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The History of Manhattan Beach

As the oldest resort of West Lake Okoboji, the history of Manhattan Beach is nothing short of remarkable. However, it is also quite turbulent.  For every triumphant story of settlers, steamships, dance parties, and construction, you'll find stories of massacres, bankruptcies, lawsuits, and destruction. Nevertheless, one theme persists: Manhattan Beach Resort survives. Its history can be divided into seven distinct eras:

Robert Mathieson (the First Settler of Manhattan Beach) and the Spirit Lake Massacre (1856 - 1857)

David B. Lyons and the Manhattan Beach Company (1892 - 1899)

Joseph I. Myerly Revitalizes the Manhattan Hotel (1900-1911)

Owners of the Manhattan Beach Hotel (1911 - 1932)

Hobart A. Ross Rebuilds Manhattan (1932 - 1949)

Previous Owners of Manhattan Beach Resort (1949 - 1984)

Current Owners of Manhattan Beach Resort (1984 - Present)

Please note that the history section below represents many years of dedicated independent research, compilation, and organization.

All rights are reserved. Unauthorized plagiarism, reproduction, or distribution is strictly prohibited and will be pursued as copyright infringement .
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Robert Mathieson (the First Settler of Manhattan Beach) and the Spirit Lake Massacre

July 1856 - March 1857

In July 1856, Rowland Gardner Sr. of New Haven, Connecticut, settled in Okoboji with his wife, Frances, and their four children (Mary, Eliza, Abigail, and Rowland Jr.) Many claim seekers visited the lakes region before the Gardners, but no official claims had yet been staked out. Thus, Gardner and his son-in-law Harvey Luce were the first settlers to establish claims on Lake Okoboji–a “promised land” of natural beauty, abundant fish, wild game, large groves, and sand beaches. They surveyed the entire lakes area and its surrounding prairies but ultimately decided to construct grand cabins on the southeastern shore of West Lake Okoboji, close to (what is now known as) Pillsbury’s Point. By November 1, 1856, at least six other groups of people settled after the Gardners and Luces–all within a six-mile radius of the Gardner cabin.

 

The first family to settle after the Gardners were the Mattocks of Delaware County, Iowa. The Mattocks brought with them an 18-year-old young man named Robert Mathieson (frequently misspelled 'Madison'). Robert was the only member of the Mathieson family who spent Winter 1856 in Okoboji. The rest planned to join Robert in Spring 1857 after he constructed suitable accommodations for them.

 

The Mattocks settled at the south end of the Okoboji Bridge (about one mile from the Gardner cabin.) Robert Mathieson, however, claimed the large grove along the western shores of West Lake Okoboji. Although this area is now known as Manhattan Beach, these shores were known for many years as “Madison Grove.”

 

After several years of growing tension and (minor) violent conflicts between the settlers and the Wahpekute tribe of the Santee Sioux (led by 55-year-old renegade chief Inkpaduta), the Wahpekute massacred nearly all of the Okoboji settlers in early March 1857. It was a particularly harsh winter and resources were low for both the Wahpekute and settlers alike; starvation and death were imminent. Thus, the tribe first attacked the Mattock cabin and killed everyone inside, including Robert Mathieson. The first U.S. troops to arrive in Okoboji after the massacre documented that the Mattock Cabin and its occupants were the only group to put up a resisting fight against the Wahpekute’s slaughter.

 

Shortly after attacking the Mattock cabin, the Wahpekute went to the Gardners' cabin. They demanded all of the Gardners' flour–only to immediately shoot Rowland Sr. from behind as he went to retrieve it. The tribe then viciously and relentlessly killed everyone in the cabin (including the youngest children), sparing only 13-year-old Abigail (Abbie) Gardner–possibly due to her exotic light-colored hair and blue eyes.

 

By the end of the Spirit Lake Massacre, the Wahpekute tribe killed at least 36 Okoboji settlers. They held Abbie Gardner and three other women (Thatcher, Noble, and Marble) as prisoners for several months. The Wahpekute killed Thatcher for being ill and unable to keep up with the intense slave labor. Inkpaduta’s son, Roaring Cloud, clubbed Noble to death for refusing to exit a tipi. The tribe traded Marble (unknowingly to her eventual freedom) for various goods. And finally, approximately three months after the massacre, Abbie Gardner was also ransomed for two horses, two kegs of powder, 12 blankets, 20 pounds of tobacco, 32 yards of blue cloth, 37.5 yards of calico and ribbon, and other miscellaneous articles. Her obedience, stoicism, perseverance, and baking skills (in addition to her appearance) mystified the Wahpekute and saved her life. Nevertheless, on May 30, 1857, she finally returned to freedom.

