Rice Lake was named for the wild rice harvested there until the late 1800s, and the area's bountiful resources provided a home for Native Americans for thousands of years. The park was established in 1963 to meet demand for local public access to the popular lake and picnic area. Today it forms a natural island in an agricultural community and protects a small remnant of the once vast oak savanna landscape, where prairie, shrubs, and open stands of oak define a rare natural community. The glacially formed lake and wetland complex attracts large numbers of migrating waterfowl, and seven species of woodpeckers and numerous water, woodland, and prairie birds are found there. It is also noted for a spectacular show of woodland wildflowers and excellent birding opportunities.