Click on any image below to view in a gallery format or as a full-screen image:
Dean Dunn photographed the flood water from Lake Wabaunsee pouring over the old spillway.
This photo by Dean Dunn shows the swimming area at Lake Wabaunsee and the floating swimmers’ dock.
Two ladies stand on the public dock at Lake Wabaunsee as swimmers are enjoying the floating dock in the swimming area.
Dean Dunn photographed the public dock and beach at Lake Wabaunsee in this view from the early 1950s.
Boat race participants ready themselves for activities at the newly built Lake Wabaunsee in this view from about 1940.
When this photo was taken in December of 1933, the barracks buildings at the Kansas Emergency Relief Committee’s Transient Camp were being constructed by George Rinner Construction Company of Topeka, Kansas. Photo courtesy Bill Treu.
Construction of Barracks Buildings, Lake Wabaunsee, Kansas When this photo was taken in December of 1933, the barracks buildings at the Kansas Emergency Relief Committee’s Transient Camp were being constructed by George Rinner Construction Company of Topeka, Kansas. Photo courtesy Bill Treu.
This photograph of the Richard Sommer cabin, located on Lakeshore Drive, was taken shortly after it was constructed in August of 1942.
Seventeen German prisoners of war pose for a photograph outside one of the barracks buildings at Camp No. 5 at Lake Wabaunsee, Eskridge, Kansas. This view is rare in that the German prisoners are seen in their military uniforms rather than their normal work clothes marked with the letters P and W. Photo courtesy Penny Clark.
Two German prisoners of war from the Lake Wabaunsee camp shovel manure into a spreader while working on a Wabaunsee County farm. Photo courtesy Wabaunsee County Extension Service.
Three German prisoners of war stand near a farm truck on a Wabaunsee County farm in this view from 1944-1945. Photo courtesy Wabaunsee County Extension Service.
Two German prisoners of war shovel manure into a spreader on a Wabaunsee County farm in this view from 1944-1945. Notice the letters, P and W, written on the men’s work clothes. Photo courtesy Wabaunsee County Extension Service.
This view of the Prisoner of War barracks at Lake Wabaunsee shows a single strand of barbed wire around the compound. There were no escape attempts from Camp No. 5 which housed 150 German enlisted men. Photo courtesy Penny Clark.
This aerial view of the Lake Wabaunsee construction site is dated September 11, 1937 and shows the lake shortly after water was impounded at the earthen dam. To the right of center one will notice that the lake’s water had not reached the barracks complex, and the arms of the lake were still dry land at this point in time. Photo courtesy Bruce Taylor.
This real photo postcard features a 1950s view of the upper lounge at MacKenzie’s Lodge at Lake Wabaunsee.
This real photo postcard features a 1950s view of the lower level of MacKenzie’s Lodge at Lake Wabaunsee. Photo courtesy the Dean Dunn collection.
This 1934 Harold Wolfe photograph, taken at the Kansas Emergency Relief Committee’s Transient Camp at Lake Wabaunsee, shows a group of workers constructing the caretaker’s house, located at the east end of the dam.
This 1934 photograph by Harold Wolfe of Topeka, Kansas features the lake caretaker’s house at Lake Wabaunsee. Clyde Forinash, writes on the reverse of the photo, “I built this in 1934 with transient help. I was there as an instructor on the complete job, and worked more than 60 different men on this one job. It burned down and was rebuilt, then rebuilt again, and the second time, the gables were restored to their present position.”
Two workers at the Kansas Emergency Relief Committee Lake Wabaunsee Transient Camp perform metal working repairs in the camp blacksmith shop in this Harold Wolfe photograph from 1934.
Workers at the Kansas Emergency Relief Committee Transient Camp at Lake Wabaunsee relax in front of a barracks building in this Harold Wolfe photograph from 1934.
This 1934 Harold Wolfe photograph features workers at the Kansas Emergency Relief Committee’s Lake Wabaunsee construction project seen at the barracks buildings. The mess hall is visible in the background.
This 1936 photo by Volland, Kansas shopkeeper, Otto Kratzer, features a view of the Works Progress Administration barracks building and the construction of the lake’s spillway. Rock was blasted from the spillway bed and crushed to various sizes of gravel, seen in the foreground.
