⚓ P.I.C.L.S.

Peterson Institute of Clean Lakes and Streams

Admiral Earl Petersonknown to the lakes and streams as “Petey”

Naval Hero · Inventor · Statesman · circa 1838 – present

For clean lakes and streams.

🏅🏅🏅🏅🏅
The Watershed Foundation
Protecting the lakes and streams of the Upper Tippecanoe River Watershed.
His Work Continues

Peterson Ditch is real — and it needs our help.

Earl Peterson gave the ditch its name and the better part of his life. Today that same waterway is the single largest contributor of sediment and phosphorus to Winona Lake, feeding the algae blooms and murky water he spent his whole life fighting.

The Watershed Foundation — with the Winona Lake Preservation Association — is restoring the ditch’s eroding banks to bring back clean water. Fundraising is ongoing. If Petey made you smile, put it toward the real thing.

13 miles of inlet to restore #1 source of sediment & phosphorus to Winona Lake Streambank stabilization underway
Donate for Clean Lakes & Streams Learn about the Peterson Ditch project
The Record

A Life Upon the Water

Official portrait of Admiral Peterson
Official state portrait, circa 1914, at the onset of the Great War.

Long before the county knew his name, Earl Peterson was already at work along the banks of what would one day be christened Peterson Ditch — the modest waterway he personally forged, stone by glacial stone, in his unending pursuit of clean lakes and streams. Friends and neighbors, who by most accounts invented the place, simply called him Petey.

His was a century of motion. He sailed the North Atlantic and the serene fjords beyond it; he returned, always, to the cove of destiny on Winona Lake. He officiated fishing tournaments, advised local transients (especially the hot lady ones), forged a replica of the Grand Canyon from fourteen tons of rocks rescued from his cousin’s hay field, and founded the revolutionary Lake Lickers Association of America. Through it all he held to a single, unwavering article of faith.

That faith — that the lakes and the streams must be clean — carried him from the snowy banks of his homestead to the surface of the Moon (twice), through a documented naval engagement against Cthulhu, and at last to the winner’s circle of the first-ever Indianapolis 500. The Peterson Institute preserves his record here, that future generations might know exactly who is responsible.

“The proof is all the proof we need.”

By His Own Hand

Accomplishments & Inventions

A partial accounting, as the full ledger remains under restoration at the Institute.

Undated

Invented the Penny

While introducing the first penny to his friends, Petey exclaimed “The proof is all the proof we need!” Economists have yet to disprove him.

Pre-Flood

Forged Peterson Ditch

A waterway dug and lined by hand with glacial debris, ensuring clean lakes and streams for the whole of the county.

Contact Era

Discovered Birthday Cake

Received from the indigenous peoples and shared freely, that all might be satisfied with clean lakes and streams.

circa 1912

Founded the Lake Lickers

The Lake Lickers Association of America — and the world-famous Lake Licker Liquor, distilled from only the cleanest lakes and streams.

Modern

Won the 1st Indianapolis 500

Previously dominated by the Amish, the inaugural race fell to Peterson on a platform of clean lakes and streams.

Twice

Traveled to the Moon

Returned each time to explain the importance of clean lakes and streams to his half-tamed CHUD.

The Long Campaign

The CHUD Wars

No CHUD has been sighted around Winona Lake within living memory. The Admiral did a good job.

Naval engagement against Cthulhu
The North Atlantic engagement against Cthulhu, Great War era.

From his fortified homestead — bristling with the famous Kill Towers and bottle works — Admiral Peterson waged a tireless war against the CHUDs that once menaced the banks of Peterson Ditch. The towers stood watch by day and burned crimson by night. For every CHUD commander he eliminated, a medal was struck; he wears five in his official portrait.

His campaigns ranged far beyond the homestead. Aboard the Peterson War-Walker he patrolled the deep, and in the Great War he met Cthulhu itself upon the North Atlantic and lived to clean the lakes that followed. Not every CHUD was an enemy: one infant, rescued and raised at the homestead, became young “Peanut” Peterson, starting ankle-biter for Warsaw Varsity football.

The Peterson Line

Family & Homestead

On the snowy banks of Peterson Ditch, the clan kept horses, mules, and a watchful eye for clean lakes and streams.

The Heir

Bredwerd “Peanut” Peterson

Rescued as a baby CHUD, Peanut loves chasing critters around the house and scaling his father’s two Kill Towers.

The Brother

Wallace Peterson

Hauled fourteen tons of glacial debris to line the bed of Peterson Ditch. Saved rocks from the cousin’s hay field.

The Conscience

Clementine Peterson

Keeper of the homestead, taker-out of CHUDs. “Kindness and positivity are allowed.”

The Stock

“Butterthumbs” & “Jess”

The trusty mule and the family moose — with her baby mule “Lil Bit” — intent observers of clean lakes and streams.

The Crusade

Clean Lakes & Streams

Every achievement, every medal, every moonshot returns to the same purpose. The Admiral abides where the water runs clear, and would have whatever it is having.

“Staying with clean lakes and streams is Earl’s preference, along with the occasional more clean lakes and streams.”

PETERSON · DITCH · 2028

In His Own Words

Quotations

“When I nod my head, hit it.”

E. Peterson

“5 or 50, what’s the difference anyway.”

Courageously, Admiral Peterson

“If a birthday cake was in the woods with no one around to smell it, you will know that it was me.”

E. Peterson

“They want to put a boat in my bathtub.”

E.P.P., pre-Mud Battles

“The proof is all the proof we need.”

On inventing the penny

“I especially like to clean lakes and streams with Paul and his surfing lion, Jerry.”

E.P.P., 1938