Elmer Thomas Lake is a
lake
A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...
in
Comanche County in the
state
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of
Oklahoma in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
. It is located on the boundary between the
Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge and
Fort Sill military base. The lake is named for an Oklahoma lawyer and politician, Elmer Thomas (1876–1965), who lived in Lawton and represented Oklahoma's 6th Congressional District in the U. S. House of Representatives from 1922 until 1926, then was elected as U.S. Senator, where he served until 1950.
[Webb, David D. "Thomas, John William Elmer (1876-1965). ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''.](_blank)
Accessed November 12, 2012.
The lake has a stream source from Little Medicine Creek, encompasses , and primarily serves as a recreation area.
Recreation
Lake Elmer Thomas Recreation Area (LETRA) which is on the Fort Sill military base, provides camping areas, cabins, a swim beach, water slides, picnic areas, boating ramps and boat rentals. On the refuge side of the lake, there are two fishing piers and a boating ramp.
See also
*
Cache Creek
*
Wichita Mountains
The Wichita Mountains are located in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is the principal relief system in the Southern Oklahoma Aulacogen, being the result of a failed continental rift. The mountains are a northwest-south ...
*
Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge
Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, located in southwestern Oklahoma near Lawton, has protected unique wildlife habitats since 1901 and is the oldest managed wildlife facility in the United States Fish and Wildlife Service system. The refuge's l ...
References
External links
*
Lake Elmer Thomas Recreation Area information, photos and videos on TravelOK.com
*
*
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Oklahoma Digital Maps: Digital Collections of Oklahoma and Indian Territory
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lawtonka
Elmer Thomas
John William Elmer Thomas (September 8, 1876 – September 19, 1965) was a native of Indiana who moved to Oklahoma Territory in 1901, where he practiced law in Lawton. After statehood, he was elected to the first state senate, representing the L ...
Bodies of water of Comanche County, Oklahoma
Tourist attractions in Comanche County, Oklahoma