Indian Lake is a

reservoir A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation. Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...

and

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

situated 505 feet (155 m) above

sea level Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical datuma standardised g ...

in Denville Township,

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

. Snake Hill rises to its west and Chestnut Hill rises to its east.

History

Originally the area of Indian Lake was quite rural with active farms. Besides the Hinchman farm, there was the Thomas Green farm on Chestnut Hill, the Hussa Farm on Franklin Road near

U.S. Route 46 U.S. Route 46 (US 46) is an east–west U.S. Highway completely within the state of New Jersey, running for , making it the shortest signed, non-spur U.S. Highway. The west end is at an interchange with Interstate 80 in New Jersey, Intersta ...

, and the Ed Beam Farm in the North Shore Road area of Indian Lake. The idea of Indian Lake was originally conceived by Joseph B. Righter in hopes of creating a development similar to nearby

Mountain Lakes A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher ...

. He was a native of Denville and visualized that the waters of Den Brook could provide an excellent lake because of the surrounding terrain. He accumulated numerous parcels of land until he had accumulated approximately of land. Around 1920 he proceeded to clear the property. The trees were hauled by a

yoke A yoke is a wooden beam sometimes used between a pair of oxen or other animals to enable them to pull together on a load when working in pairs, as oxen usually do; some yokes are fitted to individual animals. There are several types of yoke, us ...

oxen An ox ( : oxen, ), also known as a bullock (in BrE British English (BrE, en-GB, or BE) is, according to Oxford Dictionaries, "English as used in Great Britain, as distinct from that used elsewhere". More narrowly, it can refer spec ...

to a

sawmill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes (dimensi ...

that was set up on site. A

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, a ...

was required to hold back the waters of the Den Brook. Which has since been replaced due to its age. The Den Brook started flooding the cleared land. The resulting lake, Lenape Lake, was named after the earliest inhabitants of the area, the

Leni Lenape The Lenape (, , or Lenape , del, Lënapeyok) also called the Leni Lenape, Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada. Their historical territory includ ...

Native Americans of the Delaware tribe. Roads were laid out and the land divided into plots for year-round homes. The first house was sold right next to the dam. J.B. Righter took ill and died in November 1922. His dream for Lenape Lake was realized but he never saw it developed. The first house built on Lenape Lake was built by his wife Susan A. Righter, and stands at the corner of Southwynde Drive and Indian Road. After a short time the A.D. Crane Company bought the property from the estate. They completely changed the entire original plans, including road plans, divided it into smaller lots, and instead of developing high-priced year-round homes, it was developed into a summer community. Subsequently they changed the name from Lenape Lake to Indian Lake but named the island Lenape Island. Many of the new residents came from

Hudson Hudson may refer to: People * Hudson (given name) * Hudson (surname) * Henry Hudson, English explorer * Hudson (footballer, born 1986), Hudson Fernando Tobias de Carvalho, Brazilian football right-back * Hudson (footballer, born 1988), Hudso ...

Bergen Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula of ...

, and

Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...

counties. Originally non-lakefront lots could be bought for $300–$400, while lake front lots sold for about $1000. Indian lake continued as a summer community for many years. In 1924 there were about 500 summer residents in Indian lake. The

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

years saw a few families move from

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

to the cottages they owned. The following generation's need for homes of their own and the post

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

housing shortage further accelerated the development of the community as a year-round

residential A residential area is a land used in which housing predominates, as opposed to industrial and commercial areas. Housing may vary significantly between, and through, residential areas. These include single-family housing, multi-family residen ...

area.

Native American history

The earliest known inhabitants of the area were the

of the Delaware tribe. What is now known as Lenape Island was once the site of a Native American settlement. The Rev. C.R. Snyder, pastor of the Denville M.E. Church, 1890–1895, was a student of

archeology Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...

and spent his time exploring the hills and fields of this area. He found on Lenape Island a great number of implements used by the local Native Americans, such as

arrowheads An arrowhead or point is the usually sharpened and hardened tip of an arrow, which contributes a majority of the projectile mass and is responsible for impacting and penetrating a target, as well as to fulfill some special purposes such as s ...

knives A knife ( : knives; from Old Norse 'knife, dirk') is a tool or weapon with a cutting edge or blade, usually attached to a handle or hilt. One of the earliest tools used by humanity, knives appeared at least 2.5 million years ago, as evidenced ...

, fletchers,

pestle Mortar and pestle is a set of two simple tools used from the Stone Age to the present day to prepare ingredients or substances by crushing and grinding them into a fine paste or powder in the kitchen, laboratory, and pharmacy. The ''mortar'' () ...

s, and pieces of

pottery Pottery is the process and the products of forming vessels and other objects with clay and other ceramic materials, which are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard and durable form. Major types include earthenware, stoneware and por ...

Transportation

Indian Lake is situated in the heart of Denville Township, which itself is nicknamed the "Hub of Morris County". It is almost adjacent to eight-laned

Interstate 80 Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from downtown San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one o ...

and quite close in proximity to US Route 46 and New Jersey State Route 53, all three of these roads used heavily by motorists. At peak rush hour times it is common for commuters, often not Indian Lake or even Denville residents, to use the narrow roads of Indian Lake designed in the 1920s as a shortcut in their routes, such as Franklin Road, North Shore Road, and Indian Road. Indian Lake is also within walking distance of Downtown Denville, and it is common to see community residents walk or ride bicycles to the center of town, despite the heavy automobile traffic surrounding them.

