Fergus Falls Pebble Lakes

The golf course started in the usual manner, 75 local businessmen in town decided the town needed a golf course, bought a 160 acre farm and gave it to the city. The city agreed it should be a recreational area, including a golf course, applied and obtained the WPA project OK. A critical part of the beginning is the city and the WPA agreeing on how much will be spent - and this was done.

But, in Fergus Falls, there was a twist or two in the usual story. First, the golf course was three miles out of town and not actually attached to the city; Then, there was the local legislator who sponsored a bill that said a city couldn’t spend any money on recreational projects that were within the city or contiguous to, unless they submitted the plan to the voters. Fergus Falls was the only city that was affected. Hmmm...the Fergus Falls attorney did rule that the city could spend the money it had agreed to before the bill was passed. Which meant the city had to be very creative as the course was constructed.

In the end, it was civic pride carried Pebble Lakes to its successful completion. Through 1940, there were 54 men working on the project, $42,434 was spent; state emergency committee $3500; City of Fergus Falls $2500; citizens cash contributions $7542; citizens contributions of materials $4284.

In addition to the money, there was some in-kind help. In May of 1939, six implement dealers got together and plowed and disced the golf courses, saving the project $150. (John Deere, International Harvester, Allis-Chalmers, Oliver, and Case) Each dealer was allocated 25 acres, and local farmers were invited to watch. The local paper’s headline said, “Allis-Chalmers Tractors Easy to Run–A Banker Can Run One in His Spare Times.” the article reported 100s of observers came to watch the discing.

The newspaper also reported the golf course was looking to some local resident who would donate he money for the seed. Then builders used the stones from the field to build the stone wall that borders the golf course. (6/20/40: