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Lake Waubeeka

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Coordinates: 41°20′59″N 73°27′32″W / 41.3497608°N 73.4587875°W / 41.3497608; -73.4587875
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Lake Waubeeka
Gated community
Official logo of Lake Waubeeka
Lake Waubeeka is located in Connecticut
Lake Waubeeka
Lake Waubeeka
Location within Danbury, Connecticut
Lake Waubeeka is located in the United States
Lake Waubeeka
Lake Waubeeka
Lake Waubeeka (the United States)
Coordinates: 41°20′59″N 73°27′32″W / 41.3497608°N 73.4587875°W / 41.3497608; -73.4587875
CountryUnited States
State Connecticut
CountyFairfield County
CityDanbury
Area
 • Land0.946 sq mi (2.45 km2)
 • Water0.078 sq mi (0.20 km2)
Elevation
712 ft (217 m)
Time zoneUTC– 05:00 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC– 04:00 (EDT)
ZIP Code
06810
Area code203
GNIS feature ID211874[1]
Websitehttps://lakewaubeeka.org/

Lake Waubeeka is a man-made lake and private community in the Starrs Plain section of Danbury, Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States.[2]

History

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Originally a summer colony, the lake community was established by a group of Jewish New York City firefighters, known as the Ner Tamid Society, in 1951. Only a year prior, the group had set up the organization (Lake Tormid Inc.) that would complete the endeavor. Previous to this, the Lake Waubeeka property had been used as a campsite for the Boy Scouts.[3] Although there were initial plans to rename the lake to "Lake Tormid," the decision was made to keep the original Waubeeka, which is said to be an Indigenous term for "high water."[4]

In 1952 construction began on the 200 original bungalows,[5] which were quite small and barren at the time.[6]: 21  By 1954 all 8 roads that make up the community were completed. The streets were named after the children of Tormid Lake Inc.'s original board of directors. Most notably, Carol Street is named after Sidney Klein's daughter, Carole King, in the original spelling of her first name.[7]

By the 1970s Lake Waubeeka started to become a year-round residential community, one that was no longer strictly Jewish.[4]

Geography

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Lake Waubeeka is located at Moses Mountain, directly southeast of Wooster Mountain State Park along Ives Trail, north of the town of Redding and northeast of Ridgefield.[8]

The lake itself occupies 36 acres (15 ha) and has a maximum depth of 21 feet (6.4 m). The shoreline is almost completely developed, with the exception of two small beaches.[9]

The primary inflow into Waubeeka Lake originates from West Redding Brook, from which a small stream meets the eastern dam at Carol Street.[10] Outflow from the lake originally fed into the Saugatuck River to the south, however, after the flood of 1955, it was diverted north into Kissen Brook toward the Still River. This diversion has created problems for neighboring Miry Brook, specifically related to flooding at the Danbury Airport.[11]

There are 550 acres of undeveloped woodlands at Lake Waubeeka.[12] A hiking trail, which formally became known as the "Nature Trail" in 1967, is a dirt path that begins slightly north of the east dam and leads up to a beaver pond.[6]: 53  Nowadays the trail is referred to as "Beaver Pond Trail."[13]

References

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  1. ^ "Waubeeka Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. ^ "Lake Waubeeka, Danbury – 2022". The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  3. ^ Hoffman, Betty N. (2010). A History of Jewish Connecticut. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Brum, Robert (May 4, 2021). "Once a summer getaway for New Yorkers, Danbury's Lake Waubeeka turns 70". The News-Times. Hearst. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  5. ^ "Our History". Lake Waubeeka Association. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  6. ^ a b Gurock, Jeffrey S. (2021). Lake Waubeeka – A Community History. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  7. ^ Brum, Robert (May 3, 2021). "Did you know Carole King summered in Danbury?". The News-Times. Hearst. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  8. ^ The Ives Trail and Greenway Regional Association (2013). The Ives Trail and Greenway (PDF) (Map). Western Connecticut Council of Governments. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  9. ^ Stebbins, Summer E.; Bugbee, Gregory J. "Lake Waubeeka" (PDF). The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  10. ^ National Dam Inspection Program (July 31, 1981). "National Program for Inspection of Non-Federal Dams" (PDF). Waltham, Massachusetts: Department of the Army, New England Division, Corps of Engineers. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  11. ^ Milone & MacBroom, Inc. (January 2017). "HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN UPDATE" (PDF). Western Connecticut Council of Governments. p. 3-35. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  12. ^ "Living in Waubeeka". Lake Waubeeka Association. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  13. ^ "Beaver Pond Trail". Outside Interactive, Inc. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
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