The Building Of Lake Redstone

Before Lake Redstone there was Big Creek.

In the summer of 1963, visionary lake builder Norbert Isaacson came to the Cobleigh Valley in Sauk County, Wisconsin with a bold plan. Ike proposed the construction of a dam that would hold back Big Creek and flood the entire Valley and create a 650 acre, 30-foot-deep lake with 17 miles of shoreline. But before he could build Lake Redstone, he would have to convince the 24 farm families that had lived along the banks of Big Creek for generations to buy into his vision, sell their land and sacrifice for one man's dream.

Working in collaboration with the authors of the book Building Lake Redstone: An Illustrated History, the documentary "Big Creek Rising" focuses on the time period before and during the lead up to the building of the lake. Through interviews and first-hand accounts, it chronicles the decision-making process that went into seeking a community's approval and obtaining the property for the lake's construction during a period of economic transition when small farms were needing to get big or get out.