People in the farthest reaches of southern Jefferson County have lots of fond memories of Laguna Palma and summers on the lake. Although today the dam is gone and the creek once again winds through the scruffy terrain, waves still lap, fish still swim, and families still gather in remembrance of the resort community.
The developer was Eugene Rouggly. He worked in construction and building multi-unit housing in St. Louis when the depression hit, said his grand-nephew Bill Rouggly of rural Festus.
“Three banks he did business with went under, and he lost his construction business,” he said.
The lake was a dream and a new venture. Gene and his wife, Olive (nee McCarty), acquired the property and set out to build a weekend get-away community with a lake, Rouggly said.
According to Norma Hoezel’s book on the history of Valles Mines, originally the property belonged to the Palma family.
“Water of the 35-acre Laguna Palma lake covered the spot where the Palma family house was built many years ago near the confluence of Boyd Branch and Plattin Creek. The site was near a spring a few hundred feet from the point where Jefferson, Ste. Genevieve and St. Francois Counties meet.”
Later, Lathe McCarty acquired the property. Olive Rouggly inherited the 400-acre creek bottom farm from her father.
Bonnie Kingsland said her dad, Shelby Apple, worked for Rouggly to help with the project.
Rouggly hired him in the early 1940s for $1.25 per day plus lunch, according to Hoezel’s book.
“Gene and Shelby cleared the land using axes and a two-man cross cut saw. After WWII, Gene was able to buy a new Ford tractor and rear-end scoop. Gene hired Fred Boyd, Harry Bieser and Ervin Sickman to help with pouring concrete. They were paid about 30 cents an hour.”
Kingsland said it was quite an undertaking.
“It’s amazing that they didn’t get killed. Gene (Rouggly) once started sliding backwards down a bank on a tractor. The men froze, but Dad started throwing boards and logs under the wheels and got Gene stopped,” Kingsland said. “A shaky Gene said ‘Ap, you saved my life!’”
She said the lake was near her home and wildlife was everywhere.
“We lived on the McCarty farm; Dad walked to the site. He always carried gun, and once came home with a bobcat slung over his shoulder. Very dramatically, he showed me its claws and fangs with the warning to not go far from the house. He convinced this 5-year old.”
After the lake was built, small weekend cabins dotted the landscape and summers were peaceful.
Bill Rouggly said the lake was the site for many of his family’s reunions.
“I have many fond memories of family reunion picnics there every summer in the grove below the dam,” he said. “I walked across the top of the concrete part of the dam a few times. Good thing my parents (A. Wayne and Dorothy E. Rouggly) didn't know that!”
The lake was full of fish, said Scott Medley of Cardinal Acres.
“Man, I caught a boat load of fish and bull frogs there,” he said.
Eventually, permanent homes were built around the lake. The dam had some structural problems, however, and eventually was taken down sometime in the late 80s, Rouggly said.
“The dam didn't meet the new safety standards and had to be destroyed years ago. Also there was a constant problem with the upper end of the lake silting in,” he said.
