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Shale Lake

About Us

Our Business Plan

History of our Land

History of our Land


While some improvements don't happen in the anticipated time frame,
we have never stopped moving forward.   We have survived a recession, a draught and even a pandemic.  We have had to make some business adjustments along the way. 
We do most of the work ourselves
(with the help of incredible friends and family members).  
We are proud of what we have built in this little town of Williamson, IL.  We lead exciting, exhausting lives and wouldn't have it any other way!

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History of our Land

History of our Land

History of our Land

  History in the Making....       One of twenty-two coal mines operating in the area in the early 1900's, the Mount Olive-Staunton Coal Company Mine Number 2 was sunk in 1904 and closed in 1957.   Mined with the room and pillar panel method of extraction the Number 2 mine was the largest Herrin mine in the area.        In 1910 the total coal production from the local mines was over 4 million tons with over 4600 men employed in the shafts.      After the mine closed, Mobil Mineral Resources, Inc. worked with the Abandoned Mined Lands Reclamation Council to reclaim Number 2 and then donated it to the local area Boy Scout organization for recreational use in 1989.      The Boy Scouts sold the property for private use in 1996.  Ten years later, David and Susan Wesa found the property while searching for acreage to start a Vineyard in hopes of fulfilling a retirement dream of owning a Winery.  And now...by God's grace the dream has begun. 

Our Tracks

History of our Land

Our Tracks

 Our Accomplishments and Plans....  

  • We planted over 4000 grapes in April of 2007 
  • We opened the Winery and Tasting Room in September of 2010
  • We opened our 4 lakeshore cabins in Sept of 2013
  • We opened the first 3 cottages on the hill in Jan of 2015
  • We opened 2 more cottages on the hill in July of 2016
  • We floated our 10th cabin in Jun of 2017
  • We opened up our fishing program to include catch and keep by Cabin Guests in 2019
  • We opened our Event Center (The Hitching Post) in September of 2020
  • In December of 2023, we partially retired and closed the Winery
  • We plan to float another cabin sometime next few years.

Photo Gallery

David and Susan Wesa purchased the 200 acre property now known as Shale Lake in September 2006. 

As a reclaimed coal mine the
Old Mount Olive Staunton Coal Co. Mine No. 2
was well known in the region. 

David and susan wesa

get away and play...

Shale Lake, LLC

1499 Washington Avenue, Williamson, Illinois 62088, United States

shale@madisontelco.com 618-387-0001

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