Chelsey and Polly Dinkins played a major role in the construction and operation of the dam and National Wildlife Refuge known as Lake Ilo. Chelsey Dinkins was the foreman of the Works Progress Administration crew that built the dam in 1936 as a water conservation project. The two-year project during the Great Depression employed hundreds of North Dakotans in severe drought years. In 1939, the Bureau of Biological Survey appointed Chelsey caretaker of the dam and the newly created refuge. Shortly thereafter, Chelsey and his wife moved into a two-room cabin on the refuge. This began a 47-year commitment to protect the dam and develop the land, water, and wildlife resources. For Chelsey and Polly, this was more than a job; it was a lifestyle and family adventure. Through thick and thin, the Dinkins and their family of nine children put their heart and soul into the task, leaving a legacy for wildlife and people to enjoy.