Lake Alice (Gainesville, Florida) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Alice |
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 Lake Alice
Location in Florida
Lake Alice
Location in the United States
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| Location | Gainesville, Florida |
| Coordinates | 29°38.5′N 82°21.4′W / 29.6417°N 82.3567°W |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface elevation | 66 feet (20 m) |
Lake Alice is a small lake located on the University of Florida campus. You can find it in Gainesville, Florida, in the United States. It's a special place for wildlife and a popular spot for people to visit.
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Discover Lake Alice
Lake Alice is more than just a pretty lake. It's a protected area for many animals. It's one of the few places in Gainesville where you can see live alligators. These amazing reptiles often bask in the sun along the shore.
The lake is also home to Florida softshell turtles. These turtles have flat, leathery shells. Near the lake, you can find the university's bat house. This is a large home for many bats. The Baughman Center, a beautiful building, sits right on the lake's southwest side. On the north side, there's a boardwalk. It takes visitors through the woods and swamp. This path leads to a special viewing platform.
The Story of Lake Alice
People have lived near Lake Alice for a very long time. Around 1000 AD, a group called the Alachua culture lived here. They built a burial mound near where the University of Florida's College of Law is now. It's believed they lived along the lake's shores.
How Lake Alice got its name is a bit of a mystery. Before the 1890s, people called it "Jonah's Pond." But by 1894, maps from the US Geological Survey showed it as Lake Alice. One old story from 1953 says it was named after the only daughter of a Mr. Witt. He owned the farm that included the lake.
Protecting Lake Alice
Lake Alice has faced challenges over the years. But people have worked hard to protect it.
Saving the Lake in the 1960s
In the late 1960s, there was a plan to change the lake. The University of Florida and the Florida Department of Transportation wanted to drain parts of it. They planned to build a road and a huge parking lot. This would have greatly harmed the lake.
Marjorie Harris Carr, an environmental activist, stepped in. She worked with university professors John Kaufmann and Joe Little. They led a group that fought against the plan. Their efforts were successful, and the plan was stopped.
Protecting the Shoreline in the 1990s
In 1988, the university had another idea for the lake. They wanted to build fancy student housing along the shoreline. This would have removed student gardens and even the bat house.
For eleven years, people protested this idea. More than 8,000 students, teachers, and citizens signed a petition. They all opposed the development. Finally, on December 8, 1998, the plan was stopped. Lawton Chiles, who was the governor of Florida, made a motion to save the shoreline. The motion passed, protecting the lake's edge.
A Special Resident
In October 2017, a unique alligator was seen near the lake. It was an adult alligator with only one eye. It was photographed near Museum Road, close to the shore.