 

By 1862, the Sioux’s string of massacres reached a slow yet bloody end in Minnesota.

 

In 1885, Abbie Gardner published a short memoir of the massacre and her captivity–which became a very popular seller. Six years later, in 1891, she returned to Okoboji for the first time and bought her family’s cabin. The state erected a monument close to the Gardner cabin to honor the massacred settlers in 1895. Gardner operated the cabin as a tourist site until she died in 1921.

Abbie Gardner, Robert Mathieson, and Inkpaduta

Artistic Depictions of the Spirit Lake Massacre

The Sioux Release Abbie Gardner from Captivity

The Gardner Cabin

The Spirit Lake Massacre Monument
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David B. Lyons and the Manhattan Beach Company

January 11, 1892 - March 30, 1899

On August 6, 1891, some of “the leading men of brains, money, and energy in Des Moines” formed the Crescent Beach Company–a joint-stock company with the primary purpose of buying and selling real estate on or near West Lake Okoboji. However, the company restrategized its initial plans and, by March 19, 1892, amended its Articles of Incorporation to adopt a new name: the Manhattan Beach Company. 

 

The founding members of the Manhattan Beach Company included:

• David B. Lyons: businessman of the Central Loan and Trust Company and renowned philanthropist

• Forrest S. Treat: businessman of the Central Loan and Trust Company and acclaimed Secretary for several organizations

• William F. Stotts: President of the Stotts Investment Company and American Civil War Veteran

• Oliver H. Perkins: one of the leading capitalists of Des Moines, frequent world traveler, and rare book collector

• Winfield S. Regur, Edwin L. Bowen, and Melborn McFarlin: prominent grain dealers

 

The Manhattan Beach Company purchased 1.5 miles of lakeshore property on the western side of West Lake Okoboji–encompassing (what was once known as) Gould’s Point and the Madison Grove. On May 20, 1892, the investors replatted and renamed the stretch simply “Manhattan Beach.” They budgeted $50,000 to construct the historic Manhattan Hotel, which stretched approximately 180 feet long by 50 feet wide over the beach’s sandbar point–only feet from the clear waters of West Lake Okoboji. The hotel’s first-class amenities included a dancing pavilion with a two-story bandstand, a large dining room with a lake view, housing and offices for property managers, 32 rooms for visitors, a fleet of wooden row boats, a three-story balcony tower, a toboggan slide, tennis courts, and even a bowling alley.

 

The Manhattan Beach Company also platted around 100 lakeside cabin lots which were 60 feet wide by 200-300 feet deep. By August 1, 1892, the lots were valued at $250 to $1000 each and ready for sale. This offering was the first of its kind and big news for travelers who wanted to build family cabins on prime Okoboji real estate. The investors also saw these lots as a great opportunity for quick profits and a way to establish steady cash flows from the resort’s new neighbors. However, interest was severely limited since the only way to reach the resort was by sailboat or steamboat. As a result, only about a dozen cabin lots were sold by 1899.

 

By 1893, the Manhattan Beach Company purchased the old 80 ft steamboat known as the Ben Lennox, which had a capacity of 300 passengers–approximately 50 more than the Queen. After giving it a first-class renovation, they promptly renamed it the Manhattan. The Manhattan brought guests to the resort from the Arnolds Park railroad station free of charge. The steamer also went out on excursions every Wednesday and Sunday with brass bands who played live music. Unfortunately, since the Manhattan was unreliable, rotted, and poorly maintained, it was run ashore and dismantled on Given's Point in 1899. Its machinery, fixtures, and upper works were repurposed for the iconic steamer, the Okoboji. Its rotted hull was split for firewood. However, Manhattan’s failed steamboat was only the tip of a very problematic iceberg.