This 1936 photo of the dam at Lake Wabaunsee is one of three views taken by Volland, Kansas shopkeeper Otto Kratzer featuring the construction of the lake. Photo courtesy Karen Kratzer
This 1936 photo of the dam at Lake Wabaunsee is one of three views taken by Volland, Kansas shopkeeper Otto Kratzer featuring the construction of the lake. Photo courtesy Karen Kratzer
This 1936 photo of the dam at Lake Wabaunsee is one of three views taken by Volland, Kansas shopkeeper Otto Kratzer featuring the construction of the lake. Photo courtesy Karen Kratzer
This 1936 photo of the dam at Lake Wabaunsee is one of three views taken by Volland, Kansas shopkeeper Otto Kratzer featuring the construction of the lake. Photo courtesy Karen Kratzer
This 1936 photo by Volland, Kansas shopkeeper, Otto Kratzer, features a view of the Works Progress Administration barracks building and the construction of the lake’s spillway. Rock was blasted from the spillway bed and crushed to various sizes of gravel, seen in the foreground.
This 1934 Harold Wolfe photograph features workers at the Kansas Emergency Relief Committee’s Lake Wabaunsee construction project seen at the barracks buildings. The mess hall is visible in the background.
Workers at the Kansas Emergency Relief Committee Transient Camp at Lake Wabaunsee relax in front of a barracks building in this Harold Wolfe photograph from 1934.
Two workers at the Kansas Emergency Relief Committee Lake Wabaunsee Transient Camp perform metal working repairs in the camp blacksmith shop in this Harold Wolfe photograph from 1934.
This 1934 photograph by Harold Wolfe of Topeka, Kansas features the lake caretaker’s house at Lake Wabaunsee. Clyde Forinash, writes on the reverse of the photo, “I built this in 1934 with transient help. I was there as an instructor on the complete job, and worked more than 60 different men on this one job. It burned down and was rebuilt, then rebuilt again, and the second time, the gables were restored to their present position.”
This 1934 Harold Wolfe photograph, taken at the Kansas Emergency Relief Committee’s Transient Camp at Lake Wabaunsee, shows a group of workers constructing the caretaker’s house, located at the east end of the dam.
This real photo postcard features a 1950s view of the lower level of MacKenzie’s Lodge at Lake Wabaunsee. Photo courtesy the Dean Dunn collection.
This real photo postcard features a 1950s view of the upper lounge at MacKenzie’s Lodge at Lake Wabaunsee.
This aerial view of the Lake Wabaunsee construction site is dated September 11, 1937 and shows the lake shortly after water was impounded at the earthen dam. To the right of center one will notice that the lake’s water had not reached the barracks complex, and the arms of the lake were still dry land at this point in time. Photo courtesy Bruce Taylor.
This view of the Prisoner of War barracks at Lake Wabaunsee shows a single strand of barbed wire around the compound. There were no escape attempts from Camp No. 5 which housed 150 German enlisted men. Photo courtesy Penny Clark.
Two German prisoners of war shovel manure into a spreader on a Wabaunsee County farm in this view from 1944-1945. Notice the letters, P and W, written on the men’s work clothes. Photo courtesy Wabaunsee County Extension Service.
Three German prisoners of war stand near a farm truck on a Wabaunsee County farm in this view from 1944-1945. Photo courtesy Wabaunsee County Extension Service.
Two German prisoners of war from the Lake Wabaunsee camp shovel manure into a spreader while working on a Wabaunsee County farm. Photo courtesy Wabaunsee County Extension Service.
Seventeen German prisoners of war pose for a photograph outside one of the barracks buildings at Camp No. 5 at Lake Wabaunsee, Eskridge, Kansas. This view is rare in that the German prisoners are seen in their military uniforms rather than their normal work clothes marked with the letters P and W. Photo courtesy Penny Clark.
This photograph of the Richard Sommer cabin, located on Lakeshore Drive, was taken shortly after it was constructed in August of 1942.
Construction of Barracks Buildings, Lake Wabaunsee, Kansas When this photo was taken in December of 1933, the barracks buildings at the Kansas Emergency Relief Committee’s Transient Camp were being constructed by George Rinner Construction Company of Topeka, Kansas. Photo courtesy Bill Treu.
When this photo was taken in December of 1933, the barracks buildings at the Kansas Emergency Relief Committee’s Transient Camp were being constructed by George Rinner Construction Company of Topeka, Kansas. Photo courtesy Bill Treu.
Learn more about the story of Lake Wabaunsee by clicking the link below:
The Early History of Lake Wabaunsee: 1933-1945
Categories: Blog, Early History, Gallery, Photographs
Flint Hills Special 
1 reply »