Lake Innisfree facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Innisfree |
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 Lake Innisfree
Location in New York
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| Location | New Rochelle, Westchester County, New York |
| Coordinates | 40°58′N 73°48′W / 40.967°N 73.800°W |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Hutchinson River |
| Basin countries | United States |
Lake Innisfree is a special man-made lake in New Rochelle, New York. It is also known as Lake Isle or Interlaken. Long ago, it was called Reservoir No. 1 because it held water for the city. This lake sits right on the edge of Eastchester town. Its name comes from a famous poem called Lake Isle of Innisfree by W. B. Yeats.
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The Story of Lake Innisfree
Lake Innisfree was built a long time ago. Before it was a lake, the area was covered with forests. Farmers owned much of this land in the 1700s and 1800s.
How the Lake Was Made
The New Rochelle Water Company bought the land. They wanted to use it to collect water for the city. The lake was built in 1885. It was created by building a large dam across the Hutchinson River. This dam is called the New Rochelle Reservoir #1 Dam.
Building the Dam
The dam is made of earth and stone. It is about 34 feet tall and 680 feet long. This dam holds back a lot of water. The lake's surface covers about 65 acres. It can hold about 271,700,000 gallons of water. Building this dam cost about $60,000.
Water for the City
At first, Lake Innisfree supplied water only to New Rochelle. The water flowed by gravity to the lower parts of the city. Later, two more dams were built. This allowed the water to also go to nearby towns. These towns included Pelham and Eastchester.
How the Lake Got Its Name
In the 1930s, a developer named the reservoir Lake Innisfree. This developer was building homes nearby. The area was called the Interlaken Cooperative. The developer also built a sandy beach for people to enjoy.
