Lake Wichita facts for kids
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Lake Wichita is a man-made lake located near Wichita Falls, Texas. It was created by a businessman named Joseph A. Kemp in the early 1900s. He is known as one of the main founders of Wichita Falls. The lake was originally very large, covering about 2,200 acres. In 1995, the dam was rebuilt. This made the lake smaller, now covering about 1,224 acres when full. Its average depth is about four feet.
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How Lake Wichita Was Created
Lake Wichita is located in both Archer and Wichita counties. In the late 1890s, Joseph Kemp wanted to build a dam and a lake across the Wichita River. He tried to get money from the county, but the state rules at the time made it hard to get funds for irrigation projects.
So, in 1900, Kemp started his own company called the Lake Wichita Irrigation and Water Company. He found a perfect spot where water would collect naturally. This was a place where Holliday Creek would overflow during heavy rains. By 1901, the lake was finished. It cost about $175,000 to build.
Fun Times and Changes at the Lake
In 1909, the city of Wichita Falls built a trolley line to Lake Wichita. They also built a big, three-story building called a colonnade pavilion. This was to encourage people to visit the lake for fun and recreation.
The lake was sold to a private company in 1912. But the city bought it back in 1920. Soon after, state rules changed, making it easier for cities to own irrigation systems. In 1921, the original dirt dam was replaced with a stronger concrete one.
Lake Wichita's Popularity Changes
In 1918, a hotel near the lake, the Lakeside Hotel, burned down. It was never rebuilt. Even so, many people still came to the lake for special events. Before cars were common, trains brought visitors from cities like Fort Worth.
In the late 1920s, local groups sometimes held carnivals at the lake. Over time, fewer people visited Lake Wichita as a vacation spot. The old pavilion was taken down in 1955. In 1966, Wichita Falls started selling lake water to a power plant. While the city still owns the water rights, the lake is no longer used for drinking water for the city.
Enjoying Lake Wichita Today
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Lake Wichita Park is a large park on the north side of the lake. It covers about 234 acres. The park has a 2.6-mile concrete trail perfect for hiking and bicycling. This trail connects to Lucy Park further north.
Activities at Lake Wichita Park
The park offers many fun things to do:
- A playground for kids.
- Basketball hoops.
- Lots of picnic areas.
- A large picnic shelter that can be rented for groups.
- Lighted fields for baseball, softball, and football.
- An 18-hole disc golf course.
- A special landing strip for model airplanes.
- An off-leash dog park where your furry friends can run free.
Fishing and Lake Restoration
Because of dry weather, the fish in Lake Wichita have faced some challenges. For now, it's not the best place for fishing. When conditions are good, you might find fish like white bass, hybrid striped bass, channel catfish, and white crappie.
There's a big project underway to improve Lake Wichita. The goal is to make it a great recreational lake again for many years to come. You can find more details about this project online.
Nearby Lake Arrowhead State Park
Not far from Lake Wichita, in Clay County, is the larger Lake Arrowhead State Park. This park is on Lake Arrowhead, which is much bigger, covering about 14,390 acres of water. Lake Arrowhead State Park offers many activities, including:
- Bicycling
- Bird watching
- Boating
- Camping
- Canoeing
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Horseback riding
- Studying nature
- Picnicking
- Swimming
- Watching wildlife
