Brantingham Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brantingham Lake |
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| Jewel of the Adirondacks | |
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 Brantingham Lake
Location in New York
Brantingham Lake
Location in the United States
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| Coordinates | 43°41′43″N 75°16′28″W / 43.6953502°N 75.2743755°W |
| Type | Lake |
| Surface area | 327 acres (1.32 km2) |
| Average depth | 25 ft (7.6 m) |
| Max. depth | 75 ft (23 m) |
| Shore length1 | 11 miles (18 km) |
| Surface elevation | 1,234 feet (376 m) |
| Islands | 2 Round Island, Dark Island |
| Settlements | Brantingham, New York |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Brantingham Lake is a beautiful lake covering about 327 acres (1.32 km2) (which is like 250 football fields!). It's found inside the Adirondack Park in Lewis County, New York, near the town of Brantingham. Many people live here all year, and others visit for holidays.
The lake and its area are great for outdoor fun. You can go boating, fishing, hunting, hiking, biking, or ride ATVs and snowmobiles on special trails. Even though it's a small place, Brantingham has several restaurants, an 18-hole golf course, a general store, and a fire department. In winter, it gets a lot of snow, around 150 inches, making it a popular spot for winter sports.
Contents
History of Brantingham Lake
Early Days and Native Americans
Long ago, the Oneida Indians lived around this lake. They called it "Fish Lake." In 1788, they signed a treaty, giving most of this land to the state of New York.
How the Land Was Sold
In 1793, a man named Alexander Macomb wanted to buy a huge amount of land, over 3.5 million acres, for a very low price. A year later, in 1794, some of this land, including the area around the lake, was sold to Thomas Hopper Brantingham from Philadelphia. He paid $23,073 for it.
However, Thomas Brantingham borrowed money using the land as a guarantee, but he didn't pay it back. So, the land was sold again.
Naming the Town and Lake
The next person to own the land was John Greig. Because of problems with Thomas Brantingham, the town's name was changed to Greig. But the lake and the small community right by it kept the name Brantingham.
Geography of Brantingham Lake
Lake Size and Features
Brantingham Lake covers about 341 acres (1.38 km2) and has eleven miles (18 km) of shoreline. It can be as deep as 70 feet, but its average depth is around 30 feet. This changes a bit depending on the time of year.
There are two islands in the lake:
- Grant Island (also called Round Island)
- Dark Island (which is about three times bigger)
You'll also find two clear sand bars in the lake. These are marked by buoys. Another sand bar is hidden underwater near Dark Island. These spots can be very shallow, sometimes only a few feet deep, so boaters need to be careful! The bottom of the lake doesn't have much plant life. Instead, it's covered with sand and natural materials, which makes it great for swimming and playing in the summer.
The Lily Pond
On the southwest side of the lake, there's a narrow waterway that leads to an area called the "Lily Pond." Two bridges cross this waterway:
- A wooden walking bridge, which is an old part of the Brantingham Hotel.
- A concrete bridge where Cottage Road crosses.
Most motorboats can go under these bridges, but there's a height limit.
At the far end of the Lily Pond, there's a small concrete dam. This dam is used from October to May to lower the lake's water level. This helps protect the shoreline and docks from damage during the winter. The water that flows over this dam goes into the Lake of the Pines, then into Fish Creek, and finally into the Black River.
Fish in the Lake
Brantingham Lake is home to many different kinds of fish, including:
- Blue Gill
- Northern pike
- Brown Bullhead
- Lake Whitefish
- Largemouth Bass
- Smallmouth Bass
- Pumpkinseed Sunfish
- Rock Bass
- White Sucker
- Yellow Perch
Weather Event
In 1995, a strong but small storm called a microburst hit the area. It caused a lot of damage to properties around the lake and to the trees nearby.
Surrounding Locations
- Catspaw Lake – A small lake north of Brantingham that has many small pickerel fish.
- Glenfield – A small community west of Brantingham, located by the Black River.
- Greig – The town that borders the southwest part of Brantingham.
- Otter Creek – A creek and a community with the same name, found north of Greig.
Images for kids
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The arched Lily Pond Foot Bridge crosses its inlet on Brantingham Lake, New York
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Fourth of July fireworks over Brantingham Lake
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Dark Island in the distance across Brantingham Lake
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Dusk sky over Brantingham Lake
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Morning mist on Brantingham Lake
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Summer sky over Brantingham Lake
