Cossayuna Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cossayuna Lake |
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 Cossayuna Lake
Location in New York
Cossayuna Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Washington County, New York, United States |
| Coordinates | 43°12′22.82″N 73°25′22.98″W / 43.2063389°N 73.4230500°W |
| Type | Lake |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 661 acres (2.67 km2) |
| Average depth | 12 feet (3.7 m) |
| Max. depth | 25 feet (7.6 m) |
| Shore length1 | 8.6 miles (13.8 km) |
| Surface elevation | 481 feet (147 m) |
| Islands | 4 Big Island |
| Settlements | Cossayuna, New York |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Cossayuna Lake is a beautiful lake located north of Cossayuna, New York. It's a great spot for fishing! You can find many types of fish here, including bluegill, rock bass, tiger muskie, carp, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, yellow perch, northern pike, pumpkinseed sunfish, and brown bullhead. There's also a boat launch ramp on East Lake Road, making it easy to get out on the water.
Cossayuna Lake is in Washington County, near the eastern border of New York State. The area around the lake is known as the Cossayuna community. This includes the lake itself, the small village at its south end, and the surrounding hills like Dutchtown and Bunker Hill.
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What's in a Name?
The name Cossayuna comes from an older Native American name, Quabbauna. People say this name meant "The Lake of the Three Pines." This is because three huge pine trees used to grow on a spot called Oaks Point.
Native American stories also tell us that the Horicon tribe once lived in this area. The Horicons were related to the Mohican and Hoosac tribes. However, they had disappeared completely before European settlers arrived in America.
Long ago, before the 1600s, there was a busy trail near the lake. This trail was used for fishing and hunting. It went through dense forests, mostly filled with large pine trees.
Early Settlers and Land
The Argyle Patent
In 1764, two men named Archibald Campbell and Christopher Yates surveyed an area called the Argyle Patent. A "patent" was like a large land grant from the government. This land grant was given to a group of Scottish Highlanders. They came to America around 1740 from an island called Islay. The Argyle Patent included the land where the town of Argyle and parts of Greenwich are today.
Who Settled First?
The first settlers arrived in the Cossayuna area in 1765. Some of these early pioneers were Alexander McNaughton, Cornelius McEachron, Peter McEachron, and Duncan McArthur. Not many new settlers came until after the Revolutionary War. This was because it was a frontier area, and getting land was difficult.
After the war, more and more people moved to the area. By 1790, many new families were arriving. By 1812, most of the land in the Patent was being cleared and settled. The first homes were simple log cabins with dirt floors. But soon after 1800, people started building nicer wooden houses. Most of the new settlers were from New England, with some Scottish-Irish and Dutch families too.
The Village of Cossayuna
The village of Cossayuna grew up in a natural crossroads. It was also a good spot because the lake's outlet offered water power. In the early days, water power was very important. It was used to grind grain into flour and to saw logs into lumber.
There were three places in the village where water power was used. Before 1800, each of these spots had a saw mill. The first mill for grinding grain was built in 1810. It operated for about sixty years!
One of the biggest businesses was a blanket factory. It was run by William and James Alexander from 1885 to 1915. This small factory made affordable woolen blankets. It provided jobs for about a dozen people.
Today, these old water power sites are no longer used. However, the upper dam, near the post office, is still important. It helps keep the lake at its current level.
Local Government
The Cossayuna community was originally part of the town of Argyle. This was in Albany County, which was part of the Province of New York. A local government was set up in Argyle in 1771.
Later, in 1803, the town of Greenwich was created. This meant the Cossayuna community was split between two towns: Argyle and Greenwich.
- In Greenwich, you'll find the east shore of the lake (including the Y.M.C.A. camp), the Bunker Hill and Sand Street areas, and the village of Cossayuna.
- The rest of the community, including two-thirds of the lake's shoreline, is in the town of Argyle.
Cossayuna Lake Improvement Association
The Cossayuna Lake Improvement Association (CLIA) was started in 1954. It was formed by people who lived around Cossayuna Lake. Their first meeting was on August 22, 1954. They elected leaders and discussed ways to help the community. Later, they created rules and officially became an organization.
The main goals of the CLIA were to:
- Encourage social activities among its members.
- Promote fun events for younger people in the community.
- Work for the health, well-being, and improvement of the community.
The organization also has a website where you can find more information: cossayunalake.com.
