[1] Several important Native American settlements were located close to the lake, like the main villages of the Kickapoo and Potawatomi tribes.

[2] Other tribes may have used it as a game preserve during the winter while living in the Kaskaskia village, as the area was known for its "fat beasts".

[12] Due to the flat stream bed, the water moves slowly, allowing sediment to settle at the bottom.

[12] Pollution has been a significant factor in decreasing levels of wildlife, notably the reversal of the Chicago River.

It is also the usual site for the City of Peoria's Fourth of July fireworks display.