Walter W. Cordes Archive

We are grateful for the generosity of Cincinnati resident Brandon Cordes who donated a rich personal artifact belonging to his grandfather, Walter W. Cordes, whose presence in our region spanned several decades. From the 1920s through the 1950s, the elder Mr. Cordes and his family were fixtures of the Presque Isle community, having built a family cottage on Grand Lake near the area locally known as “the dip.”

Beyond his role as a community member, Walter Cordes was an avid fisherman with an intimate knowledge of the local waters. This expertise was preserved in 1945 when he hand-drew a comprehensive map of Grand Lake and its surroundings. The map is a masterclass in local lore, offering detailed instructions on the best trolling spots for specific species such as black bass, pickerel, northern pike, and yellow perch, preferred bait selections, and the most productive areas for casting or still fishing.

In addition to his fishing secrets, Mr. Cordes included practical advice for any visitor, pointing out where the local porcupines were known to reside, where the best beach for swimming was located and marking the most scenic paths for a walk. We are honored to preserve this colorful record of the Cordes family legacy and the vibrant history of Grand Lake.

In 2025, in a conversation with our Collections Manager Anne Albers, Brandon remembered his grandfather, Walter Cordes, as a true "Renaissance man"— who was a talented architect, musician, and artist. The elder Cordes served in Italy and France during World War I as a bomber pilot and was awarded the Croix de Guerre by France for distinguished service. Walter was the architect for the Grand Lake Chapel, as well as many notable buildings in Cincinnati where he and his family resided.

1924, William Helwig (Grandpa) and Walter