Jerry “Jerrdog” Love asked trivia questions about Grand Lake St. Marys at the November 2025 Lake Improvement Association member meeting. Video and questions and answers below.
Grand Lake Trivia
1. What 19th-century waterway was Grand Lake St. Marys constructed to supply?
Miami and Erie Canal.
2. At the time of its completion, what world record did Grand Lake St. Marys hold?
The largest man made/artificial body of water in the world.
3. Where could you have found The Devil’s Backbone at Grand Lake?
Gordon State Park amusement park, located on the northeast corner of the lake. The Devil’s Backbone was a roller coaster. The park operated from 1924 to 1933.
4. Grand Lake was home to the world’s first WHAT?
The world’s first offshore oil wells.
5. Oil was a major commercial venture on Grand Lake. Name 2 other major commercial ventures that once occurred but no longer take place on the lake.
Ice harvesting and commercial fishing.
6. What are the names of the 3 dredges that operate at Grand Lake?
Brutus, Hoedag, and Pump a Little.
7. How much were the German and Irish immigrants who dug the lake paid per day?
30 cents and a jigger of whiskey.
8. What was the lake’s original name when it was constructed?
The Grand Reservoir.
9. Other than the Grand Reservoir and Grand Lake St. Marys, what are 2 other names the lake has been known by in the past?
Lake Mercer, Lake Celina, St. Marys Lake, Celina Lake, and Grand Lake.
10. How long did construction of the lake take?
8 years, from 1837 to 1845.
11. What is the name of the mythical creature that lives in Grand Lake?
The Hoedag.
12. What unique aviation feature is on the lake?
Grand Lake St. Marys Seaplane Base (can also accept seaplane landing area/zone, etc.)
13. What is the horsepower limit on Grand Lake?
Unlimited.
14. What year did Grand Lake St. Marys become a state park? Multiple Choice: 1939, 1949, 1959, 1969
1949. It celebrated its 75th anniversary last year.
15. Which of Grand Lake’s famous birds has the bigger wingspan: the bald eagle or the American white pelican?
Pelican (7.9 – 10 foot wingspan). Bald eagle (6 to 7.5 foot wingspan).
16. According to ODNR, Grand Lake St. Marys is currently how many acres?
13,500 acres.
17. True or False: The state of Ohio used to plant corn on Safety Island.
True. The island once had over 40 acres of tillable land. The state used a dredge to get the equipment out there and then swim a team of horses out to do the plowing. https://dailystandard.com/archive/2007-08-04/stories/3644/lake-islands-vanishing-but-not-the-history-behind-them
18. What is the name of the only privately-owned island on Grand Lake?
Dayton Island (also accept Anise Island). https://dailystandard.com/archive/2014-07-05/stories/24393/new-chapter-unfolds-in-history-of-quaint-dayton-island
19. If you spilled a cup of coffee into Grand Lake, how long would it stay in the lake before it either evaporates or flows out from either the Celina or St. Marys side of the lake? In other words, what is the residence time of water in Grand Lake? – or, more simply put, how long does water stay in Grand Lake?
About 300 days.
20. How many gallons of water are in the lake at normal pool?
Approximately 23.2 billion gallons of water.