About John Baptiste DuBay

This history is of one of the long forgotten, but most picturesque characters to move across the Minnesota-Wisconsin-Michigan Territorial scene, John Baptiste DuBay.

More literally, perhaps, than that of any other frontier figure, his story reflects the vigor, the strength, the ruggedness, and the profound tragedy which frequently colored the daily lives of those rugged individualists whom we have come to regard as the frontiersmen of old.

As a fur trader and frontiersman, and later as a pioneer in central Wisconsin, and as the “son-in-law of Oshkosh, the head chief of the Menominee nation,” DuBay was as widely known as any non-political, non-military figure of his time in Wisconsin. Indeed, while he was in no wise a great man, he was a beloved character.

Although a mixed blood, French and Indian, he commanded the esteem and attention of white men in all walks of life. From the shores of Lake Michigan to the Mississippi; from Milwaukee to the Superior beaches;

from Prairie du Chien to Sault Ste. Marie and Michillimackinac; indeed, from Detroit to the Selkirk Settlement in the Red River valley, his name was a household word. A legendary figure of the old Pinery lumbering region before Paul Bunyan’s fabled exploits were heard of there, DuBay was as characteristically Wisconsin as the Wisconsin river itself, whose long reaches and great breadth he had traveled as a trader and voyageur from a decade beyond recall. For his position as trader and central Wisconsin agent for John Jacob Astor’s American Fur Company was a position to be conjured with in those days.

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Lake DuBay

Throughout the 1920’s and 30’s, George Mead pursued a plan that would harness the power of the Wisconsin even further than what had been done by the Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company on the upper river system. The plan was to capture more of the spring runoff, early summer and fall flood waters, place it in additional large reservoirs where it would be used to further supplement the low summer and winter flows on the lower river. Above Stevens Point two large reservoirs and one flowage would be formed to store high flows and release during low flows. Below Wisconsin Rapids, two more large flowages would do the same. At the city of Portage, some of the water of the Wisconsin would be channeled into the Fox to be routed downstream through cities such as Appleton on to Green Bay and into Lake Michigan. This plan was conceived in the days when there was little concern for possible ecological changes that might occur.

The two reservoirs were to be the Big and Little Eau Pleine. In 1937 the Big Eau Pleine reservoir came into existence, the latter was never built, the land donated to the State of Wisconsin and is now the Mead Wildlife Refuge. Waters from the Wisconsin were to be channeled down a canal above Mosinee and into the Big Eau Pleine. Excess water from the BEP would be passed through a diversion tunnel into the Little Eau Pleine. Further details of this project can be found in a recent book, Stewards of the Wisconsin, a history of the Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company, written by Michael J. Got.

The upper flowage was to be built near the village of Knowlton and was to be called the Knowlton Dam. A point in the Wisconsin River near Knowlton called Battle island was, at the turn of the century, considered to be an ideal place for a dam.” By the time CWP Co was ready to build a dam, powered equipment to build dikes, local cement manufacturing facilities and improved concrete allowed the actual site to be moved downstream and be constructed with a relatively long dike to form a much larger lake. After the discovery of an old trappers cabin and trading post, owned and operated by Jaques Dubay, the development’s name was changed to honor old Jack, creating the present Lake Dubay.

The new Dubay hydro facility was designed to use some of the latest technology. Fixed pitch propeller water wheels were purchased from the James Leffel Company of Springfield, Ohio. Three of the original water wheels, originally made of cast iron, failed within a few years. The replacements were made of cast steel. On one unit, a rubber coating was applied, the thinking being that it might reduce cavitation. Much of the rubber still exists on that water wheel. The fourth runner failed and was replaced in 1959. That original wheel was repaired and reinstalled in 1981. The Leffel turbines turn alternators built by General Electric to generate about 8,000 kilowatts of power per hour at a full net head of 25 feet, river flow permitting. The speed and thus the frequency of the generators were controlled by Woodward Gate Shaft Governors, built in George Mead former hometown of Rockford, Illinois. Woodward Governor, which moved its hydro division to Stevens Point in 1984, still maintains and even has upgrades for these units after 54 years of service. Given proper care, the life expectancy of these units is unknown.

The Dubay dam was designed with eleven taintor gates to pass flood waters or high flows in excess of what the turbines can handle. Two of the gates have heated structures on them to allow winter operation. These gates can be operated by remote control from the Power Dispatch Center at Wisconsin Rapids.

Shortly after the plant began operation, severe erosion was noticed below the gate section. In 1944 a coffer dam was built downstream of gates 7-11 and the area was dewatered. A concrete apron with difusers was constructed to break up and diminish the power of the water passing through the gates. To further reduce erosion, a plan was devised to release water onto the apron first, building up a good tail before opening other gates.

West of the dam is an earthen dike about 6,800 feet long. In the 1950’s a 3 foot parapet was added to give the dike more freeboard. This raised the freeboard from maximum head to about 8 feet. Based on standard engineering factors for dike construction, the Dubay Dike is very sound and safe.

