Lake Jessie was named for Jessie Benton, daughter of Senator Benton of St. Louis. She later became the wife of Lt. John C. Fremont. The J. N. Nicollet exploring party camped a half mile northeast of here on the bluff on July 25 and 26, 1839, while en route to Devils Lake. On July 10 and 11, 1853, the survey party under Governor I. I. Stevens camped on the same spot while en route to the Pacific Coast. On July 15 and 16, 1862, Captain J. L. Fisk and his party of gold seekers camped between Lake Jessie and Lake Addie, and they camped there again on July 20, 1863, and also in 1866 while en route to Montana. The reconnaissance party under Captain Wm. Twining camped here on July 18, 1869. Mail carriers had a shelter on the east end of Lake Jessie from 1867 to 1872.