Edge of the Wilderness
Trout Lake and Joyce Estate, MN

The Joyce Estate

Nopeming, Ojibwe for "place of rest," was the original name for the Joyce Estate, a spectacular site for its time and place. Some 40 buildings were constructed between 1917 and 1935. David Gage Joyce of Chicago, whose family fortune was founded on timber, built the estate with native logs and stone. The estate had its own seaplane hangar, nine-hole golf course, clubhouse, tennis court, ice house, library and telephone line. The caretakers' compound alone contained 17 buildings. Joyce's daughter, Beatrice, stayed here each summer until her death in 1972. The site is now called Trout Lake Semi-Primitive Non-motorized Area in the Chippewa National Forest.

Trout Lake

The Trout Lake area itself offers a vast area of wilderness that outdoor enthusiasts will appreciate. The 6,000 acres of forest include 11 lakes where visitors are likely to observe loons, heron, or beavers. With 11 lakes, the fishing isn't bad either. For the visitor who truly needs a place of rest, there are campsites by Trout, Spider, and Wabana Lakes.