By Tom Hintgen

Otter Tail County Correspondent

Kim Pederson, a contributor to the Pelican Rapids Press, met with editor Louis Hoglund in late 2024 about writing a couple of articles about Star Lake. Six months later, she authored a complete book.

“Kim has also assembled a collection of photos and images, as part of the book, that will forever serve as a pictorial record of Star Lake’s resort history,” Hoglund said. “Her book is a delightful collection of anecdotes and also a preservation of local history that might otherwise be lost had she not made this book a reality.”

Pederson, when first starting to write about Star Lake, said she wanted to capture some of the magic of the old resorts and taverns on the lake she remembered from her childhood.

“We lived close to Star Lake,” she said, “and it was a favorite of my dad whose great uncles farmed land near the lake in the early 1900s.” Kim’s much younger parents and most of her fun relatives classified the taverns, grills and dance halls into one epic road trip they called “a drive out east.”

What started as a search for history turned into a quest to preserve the memory of the families behind the original 14 resorts at Star Lake. Of those 14, only four remain in 2025.

“Like people who refuse to give up the family farm, these folks didn’t do it for the money,” Kim said. “Being unable to turn your back on something a great-great-grandparent started is a powerful motivator.”

Pederson relied heavily on newspapers for information. “They are the most reliable sources of recorded history and remain unmatched in value even today,” she said. “I hope the book honors the people behind the resorts.”

She also hopes that the publication of “Wish upon a Star” helps resort owner legacies endure and gives their descendants something to cherish and hold onto. “In the end, isn’t that everyone’s wish?”

Adds Hoglund, “Kim’s storytelling includes a bit of humor when called for and serious and somber when necessary.” 

Pederson, as a regular contributor to the Pelican Rapids Press, has gained a large following of loyal readers over the past few years. Human interest stories, ongoing “Baby Boomer” feature stories and news coverage of the Pelican Rapids City Council are among her regular contributions to her hometown newspaper.   

She previously worked as market planning manager before retiring from Otter Tail Power Company. 

(The book is currently for sale at Mercantile on Main in Pelican Rapids. It will soon be available at stores in Vergas and Perham and at events.  If people are interested in receiving a copy, they can also contact Kim at khpederson@outlook.com) 

More about

Star Lake

“Star Lake beckons people to sit, be still, hear the loons and watch the sunrises and sunsets.” says Kim Pederson, author of “Wish upon a Star.” 

Fourteen resorts at Star Lake, in the early years of the 20th century, were destination points for city dwellers seeking to spend their leisure time at a lake in a wilderness-type setting. They came not only to sit and relax but also to fish, swim, hike and enjoy dancing at places such as the Spruce Lodge Pavilion.

Star Lake is named for its distinctive shape. The main body of the lake has three arms extending outward, giving it the appearance of a star or starfish.

“Over the years Star Lake’s shores, peninsulas and islands have attracted people with a frontier spirit,” Pederson said. “When people arrived as guests at Star Lake resorts, they found a what-you-see-is-what-you-get authenticity. That’s why many guests returned to Star Lake resorts year after year.”

Star Lake resorts with restaurants and taverns also attracted residents of Otter Tail County. 

An example was Denny Anderson and his assistants operating a basketball camp at Lone Pine Lake west of Dent. Denny and his coaches oftentimes would dine at Rocky’s Resort on Star Lake. He referenced Rocky’s as having “the best cheeseburgers in the state of Minnesota.”

Memories and experiences tell the story of the people behind the lake’s original 14 resorts. Pederson’s book is a story of real resorts and real people once upon a time at Star Lake.

“The four remaining Star Lake resorts open today are ones handed down by owners who forged ahead despite decades of ups and downs,” Pederson said. “Those ups and downs challenged their resolve.”