History
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The following is part of the first newsletter that was printed and distributed to LakeLand Villiage property owners on November 15, 1973. It was written by Carmen Collier, a long-time resident. Updates and revisions have since been made by the Anderson Family.
LakeLand … A Dream Fulfilled More than 50 years ago, Virgil Anderson walked this land, listened to the sounds of life, and felt a compulsion to return and to bring with him his wife, Eugenia, and their two small sons, Don and Bob. Fortunately, the owner of the land discerned in Virgil and a deep regard for the earth. On the strength of a mutual commitment bound by a strong handshake, Virgil Anderson acquired his first 160 acres, with a dream of farming and raising cattle. He moved his family to their new home, a log cabin on the “old farm”. (Although the original house burned down in the 60’s the barn and many of the out buildings still exist and are located east of the new golf course. ) Adjoining lands were gradually acquired, although older neighbors looked askance at a young man who would be eager to acquire more land to work. Virgil Anderson shared his hopes with his sons and together they would strive to preserve that dream which brought him and his family to this wooded land. Together they laid out their work; they would reclaim the marshland, restore the lake fed by the creek and underground springs, clean out the tangled underbrush, clear the rotting and fallen timbers until their acres would be a wooded park. Someday, there would even be a full sized lake, a refuge for migrating birds and small animal life. Working as a family, the first and second generations of Andersons agreed on a method to share their dreams with other people who could envision a community committed to the preservation of natural resources and to the enjoyment of suburban life. To this purpose the land was platted, back breaking work was done, roads were constructed, covenants were written and eventually, with the completion of Anderson Lake in 1965, prospective homeowners were invited to participate in the realization of a “dream come true.” Construction of the Generation I Golf Course was completed in 1972, followed by the Generation II Golf Course in 1983. The amenities of suburban life are fulfilled at LakeLand Village with the natural park areas, 50-acre Lake and golf course. The Generation III Golf Course at LakeLand Village overlooks the old farm and includes some of the original land acquired by Virgil Anderson in 1936. The roads in this division are named after caretakers hired to help Virgil work the farm. The first was Soderberg, who Virgil picked up at the Salvation Army in Takoma. Hofaker was a German World War I veteran, also from the Salvation Army who shipped venison in barrels covered with apples to the needy at the Salvation Army Headquarters. The next caretaker, Sterling, was an Allyn resident who kept the garden and raised turkeys. Another local, Quinn, worked on the farm temporarily, raising potatoes which were mostly harvested by some more locals, the deer. Eugenia and Virgil’s grandsons, Rick and Steve, the third generation of Andersons, continued to work on the project. They have recently added the newest division to LakeLand Village - Division 12. This plot consists of development properties, condominium units and home sites. Spread amidst these lots is the Generation III 9-Hole Golf Course which opened for play in the summer of 1997. Over the past 35 years it has been the goal of the Andersons to continue Virgil’s commitment to preserve the natural resources for the benefit of those who wish to enjoy suburban living. And the dream lives on... It's easy to see from the newsletter above the dream is indeed alive. LakeLand Village is always working to preserve and provide for the community. As of 2016, progression into Division 14 began. |
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