Every Lake
Paw Paw Lake
813 acres off the St. Joseph River watershed, nine miles of shoreline in Berrien County.
- 4 ft · first step
- 7 ft
- 11 ft
- 15 ft
- 19 ft
- 22 ft · bottom
About Paw Paw Lake
Paw Paw Lake sits in Berrien County, Michigan, a few miles northeast of Benton Harbor, fed by a small chain of connecting waterways in the state's southwest corner. The lake spans roughly 813 acres with about nine miles of shoreline, wrapping around a shape broken by several points and coves rather than a single open bowl. By the early 1900s it had already become a resort destination, with steamboats once ferrying visitors between shoreline hotels and dance halls built for Chicago and South Bend crowds arriving by train.
The surrounding communities, including Watervliet and Coloma, grew up around fruit farming and the seasonal lake trade, a combination still visible in the mix of old cottages and packing sheds nearby. The lake is shallow enough throughout that weed growth and water clarity have long been a management concern for the lake association, which has run improvement boards since the mid-1900s. Fishing for panfish and bass draws a steady local crowd, while the lake's moderate depth keeps it more suited to family swimming and pontoon traffic than serious open-water boating.
- 4 shore towns named, with a star on each
- 174 roads engraved around the shore, 18 of them labeled
- 6 depth layers, each step engraved with its depth in feet
- Compass rose, title block with coordinates, max depth and area; keyhole hanger on the back
Turn it in your hands
Live 3D of the actual cut files — drag to orbit, pinch to zoom. Every road you see is engraved on the real thing.
Viewer not showing? Open it full screen.
Paw Paw Lake depth chart, in wood
This is a Paw Paw Lake depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 4 ft, 7 ft, 11 ft, 15 ft, 19 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 22 ft. The lake covers about 1.3 square miles, and 174 shore roads are engraved around it. The shape of the bottom is the real one from published soundings, so anglers recognise their drop-offs and points.
A Paw Paw Lake map for the wall — or a gift
Most of these go to a cabin wall, a lake house entry, or a home office; a lot are gifts — the family that has been on Paw Paw Lake for three generations, the retirement move, the first boat. The 12-inch is the desk-and-shelf size; the 24- and 30-inch boards read across a room. Add a line under the title and star your place on the shore, and it becomes the map of your Paw Paw Lake.
Paw Paw Lake map — the details
How big is the map?
Four sizes: 12, 17, 24 and 30 inches on the long side, from $149. Every size is cut from the same depth data of Paw Paw Lake; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Paw Paw Lake is cut layer by layer from published bathymetric soundings — each layer of birch is a depth contour, so the shape of the bottom is the real one, not decorative.
Can I add my own place on it?
Yes. At checkout you can add a line under the title (a family name, a cabin name, a year) and star the spot on the shore that matters to you.
How long does it take?
Made to order in Waterford, Pennsylvania and shipped in 7–10 days; shipping is free in the lower 48.
Can you make a lake that isn't listed?
Any lake in the United States — we hold depth data for 104,419 of them. Search for yours; if it isn't built yet we build it when you order.
- 6 depth layers down to 22 ft
- 1.3 square miles of water
- 174 shore roads engraved, 18 named
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
