a number of small books in the early 1970s, including ''Kabetogama'', ''Minnesota Lumberjack'' and 'Five Lakes'. The logging industry logged for White Pine trees in and around Kabetogama. There are many outfitters in Kabetogama who rent out kayaks and canoes for people to explore the lake. In the winter, visitors can ice fish, snowmobile, cross country ski and ice skate among other things. The Kabetogama area is also known for hunting of whitetail deer, black bear, and small game birds. Kabetogama Lake has many resorts that line the shores and is a vacation place for many returning and new people each year. Most visitors come in the summer when the weather is more agreeable. Woodenfrog State Campground is located within the Kabetogama Lake shore lines. The campground was named after a Chippewa chief name Chief Woodenfrog. The lake is roughly parallel to Rainy Lake. The

Ojibwe The Ojibwe, Ojibwa, Chippewa, or Saulteaux are an Anishinaabe people in what is currently southern Canada, the northern Midwestern United States, and Northern Plains. According to the U.S. census, in the United States Ojibwe people are one of ...

name ''Gaa-biitoogamaag-zaaga'igan'' translates to "the lake that lies parallel or double with another lake." French fur trappers similarly referred to Kabetogama as Travere or Travers, meaning "alongside." A thin peninsula is all that separates lakes. The 26,000-acre lake has myriad bays and more than 200 islands. It reaches a maximum depth of 80 feet and has an average water clarity of 9 feet. The largely undeveloped landscape is a transition zone between boreal and hardwood forests. Kabetogama Lake has long been a popular destination for walleye anglers, and it was host to the 2010 Minnesota Governor's Fishing Opener on May 15, 2010. Walleye, sauger, northern pike, smallmouth bass, crappie, and perch grow faster there than they do in nearby lakes that are colder, deeper, and less fertile.

Climate

Media

Television

References

Sources

* Rand McNally Road Atlas – 2007 edition – Minnesota entry * Official State of Minnesota Highway Map – 2011/2012 edition

External links

Kabetogama Historical Society
{{authority control Unincorporated communities in Minnesota Unincorporated communities in St. Louis County, Minnesota Voyageurs National Park