Upstream of the Dubay dam, to the west, the river originally made a wide bend to the north. It was in this area, now completely submerged, that the trading post of Jaques Dubay stood.

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The following is an excerpt from a work in progress by Joe Terry identifying the history of Lake DuBay sailing:

The Lake DuBay Sailing Association is a relatively new club, established in 1978 as the "Lac DuBay Sailors" by Tim Copps. The club goals were simple:

1) Family fun
2) Promote racing.

Racing was well promoted with two club series events and in 1979, the two day regatta which is now known as the "Governor's Cup" was first sailed. The name "Governors Cup" was identified in 1981, when a beautiful silver trophy was donated. That in itself is an interesting story:

In 1979, the Lac DuBay Sailors held their first two-day regatta.  Due to the large turnout, the club desired to have a top quality trophy to award the overall club champion.  Someone had provided the club with a beautiful, huge cup trophy that was tiled “Governor’s Cup Regatta”.  This outstanding trophy was real silver and was quite an award!  Ron and Judy Lokken were the first to receive the beautiful Governor’s Cup.

This trophy was awarded through 1987, when Lee McCann won the trophy for the first time.  When showing the trophy to some of his friends, someone recognized the trophy.  The trophy was on old trophy that was dedicated to the old Oshkosh Yacht Club around World War II.  Before the war, there were power boat races, one of which was the “Governor’s Cup Regatta”.  During the war, the regattas stopped and the trophy was all but forgotten.  Once someone recognized the trophy and after checking the records, found the Oshkosh Yacht Club had never given the trophy away, the cup was rightfully given back to the proper owners and a different trophy was purchased.  The new trophy represented the first place award from 1988 through 2005, when it was retired for new trophies for the 25th annual sailing of the Governor’s Cup.

Through the 1980's, membership was around 40 and M-16's were the rage. Scows of all types from E-scows to Butterfly scows were sailed along with various catamarans. Speed and racing was clearly prevalent.

By 1983, DuBay sailors were respected in the M-16 racing circuit. Three boats from DuBay traveled to the M-16 districts in '83 and all three boats placed in the top 5 overall.

In 1986, a Melges pro held a clinic on Lake DuBay and the M-16 districts were held on Lake DuBay. This was the peak of racing for DuBay Sailors since the inception of the club.

By 1988, a 30 boat turnout at the Governor's Cup was common. It was in 1988 the club name was changed from Lac DuBay Sailors to Lake DuBay Sailing Association

By 1990, the attendance at the M-16 districts began to decline. The racing on DuBay got too competitive and too political and by 1993, many racers had left the club. The focus turned to cruising and day sailing, but a few sailors continued the racing traditions. The Governor's Cup Regatta had 17 boats on the line, but club membership had dwindled to 15 members.

Cruising and day sailing grew and the club organized trips to lakes around the region as well as a cruising adventure at the Apostle Islands.

In 1998, club officials revamped the racing series, changed the overall structure of club racing, generating new interest and excitement in the racing program.

Of course, an important highlight was for the 1st time, a National Championship Regatta was sailed on Lake DuBay as in 1999, the Inland 20 Scow sailed it's 2nd annual National Championship.

As racing continued to generate momentum and members, in 2001 a Tuesday evening series was introduced at the suggestion of Mark Ennis and to this day is highly successful and draws the most boats of any series.

On Saturday, August 31, 2002 a great friend of LDBSA sailors passed away.  Adeline Daniecki, 83, owned the farm on which club members were allowed to store their boats during the sailing season.  Her fees were always reasonable and at the time of her death were only $15.00 per month.  She was always friendly and liked to come out and talk to sailors as they got their boats ready to sail.   She always said she liked to look out the window and see the sailboats parked in the yard.  Stan Dale was the Yard Master for many years, collected money for Adeline, did nearly all of the mowing and yard maintenance, and organized the parking of boats in the yard.  The farm was located just northeast of the parking lot and because there were no power lines between the yard and the parking lot, boats could be dry sailed straight to and from the yard, making cruising sailing practical on Lake DuBay.  If it weren't for Adeline’s yard, quite likely there would never have been a cruising contingency within LDBSA.

With Adeline's passing and the farm going up for sale, in 2004 Joe Terry spearheaded negotiations for a new, club owned boat yard and after a long negotiation with the Portage County planning and Zoning department, the current yard site was approved and built.

With the affordable price of $100 for club dues including boat yard use, the club membership increased dramatically to nearly 60 members. For the first time ever, the club was generating funds!

Lake DuBay won a 2nd National Championship bid in 2008 with the Butterfly Single Handed National Championships being sailed. Thanks to Jim Force and Stewart Doty, the media coverage was unprecedented with no less than two TV stations doing live interviews both on land and on the water, and two radio stations advertising the event for weeks prior. The spectators were treated to pontoon boats donated by M&J Marine, and sailors were offered a clinic by olympic sailing coach, Jim Young.

So here we are, ready to sail our 3rd National Championship regatta on Lake DuBay in 11 years and the 2nd time the I-20's will take over the lake. It'll surely be one for the history books!

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