 

The Manhattan Beach Company failed to deliver its trust deed payment to the Des Moines National Bank on September 1, 1897. By 1898, D.B. Lyons and his wife, Carolyn, sold out of the resort due to financial disputes and unfulfilled liabilities from the Manhattan Beach Company. The resort wasn’t generating enough income and didn’t sell enough house lots. Thus, to satisfy growing debts, creditors forced the resort into a sheriff’s sale. On March 30, 1899, at the east front door of the courthouse, Sheriff J. C. Guthrie auctioned off the Manhattan Beach property as the largest deal in Dickinson County history.

Gould's Point: Another Name Lost in Time

On June 4, 1877, the United States of America sold the massive lakeshore property to its first private owner, Allen Gould—a man who (at one point) lived in the Tusculum Township (East Okoboji). During Gould's nearly thirteen years of ownership, Dickinson County experienced significant growth and reorganization. Thus, the property was known for some time as "Gould's Point," joining "Madison Grove" as another colloquial name lost in time due to the Manhattan Beach Replat on May 20, 1892.

 

Gould sold the property to John C. Manly (a railroad, lumber, and banking executive from Poweshiek County) on December 13, 1890. Manly sold the property to the Crescent Beach Company on January 11, 1892. There is almost no public information about Gould or Manly—or their periods of ownership.

David B. Lyons of Des Moines, IA (~1864 - 1924)

19th-Century Manhattan Beach

The Manhattan (1893 - 1899), the Ben Lennox (1884  - 1893), the Okoboji (1900-1922), and the Queen (1884 - 1973)

One of the oldest photographs of Manhattan Beach–showing a group of young swimmers. The sign behind them reads "Manhattan Beach Lake Shore Lots for Sale $300."

Original Manhattan Beach Plats
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Joseph I. Myerly Revitalizes the Manhattan Hotel

October 15, 1900 - August 24, 1911

Although the Manhattan Hotel was open for the Summer 1899 (even after its bankruptcy and sheriff's sale), it was essentially deserted throughout Summer 1900.

 

On October 15, 1900, Joseph I. Myerly of Des Moines purchased the hotel property from A. L. Campbell, Trustee of the Des Moines National Bank. Myerly, a lawyer and postmaster from Des Moines, formed the Manhattan Hotel and Land Company with his two sons as the primary incorporators. On December 10, 1900, the company received the property with plans of renovating the hotel and selling lots for cabin construction. Myerly hired Will A. Brown of Leon, Iowa as manager and his wife as hostess for many successful summers at the resort.

 

In 1902, Myerly doubled the hotel’s capacity with 14 new bedrooms. He also added a new 40 ft x 90 ft dancing pavilion (with space for an orchestra) and wide porches surrounding the entire building. In her obituary, Joseph's daughter Josephine recalled seeing a young Fred Astaire and his sister Adele practicing their dance steps at the Manhattan Hotel.

 

By 1903, the hotel had accommodations for 250 guests, a new billiard hall, and a 300 ft long patio with a beautiful, panoramic view of West Lake Okoboji. There were also considerable improvements to the resort’s grounds, beach, boat landings, and a newly installed electric lighting plant.

 

For the 1905 and 1906 seasons, D.B. Fleming and Horace Birdsall of the Savery Hotel Company of Des Moines leased out the Manhattan Hotel. This arrangement lasted for only two summer seasons since Birdsall unfortunately died of a heart attack in August 1905.

 

For over a decade, Myerly relied heavily on the “certainty” that there would be a rail line built along the west side of the lake. This rail line would bring travelers directly to Manhattan—eliminating the need for steamers or sailboats. However, this line was never built. Myerly was forced to eventually cut his losses and sell the Manhattan Hotel in 1911.

Joseph I. Myerly of Des Moines, IA (1856 - 1939)

Myerly's Revamped Manhattan

Myerly Purchases Manhattan and Discusses Plans

The Okoboji arrives at the old Manhattan Beach Hotel.
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Owners of the Manhattan Beach Hotel

August 24, 1911 - December 27, 1932

George T. Harker and Bert Stoddard of Spirit Lake: August 24, 1911 - December 12, 1911

• In 1911, Harker and Stoddard traded over 1,100 acres of land in Kossuth and Clay County for the Manhattan Hotel and Land Company's assets.

• The agreement was based on a trade amount of $45,000 and included the hotel, its attached buildings, five cottages, and four acres of land.

• Harker initially planned to self-manage the hotel for the upcoming season. However, only three months later, Harker and Stoddard "disposed" of the hotel—thereby essentially serving only as real estate agents between Manhattan Hotel owners.

F. W. Converse of Estherville: December 12, 1911 - April 10, 1913

• In 1911, Harker and Stoddard traded over 1,100 acres of land in Kossuth and Clay County for the Manhattan Hotel and Land Company's assets.

• The agreement was based on a trade amount of $45,000 and included the hotel, its attached buildings, five cottages, and four acres of land.

• Harker initially planned to self-manage the hotel for the upcoming season. However, only three months later, Harker and Stoddard "disposed" of the hotel—thereby essentially serving only as real estate agents between Manhattan Hotel owners.

J. H. Waters of Salt Lake City: April 10, 1913 - February 15, 1916

• Waters, a "pleasant and thorough hotel man," spent his winters in Utah but returned to Okoboji in the summers to manage the hotel.

• For Summer 1915, Waters made considerable improvements and renovations the Manhattan Hotel. He redesigned the dancing, dining, amusement, and (newly enlarged) refreshment rooms. He also installed a special children's playground with a merry-go-round, sand slides, swings, and more.

• The old hotel was an exciting and lively place again. The Manhattan's dancing pavilion featured popular weekly dance parties. Dancing instructors gave lessons and exhibitions. A talented soloist performer with 22 costumes accompanied John Valentine Eppel's enlarged orchestra—who interestingly performed the famous "Missouri Waltz" (one of President Truman's favorites) for the first time at the Manhattan Hotel several years prior.

• Unfortunately, in late June 1915, Waters underwent a severe surgery at the Milford hospital due to a life-threatening issue. He recovered from the surgery but soon after sold out of the Manhattan Hotel—possibly to settle various debts.

Andrew “Andy” J. Harkins of Des Moines: August 25, 1915 - May 25, 1920

• In 1916, Harkins (a coal and sand production proprietor) personally managed the hotel and made extensive improvements—including new rowboats and large passenger-loading boat docks.

• In January 1919, a Manhattan Hotel employee sued Harkins after getting into a car accident on the way to working at the hotel. Furthermore, the roads around the lake and the hotel were in generally poor condition, so Manhattan was closed for the Summer 1919. 

• By June 14, 1919, Harkins listed the Manhattan Hotel for sale.

E. Lustfield, G. W. Harris, W. Cain, and Temple of Paulina: May 25, 1920 - July 17, 1929

• In March 1920, a group of Paullina bankers and businessmen purchased the resort for $18,000.

• By 1926, the roads leading to the Manhattan Hotel were finally graded and graveled. 

• In the 1930 Census, Manhattan Beach had 539 people, 43 boats, and 121 cars. At the time, the only location with more residents than Manhattan Beach was Arnolds Park.

W. H. Hospers of Paullina: July 17, 1929 - November 27, 1929

• Hospers, as receiver of the Bank of Paullina, repossessed the Manhattan property through the third Sheriff's sale in the resort's history.

Hobart A. Ross of Des Moines: November 27, 1929 - April 1, 1930

• In September 1929, Ross purchased the Manhattan Hotel property from the Bank of Paullina for $12,500 plus the cash value of its unexpired insurance.

Charles W. Council of Pilot Mound: April 1, 1930 - March 27, 1931

• Council (a hotel proprietor) likely shared interest (and/or debt) in the Manhattan Hotel from 1930 to 1932 with the following businessmen: Roscoe Robinson, R. Wayne Robinson, H. H. Peterson, Earl Crowe, James A. Smith, Growe Riffle, and Ray McNulty.

• Unfortunately, there is not much information on the years between Hobart Ross's periods of ownership.

Roscoe O. Robinson of Spencer: March 27, 1931 - December 27, 1932

• Robinson (a cafe owner) and his son redecorated, repainted, and reroofed the hotel. He hired professional chefs for the hotel's dining, tea, and confectionary rooms. He also renovated the Manhattan Hotel's dance hall room.

Growe Riffle and Ray McNulty of Sioux City: June 9, 1932 - December 27, 1932

• Riffle and McNulty (experienced night club owners) were never owners of the Manhattan Hotel. However, they played a key role in operating the hotel throughout its final summer. As a last-ditch effort to draw visitors to the Manhattan Hotel, they advertised and reopened the hotel as a summer night club with high quality private dining options.

