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Otter Tail
between the sand bar and the shoreline before entering the main body of water. It is here that the initial plans began to take shape. Project architect Tony Stoll, AIA, Widseth, understood the homeowner’s strong desire to be able to view this natural beauty from every room. “We had little need for much artwork as the views are our focal point,” Nelson adds. Tony says, “With their site location, the Nelsons wanted to take advantage of and maximize their interior views to the lakeside from every room possible. It was very important to incorporate daylighting into all portions of the building and yet tie the interior and exterior spaces together.”
Odyssey BY TERRI FERRAGUT PHOTOGRAPHY BY KRISTEN JYRKAS
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n a land of 1,048 lakes, Otter Tail Lake is the largest in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. Located in the middle of everything made beautiful by nature, it sprawls roughly across 21 square miles, boasting its title of the 10th largest inland lake in the entire state. For Kenny and Kim Nelson, living on Otter Tail Lake for 32 years has been an odyssey marked by lifelong adventures and events that have earned a very special place in both their hearts. Kim Nelson speaks to their love of the land they call home, “Both Kenny and I have lived most our lives in this area and love the peaceful beauty of this spot we get to call home.” The natural greenspace of the Otter Tail River and lake are the backdrop for their home — and important to the homeowners. The Nelson’s home, surrounded by an extraordinary vista, became an important component in the architectural design plans. “The sandbar or break area is what we refer to as the island or the Otter’s Tail. “It is natural,” Nelson adds. Looking toward the lakeside, the large natural sand bar on the northeast shore of the lake is shaped like an otter’s tail. The Otter Tail River gets its name from what French explorers called Lac de la Queue de la Outer, or Lake of the Otter’s Tail. The river enters the lake and flows several hundred yards
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The Otter Tail River gets its name from early French explorers who called it Lac de la Queue de la Outer, or Lake of the Otter’s Tail.
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