Laurel Lake (Cumberland County, Pennsylvania) Explained

Laurel Lake
Other Name:Laurel Forge Pond
Location:Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
Coordinates:40.0395°N -77.2702°W
Pushpin Map:Pennsylvania#USA
Pushpin Map Alt:Location of Laurel Lake in Pennsylvania, USA.

Laurel Lake — also known as Laurel Forge Pond — is a water body with recreation area at Pine Grove Furnace State Park. It is located in the eastern part of Cooke Township, Cumberland County.

History

The lake was created for supplying a water race to Laurel Forge by an 1830 dam on Mountain Creek. In 1855 and again in 1889, the downstream Upper Mill dam (now Eaton-Dikeman mill) was breached by downwash when the Laurel Forge breached.

In 1919, the Laurel Dam breached and washed out the Hunters Run and Slate Belt branch and breached the Upper Mill dam at Mount Holly.[1]

The lake was a popular camp location. The Camp Rothrock Boy Scout facility in the area, with wooden shelters and a dining room, used Laurel Lake's beaches in 1922.[2] In 1921, "Laurel Lake Park" was one of 26 camps built by the Civilian Conservation Corps and maintained by the state for camping tourists,[3] and the public camp was still going strong in 1923.[4] By 1929, the Gettysburg Academy conducted week-end camps at Laurel Dam.[5] (A dam repair was performed in 1929.) Camp Lion was at the Laurel Dam in 1933.[6]

In 1947, sand was added to the lake's beach.[7] Gettysburg College used the park for football camp in both 1941 (at the 1941 Carlisle YMCA Camp site)[8] and in 1947.[9] Camp Thompson was at the lake in 1949[10] and 1953.[11]

A fire burned 7 acres near the lake in 1963. In 1965 the lake was closed due to contamination[12] and subsequently re-opened.

In 1979 the Laurel Forge Pond name was designated in the USGS's Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) as feature 1178931,). Laurel Lake was so named in 1990 (1194510,).

The lake was drained for repairs in November 1994[13] and then re-opened. The lake and dam underwent reconditioning in 2006–2007.[14]

Laurel Lake is now part of Pine Grove Furnace State Park, one of Pennsylvania's state parks.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: July 23, 1919 . Country Flooded When Dam Broke . Google News Archive . . 2011-08-10 . the big Laurel Dam...broke about eight o'clock last evening [hurling water] against the Mount Holly Springs dam and caused it also to give way. ... Thompson's cottage, one dozen tents of people...at Laurel Dam...and the camp of twenty scouts...all washed down the stream... The Hunters Run and Slate Belt branch of the Phildelaphia and Reading railroad which runs from Hunters Run station toward Laurel is damaged to such an extent that it will probably take a week for the necessary repair[s]... the road bed was washed away...a half mile and passage of...trains is impossible ... the Gettysburg and Harrisburg branch of the Reading was damaged to some extent at Mount Holly.
  2. News: Growing Resort is Laurel Dam . Gettysburg Times . 31 July 1922 . 1 . 2012-10-24.
  3. News: 26 Camp Sites Kept By State . Gettysburg Times . 19 July 1921 . 5. 2012-10-24.
  4. News: State Foresters Visit The Field: Stop in Gettysburg After Extensive Trip Through Mountains Surrounding Adams: From Many States . Gettysburg Times . 17 November 1923 . 1 . 2012-10-24.
  5. News: Scout Train Comes In Handy When Academy Boy Is Bitten By Snake . Gettysburg Compiler . 19 October 1929 . 2012-10-24.
  6. News: 4H Club Girls Holding Roundup at Methodist Episcopal Church Here . Gettysburg Compiler . 25 March 1933 . 2012-10-24.
  7. News: More Safety Equipment For Nearby Lakes . Gettysburg Times . 8 August 1947 . 45 . 188 . 2012-10-24.
  8. News: Looking Around . Gettysburg Times . 3 . 11 July 1941 . 2012-10-25 . Gettysburg College will hold its annual pre-season football training camp from September 8 to 17 at the Carlisle YMCA Camp at Laurel Lake. The personnel of the Bullet squad will not be definitely determined for some time pending the effects of the Army draft which will probably take some of Coach "hen" Bream's stars..
  9. News: Gettysburg Academy Football Players to Camp at Laurel Lake . Gettysburg Times . 3 . 24 August 1932 . 2012-10-24.
  10. News: Upper Communities . Gettysburg Times . 27 July 1949 . 2012-10-25 . 2 . Billy Tilton, of Flora Dale, has returned from Camp Thompson, Laurel lake [sic], where he spent two weeks..
  11. News: Upper Communities . Gettysburg Times . 17 August 1963 . 2012-10-25 . 2 . The Misses Joyce and Dorothy Sanders, Aspers R. 1, and Shirley Heller, Bendersville, have returned to their homes after spending the weekend at Camp Thompson, Laurel Lake..
  12. News: Lake Closed to Swimmers . Beaver County Times . 7 August 1965 . 2012-10-25 . A second lake in Cumberland County has been closed to swimming because of contamination. The state Forest and Waters Department said Thursday Fuller Lake in Pine Grove Furnace State Park was closed because of "deterioration in water quality." The department closed nearby Laurel Lake for the samereason [sic] on July 27. . A-2.
  13. News: Lost and Found: Gettysburg woman gets ring back 4 years later . Gettysburg Times . 6 December 1995 . 3 . 290 . 1 . 2012-10-25.
  14. Web site: Pine Grove Furnace Lake reopens after dam repairs, dredging . https://web.archive.org/web/20120419065058/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/news/resource/res2007/07-0703-pinegrovefurnacesp.aspx . dead . April 19, 2012 . Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources . 3 July 2007.

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