Lake Poinsett, one of the largest lakes in the state of South Dakota,
is located northeast of Arlington, South Dakota. It has the name of the U. S. Secretary of War, Joel Poinsett. In 1838, the area was first visited by the expedition of Joseph Nicollet and John Fremont,who camped on the lake's north shore. Poinsett
was instrumental in promoting the expedition.
On the border of Kingsbury and Hamlin counties, Lake Poinsett’s neighbor to the
west is Lake Albert. Lake Albert was named after John James Albert,
a cartographer (map maker) of the American West.