It looks like the lake in Wurtsboro Hills won't be open for the first time in over sixty years. The lake association is two years behind on it's taxes and there is no money to pay for the insurance, life guards etc. The property was due to be auctioned off this month but the township pulled it off the auction list. The town hopes to take over ownership the lake. If they can get a grant they would have the lake cleaned up, and brought up to code. The town would then offer memberships for town residents to both the town pool in Bloomingburg and the Wurtsboro Hills Lake for one price. Unfortunately times being what they are, the town has no funds to do this. Also the town supervisor who would like to purchase the Lake is up for reelection in November. If something doesn't happen by next June the property will be put up for auction by the county. I would think a developer would purchase the land and put up some houses that have lakefront property.
Back in the 20's & 30's there was a swimming pool in Wurtsboro Hills by the old ball field, but it needed so many repairs Charles Tuxhill the developer who started W.H had a lake built down the road in about 1946. Contrary to popular rumor, the Lake was not dug out with a spoon by Evelyn Gainer's father. The above photo is from the first year the lake was opened. Check out the cars. The lake is fed from mountain streams and empties out onto a spillway on the other side . It was usually very cold and you never knew what was in the water with you, but it was heaven for the kids who swam in it. Families paid yearly dues and became members of the W.H. Community Association. The association held their annual meetings and elections of officers on the beach. A year end party was held at a fancy restaurant. The big joke at the party was that people didn't recognize each other because they had clothes on instead of bathing suits.
When I was a kid summering in the hills, the Lake was just the best place. The above photo is from 1968 when the Lake was still in it's hay day. The beach was so crowded that our parents would go down to the lake first thing in the morning to reserve a chair and an umbrella. If you waited till noon you were out of luck. It was a place for families, who were happy to be out of the city for the summer. Here's my family on the beach in 1963. We all made life long friendships on that Lake. My best friends today are still the kids I hung out with at the beach. Kids would get up early and go down to the lake and we'd be there the entire day. They had a small concession stand runs by the Parrente sisters Lucy, & Florence. They served such exotic fare as pizzas made on English Muffins and pretzels with mustard. Hmmmm.
Even though the lake was overrun with teenagers I don't remember fights or disrespectful behavior. Mrs Bletz, the lake manager, would sit by the gate checking who came in and she ruled the lake. No horseplay or rough housing allowed. If a kid got out of line he was quickly dealt with. The worst punishment was to be thrown off the lake for the day. The lifeguard would test kid to see if they were good enough swimmers to go the raft. The guys played basketball on the court across the bridge and the girls watched. Looking for cray fish under the rocks by the brook was a big pass time on the lake as well as ping pong. In the evening after the beach closed, the teenagers would race home, eat dinner and head back to the lake. We'd hang out on the beach and if someone was old enough we'd pile into their car and head off to a movie or drive-in. At the end of the season there would be water races for the kids. Many tears were shed when the lake closed on Labor Day. It was a great time.
But times change. When I was a kid we'd be the Hills for the entire summer. Our Dads worked in the city and only came up for weekends. It was a vacation for the Mothers also. We were sent out in the morning and were barely seen by them for the rest of the day.Today both parents have to work and kids aren't thrilled about spending time in the mountains with nothing to do. Parents probably wouldn"t let kids run so loose today, not without their cell phones anyway
Most of the older folks who ran the lake passed away. Around the years 2002 the township turned off the summer water system in W.H. and everyone had to put in their own wells. Soon wells were being drilled too close to septic systems and the lake was contaminated from septic runoff. The building inspectors said the spillway was unsafe and would have to be rebuilt. There was no well for the lake's concession stand and bathrooms. A try was made in the last couple of years to revive the lake. The new association lowered the membership dues and tried movies at night on the beach and theme days on the beach but it was too late. There weren't enough members to keep the lake going.
My hope is that the lake can be saved from a private developer to be enjoyed by future families.
It really is worth saving.
