The headwaters of Little Sioux River flow past the west side of the lake area.

[6] The area around the Iowa Great Lakes was not known for permanent settlement by the Sioux but rather for recreation or hunting.

[7] When settlers arrived around 1856 it led to conflicts and eventually the Spirit Lake Massacre in 1857.

After the massacre, European settlers slowly returned and by 1900 nearly 8,000 people were living in the area.

[8] Likewise, the Iowa Great Lakes Association was formed in 2008 when the waters were threatened by a large commercial agricultural development.