• Unfortunately, their attempt was unsuccessful. The ease of automobiles and increased local tourism worked against—rather than in favor of—the Manhattan Hotel. Hundreds of summer cottages sprung up around West Lake Okoboji. The nightly dances at Arnold's Park were immensely popular and drew crowds away from the formerly glamorous Manhattan.

• Thus, on December 27, 1932, the Manhattan Hotel was confronted by the inevitable fate it had evaded for many years. To satisfy unfulfilled debts, the hotel went through the fourth Sheriff's sale in its history—selling for $13,639.95 (the amount of debt owed) to Hobart Ross.

Rare Photographs of the Old Hotel

Life at Old Manhattan

Old Hotel Manhattan Advertisements

WWI Era Manhattan Dance Parties

An Illustration of the Old Hotel from the 1906 Lake Region Blue Book
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Hobart A. Ross Rebuilds Manhattan Beach

December 27, 1932 - September 1, 1949

• In May 1933, Hobart Ross dismantled the 40-year-old red-roofed hotel and reused its lumber to construct twenty-five new cottages. The project was completed by the end of the month. The cottages were painted in a bright yellow-orange color with green and red roofs. Each new cottage had running water, indoor plumbing, aluminum walls, new furniture, a fireplace, a wide porch, several windows, and views of the lake in two directions.

 

• Ross also improved the property by adding a shuffleboard court, a club room on the beach, blacktop roads with a central driveway, beautiful flower gardens, and a children’s playground where the hotel's bowling alley once stood. Furthermore, in 1934, the roads around West Lake Okoboji (including those leading to Manhattan) were graded and black-topped. In 1936, Ross added fourteen more cabins to Manhattan Beach.

 

• Okoboji historians remember and respect Ross for taking on such a drastic project during the peak of the Great Depression. He provided desperately needed jobs to boost the local economy and, by the end of his reconstruction, saved one of the oldest and most important historic locations in the Iowa Great Lakes region.

 

• Ross operated the Manhattan Beach Cottages for about 15 years before moving onto his next successful project: Vacation Village. After purchasing 68 acres of lakeside farmland (just north of Manhattan Beach) in 1947, Ross constructed approximately 115 cottages, a clubhouse with a laundromat, restaurant, and grocery store, and a large convention hall. The Ross Family ran Vacation Village until 1985, when Chuck Long (the current owner of Manhattan Beach Resort) and his business partners acquired, renovated, and renamed the property "Village West Resort."

Another Reason for the Hotel's Demise?

• Although the 40-year-old Manhattan Hotel was losing its popularity and modernity by the early 1930s, the hotel faced another unavoidable obstacle: state regulation. In July 1932, the Iowa Board of Conservation released a new program to clear obstructions from Iowa lakeshores. The board permitted residential boat houses, but the vast majority of commercial lakeside buildings would face mandatory removal. It is unknown if the Manhattan Hotel ever received a specific removal date before it was dismantled, but at least part of the building was in direct violation of the new program.

The Manhattan Hotel is Torn Down in 1933

Ross's Manhattan Beach Cottages

Summer Days at Ross's Manhattan

1933 Map of West Lake Okoboji
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Nic and Josephine Kamp Bring Family Fun to Manhattan

September 1, 1949 - March 15, 1957

• In late 1948, the Kamps (of Rock Rapids) purchased Manhattan Beach Resort, which included 40 furnished cottages, resort equipment, and the 1,200 ft sand beach.

• The Kamps increased the size of the resort by also purchasing the adjoining lots from the Myerly Estate.

• The Kamps operated the resort with their four kids: Mary Jo, Tom, Susie, and John.

• By the time the Kamps sold the resort in 1957, they constructed two additional cottages for a total of 42.

• The official sales price was never disclosed but the sale was recognized as one of the largest real estate deals in Iowa Great Lakes history.

Postcard Photos of Kamp's Manhattan Beach
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Chick and Lucile Evans Expand Manhattan Beach Resort

March 15, 1957 - May 5, 1975

• Though Chick and Lucile Evans (of Sioux Rapids) were the primary owners and managers of Manhattan Beach, there were other investors as well (R. Cleveland, R. J. Mattice, L. Henry, V. Schuelke, W. Kracht).

