Looking Back: At Gardner Lake

Within this history of the lake, Herbert Hoover's Depression-era policies and the Dust Bowl Days of the Midwest set the stage for new programs that would beget many local, state and national projects. Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal politics, Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), Workers Progress Administration (WPA) and others were aimed at providing jobs and economic relief during one of the most depressed economies in our history. Gardner was an active part of benefiting from this national effort. Gardner Lake is an historic treasure resulting from this national initiative.

This work has captured some of the changing social pastimes in how Gardner Lake was adapted as a resort during the mid-20th Century. With the large recreation and mess hall building left over from construction worker housing, or Transient Camp #9, a ready-made entertainment venue was refitted many times to serve diverse purposes from 1940-1962. A constantly changing line of operators was creative and resourceful in adapting the facilities to the latest social amusement and fads of the times. From clubhouse, dinner and dance hall with live band and orchestras to roller skating rink and Lakeside Country Club, there were as many promoters and operators as there were uses for the resort facility.

When the hall burned down, the entertainment setting came to an abrupt end, and the lake settled into the quiet and more private lakeside neighborhood that we have come to know.