Gardner Lake facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gardner Lake
Postcard illustration of Gardner Lake's iconic sinking house
Gardner Lake Location in Connecticut
Location	Salem, Montville and Bozrah, Connecticut.
Coordinates	41°30′44″N 72°13′36″W / 41.51222°N 72.22667°W / 41.51222; -72.22667
Lake type	Natural lake
Primary inflows	Whittle Brook, Sucker Brook
Primary outflows	Gardner Brook
Basin countries	United States
Max. length	1.68 miles (2.70 km)
Max. width	3,776 feet (1,151 m)
Surface area	529 acres (214 ha)
Average depth	18 feet (5.5 m)
Max. depth	36 feet (11 m)
Residence time	320 days
Surface elevation	381 feet (116 m)
Islands	1 (Minnie Island)

Gardner Lake is a natural lake in Connecticut. It sits where three towns meet: Salem, Montville, and Bozrah. The lake is named after the Gardner family, who owned a lot of land nearby.

This 529-acre (214 ha) lake has grown bigger over time. This happened because an earthen dam, about 168-foot (51 m) long, was built. The dam helps raise the water level by about 4 feet (1.2 m), making the lake's average depth around 14 feet (4.3 m).

Around Gardner Lake, you'll find many private homes. There are also four campgrounds and a marina. Three state parks are located here: Minnie Island State Park, Hopemead State Park, and Gardner Lake State Park. People enjoy coming to the lake for fishing and boating.

The Story of Gardner Lake's Sinking House

Gardner Lake is a natural lake named after the Gardner family. But its history is also famous for a big mistake! This mistake involved a grocer named Thomas LeCount from Niantic, Connecticut.

LeCount wanted to move his two-story summer house. It was fully furnished and located on the south side of the lake. He wanted to move it to the east side. He thought moving it by land would be too hard.

So, LeCount lifted his house and put it on sleds. He waited until February 1895, when the lake was frozen solid. He started pulling the house across the ice. After moving it about 300 feet (91 m) from the south shore, the house slid sideways into a snowbank.

As LeCount tried to pull the house back, the ice began to crack. He decided to stop for the night. That same night, people operating a nearby mill used some of the lake's water for power. This created a gap between the ice and the water's surface.

Because of this gap, the house cracked through the ice and tilted over. LeCount's summer home stayed in this strange position. When spring came and the ice melted, it settled in about 15 feet (4.6 m) of water. The second story and attic were still above the water, looking like a small lighthouse.

For many years, this half-sunk house was a popular spot. Children would fish from it in the summer. In winter, they would ice skate right through the house! There's also a lasting story told by fishermen. They say that on quiet nights, you could hear the house's piano playing. By 2005, the house had mostly rotted away.

State Parks at Gardner Lake

Gardner Lake is home to three state parks, each offering unique ways to enjoy the area.

Gardner Lake State Park: Fun by the Water

Gardner Lake State Park is a small park, about 9.75-acre (3.95 ha). It's on the south side of the lake. This park lets people go fishing, swimming, and boating. It was added to the state park list in 2001. It's one of the few public swimming spots away from the coast in New London County.

The State of Connecticut bought the land for this park in 2001. It used to be a private beach resort for 60 years. The park is located off Connecticut Route 354. It has easy-to-use parking and a paved area to launch boats. There's also a small beach for visitors to use. As of 2014, there is no parking fee at this park.

Minnie Island State Park: Connecticut's Smallest Island Park

Minnie Island State Park is a small island covered with pine trees. It's located in the deepest part of Gardner Lake. This island is undeveloped and unmarked. It's also Connecticut's smallest state park, only 0.88 acres big!

The island got its name because a local man named it after his wife, Minnie. He used to take her there for picnics. Joseph Leary, who wrote A Shared Landscape, said that the island has always been a favorite spot for boaters and a great place for kids to explore.

For a long time, both Salem, Connecticut and Montville, Connecticut claimed the island. But it wasn't officially listed in either town's land records. This wasn't noticed until someone tried to buy the island. Instead, the Connecticut General Assembly decided to turn the island into a park.

Minnie Island State Park is a great place for picnicking and fishing. You can only reach it by boat. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection lists boating as an activity, which makes sense since that's how you get there! The Oh Ranger website suggests using a kayak to reach the island. This is because the island is heavily wooded, and it can be hard to find a good spot to dock a larger boat.

Hopemead State Park: A Peaceful Nature Spot

Hopemead State Park is a 70 acres (28 ha) park on the eastern shore of Gardner Lake. It is currently undeveloped. This land was originally Solomon Gardner's farm. Later, the Fuller family bought it as a summer retreat. They named their property Camp Charmarlou, using parts of their three daughters' names. It had a house and an artist's studio.

For some years, Camp Charmarlou was used as a boys' camp with the Fuller family's permission. Later, the Fuller daughters renamed it Hopemead, which means "Hope Meadow." They felt it was a special, peaceful place. In 1954, the land was given to the State of Connecticut to become a state park.

The state decided the land was best left natural. They tore down the old buildings, letting Hopemead return to a wild state. Joseph Leary notes that wildlife has really grown in the area. He describes the many sounds of nature there as simply "divine." This park is a good place for hiking and fishing.

Activities at Gardner Lake

Gardner Lake is a popular spot for many outdoor activities, especially fishing and boating.

Fishing at Gardner Lake

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has been adding walleye fish to the lake since 1993. The number of walleye is growing! The lake also has "excellent populations" of bullhead and catfish. You can also find smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, and yellow perch here. There are also good reports of trout. Local fishing tournaments are often held at Gardner Lake.

Boating and Kayaking

Improvements to the boat launch area have made boating and kayaking much more popular. Because of this, police patrols on the lake have increased. The Montville police patrol the area to help keep boaters safe and make sure everyone follows the rules.