• During their period of ownership, Evans added a trailer park (with 21 spots) and a new beachside hotel (with 20 mostly two-bedroom units) to the resort.

August 16, 1969: Newlyweds Donald R. Fisk, M.D. and Sandra Ott-Fisk spend three days of their honeymoon at Manhattan Beach Resort. 

September 18, 1972: Mary Ovrum shares the humorous reason why her family referred to Manhattan Beach Resort as "Chicken Lucile's" after eight years of summer vacations.

Evans's Manhattan Beach Resort

Chick and Lucile Evans

Map of Late Mid-Century Manhattan

August 16, 1969: Newlyweds Donald R. Fisk, M.D. and Sandra Ott-Fisk spend three days of their honeymoon at Manhattan Beach Resort. 

September 18, 1972: Mary Ovrum shares the humorous reason why her family referred to Manhattan Beach Resort as "Chicken Lucile's" after eight years of summer vacations.
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Dick and Linda Fedora Sustain Manhattan Beach Resort

May 5, 1975 - July 14, 1984

• Dick Fedora (of Saint Paul) and his brother-in-law, Gary Place, first purchased the resort together in 1975.

• Dick and his wife Linda managed it together for nine years and sold the resort to its current owners in 1984.

July 27, 1978: Fedora's Manhattan Beach Resort (Spirit Lake Beacon)

July 27, 1978 - August 24, 1978: Dick Fedora and Alan Fronk have a hysterical, lighthearted spat in the Spirit Lake Beacon over the course of several weeks. The topic? Which beach is best in the Iowa Great Lakes.

Fedora's Manhattan Beach Resort

July 27, 1978: Fedora's Manhattan Beach Resort (Spirit Lake Beacon)

July 27, 1978 - August 24, 1978: Dick Fedora and Alan Fronk have a hysterical, lighthearted spat in the Spirit Lake Beacon over the course of several weeks. The topic? Which beach is best in the Iowa Great Lakes.
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Chuck and Denise Long Preserve Manhattan Beach Resort

July 14, 1984 - Present

• Chuck Long and Jon Winkel (his primary business partner at Long Lines Ltd. and MCI for many years) purchased Manhattan Beach Resort in 1984. Long purchased the resort during his extensive renovation of the Okoboji area, which included Arnolds Park and numerous other resorts. 

• Since there were already many reservations booked for Summer 1984, Long had to run the resort as-is for his first upcoming season.

• By the end of a rather chaotic summer, Long discovered how passionate and tightly knit the Manhattan Beach guests were and how much charm the resort had. Thus, he decided to rebuild the resort to a new glory just after Labor Day Weekend 1984 drew to an end.

• Long redesigned and replatted the entire resort, specifically keeping in mind the protection and preservation of the sacred oak trees that had lived there for decades–or even centuries–before 1984. Protection efforts went as far as wrapping the trees with mattresses and strategically preventing root damage from weight or digging during reconstruction. 

• The old cottages were leaky and in poor condition, so they needed replacement. The “F Row” units close to the beach’s south-facing shores were particularly troublesome, so they were not rebuilt. The hotel (now referred to as the ‘Shores Building’) received interior renovations, new windows, and heater/air conditioning units installed.

• By 1985, the resort was fully functional and featured its own convention center, tennis courts, grocery store, restaurant, bar, laundromat, towel exchange, and more. 

• In the 2000s, Manhattan Beach Resort slowly transitioned from daily/weekly rentals to seasonal rentals.

• For about 25 years, the resort featured cedar shingles and siding. However, since oak sap easily rots cedar panels, Manhattan Beach Resort updated its exteriors to corrugated metal in the 2010s.

• By the 2010s, Long recognized the greatest demand was for annual rentals, which is now the primary offering at Manhattan Beach Resort today.

Affordable, family-operated resorts are nearly extinct in the Iowa Great Lakes region. The unique value proposition of Manhattan Beach Resort cannot be understated. There is significant demand to join our beloved resort, which is managed by a waitlist that grows every year.

Long's Manhattan Beach Resort

Interesting Newspaper Advertisements and Articles
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Okoboji Flood 2024

June 17, 2024 - July 20, 2024

Manhattan Beach Resort Perseveres Despite Extensive Damage

• The resort lost several units in 2024 due to flooding—displacing many of our summer guests until Summer 2025 to make necessary repairs. Nearly all of Manhattan Beach was underwater. The docks were torn apart with pieces floating across the lake. All of the resort guests' boats would not return to the lake for the rest of the summer.

• However, despite these challenges, our Manhattan Beach Resort guests made the most the situation. After joining together to sandbag our beloved beach, everyone enjoyed quality time with friends, family, and the Manhattan Beach community. The 2024 season was a wonderful summer with lots of fishing, bonfires, fireworks, potlucks, "ghosts in the graveyard" with the resort kids, and so much more!

The Second Worst Flood in Okoboji History

• Throughout the first half of Summer 2024, the Iowa Great Lakes experienced ceaseless, heavy rainfall. As the water level continuously rose (as much as 15 inches overnight), strong, alternating winds battered Okoboji's shores and brought forth mass destruction.

• Local homes, businesses, and infrastructure experienced significant damage due to flooding—on and off the lake. At least 75 lakefront properties experienced devastating, hazardous bank collapses.

• Virtually all boats (including those destroyed) were pulled from the lake as marinas and storage facilities ran out of space—forcing many people to leave Okoboji for the season prematurely.

• Lake service companies (including Danbom and Clary) worked around the clock to salvage, repair, and rebuild all of Okoboji's docks and hoists—only weeks after completing the bulk of Summer 2024's installation.

• Overwhelmed lift stations diverted untreated sewage into various parts of West Lake Okoboji (to minimize health risks from overflowing into residential basements and bathrooms). As a result, from June 17 to July 18, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) strongly advised a no-swimming policy to prevent the risk of E. coli infection(s).

• To protect the shorelines from further damage, the Dickinson County Emergency Management Commission mandated a 5-mph speed limit on all of the Iowa Great Lakes, which lasted from June 17 to July 20—the most essential part of the summer season.

The Root Cause of Okoboji Flooding

• On June 29, the Dickinson County Board of Supervisors and Emergency Management Commission held an emergency joint meeting to discuss short-term and long-term solutions to Okoboji's flooding.

• Officials noted that heavy rainfall and urbanization-caused runoff obviously contribute to the flooding. However, they concluded that the root cause is actually insufficient drainage, largely due to the culverts on 230th Avenue—a bridged road that essentially serves as a dam between Lower Gar Lake and the Milford Creek.

• The dam was built in the 1890s but was upgraded in the 1930s to a road when water levels were dangerously low. This meant-to-be temporary road survived past the 1930s, and reconstruction attempts to boost its outflow (1971, 1997, and 2011) were unsuccessful.

• Since the 1993 flood disaster in Okoboji, the 230th Avenue culverts have been a frequent topic of discussion. In 1997, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recommended replacing the culverts with a bridge. A recent $150,000 study through the University of Iowa, headed by Dr. Larry Weber (director of the university’s hydroscience and engineering department) drew the same conclusion.

• However, due to a trivial op-ed article discussing the culverts' role in Okoboji flooding, the June 29 meeting was substantially elongated by misguided emotional testimonies—despite Dickinson County's expressed goal of finding a cooperative, communal solution.

• Various industry experts noted that even if the culverts were demolished that day (which was never considered), additional flooding damage would be extraordinarily unlikely. The maximum possible increase in water level from a complete breach would be 2-4" (the water level had already decreased by 15-17").

• Nevertheless, by the end of the meeting, Dickinson County formed a task force committee to develop short-term and long-term plans. By the end of Summer 2024, no official plans have been announced.

 

Plans have still not yet been announced by October 24, 2025.

Floods, Fishing, and Friends at Manhattan

Manhattan Beach(less) Resort

Dock and Hoist Damage
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Please Share Your Manhattan Beach Story

After reading through the history of our resort, you now must understand the theme introduced earlier: Manhattan Beach survives.

And although the resort itself survives, much of its story—like many historic places—has been lost with time.

For over 130 years, thousands of people (from nine generations) have visited Manhattan—each creating unique, lifelong memories.

Thus, if you are one of those visitors, please preserve your memories by contacting us via the form below.

There is no contribution too large or too small.

Please share anything you can (memories, funny stories, photos, videos, recollections, etc.) for the future generations who visit Manhattan Beach Resort.

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