Community Club

In 1923, the property owners of Indian Lake saw the need for an organization to control the use of the lake. A meeting was held in the Denville School, and the Indian Lake Community Club was formed in order to promote and protect the interests of the residents of the community. It is a private association and use of the lake and its facilities require membership in the lake association. An elected board of officers and trustees administrate the lake association. The Indian lake Community Club was formed under the first president of Indian Lake, Dr. W. Moore Gould. In 1923-1924, there were about 130 families in the community club. The dues at that time were $10 per family plus a charge for extra beach tags. During the depression years, many men and women were out of work, and the membership dues were paid by working for the club. Today the Indian Lake Community Club is an organization of approximately 500 households. A large lakeside clubhouse is the focal point of the association. During the summer season Indian Lake's three beaches are staffed by lifeguards and are centers of activity.

Boating Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether Motorboat, powerboats, Sailing, sailboats, or man-powered vessels (such as rowing and paddle boats), focused on the travel itself, as well as sp ...

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

horseshoes Horseshoe is a shoe for horses and by analogy is applied to many things with a similar shape. Horseshoes (game), a tossing game played with a horseshoe Horseshoe(s) or Horse Shoe(s) may also refer to: Places * Horseshoe Valley (disambiguation) ...

, and other sporting activities are available. In addition, Indian Lake is available for

water skiing Water skiing (also waterskiing or water-skiing) is a surface water sport in which an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation over a body of water, skimming the surface on two skis or one ski. The sport requires suffic ...

and tubing, two popular activities. Indian Lake is a member of the Hub Lakes association that includes a group of lakes in Morris County. Hub Lakes provides a multi-sport competition league in which Indian Lake members of all ages can participate. Sports include

volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...

swimming Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, or other liquid, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Locomotion is achieved through coordinated movement of the limbs and the body to achieve hydrodynamic thrust that r ...

diving Diving most often refers to: * Diving (sport), the sport of jumping into deep water * Underwater diving, human activity underwater for recreational or occupational purposes Diving or Dive may also refer to: Sports * Dive (American football), a ...

softball Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hanc ...

golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping wi ...

track Track or Tracks may refer to: Routes or imprints * Ancient trackway, any track or trail whose origin is lost in antiquity * Animal track, imprints left on surfaces that an animal walks across * Desire path, a line worn by people taking the shorte ...

and other sports. In recent years the track and dive team have been quite dominant in competition. The association also offers year-round structured programs and activities including

swimming lessons Swimming lessons are the process of learning to swim. In most countries there is a definition of a number of swimming levels that are reached in the process of the curriculum. The respective certificates of swimming tests are required for furt ...

aerobics Aerobics is a form of physical exercise that combines rhythmic aerobic exercise with stretching and strength training routines with the goal of improving all elements of fitness (flexibility, muscular strength, and cardio-vascular fitness). It ...

classes, dances, dinners, and other group events. Some fun events include a

pig roast A pig roast or hog roast is an event or gathering which involves the barbecuing of a whole pig. Pig roasts, under a variety of names, are a common traditional celebration event in many places including the Philippines, Puerto Rico and Cuba. ...

, a

lip sync Lip sync or lip synch (pronounced , the same as the word ''sink'', short for lip synchronization) is a technical term for matching a speaking or singing person's lip movements with sung or spoken vocals. Audio for lip syncing is generated thr ...

contest, a visit from

Santa Claus Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a Legend, legendary figure originating in Western Christianity, Western Christian culture who is said to Christmas gift-bringer, bring ...

and the

Easter Bunny The Easter Bunny (also called the Easter Rabbit or Easter Hare) is a folkloric figure and symbol of Easter, depicted as a rabbit—sometimes dressed with clothes—bringing Easter eggs. Originating among German Lutherans, the "Easter Hare" orig ...

for children, a bass fishing contest,

New Year's Eve In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve, also known as Old Year's Day or Saint Sylvester's Day in many countries, is the evening or the entire day of the last day of the year, on 31 December. The last day of the year is commonly referred to ...

party,

casino A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are also known for hosting live entertai ...

night,

clam bake The clambake or clam bake, also known as the New England clambake, is a traditional method of cooking seafood, such as lobster, mussels, crabs, scallops, soft-shell clams, and quahogs. The food is traditionally cooked by steaming the ingredients ...

, and

Monday Night Football ''ESPN Monday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''MNF'' and also known as ''ESPN Monday Night Football on ABC'' for simulcasts) is an American live television broadcast of weekly National Football League (NFL) games currently airing on ESPN, AB ...

at the full-service bar. Many events are sponsored by sub-clubs, including a Woman's Club, Men's Club, Senior Club, Junior Club and the Aquatic Club. Lake membership also entitles members to rent the clubhouse for private events. Information about lake activities can be found in the ''Indian Lake Crier'', a monthly newsletter mailed to local residents.

Indian Lake's King and Queen tradition

In 1927 the tradition of choosing, by popular vote, a king and queen, from teenagers living in the lake began. Except for a few years, a royal couple reigned each summer. During

the titles were changed to Mr. Victory and Miss Liberty. In 1944 a bathing beauty contest was held instead of a king and queen election since there were not many young men available. In 1947 the members were eager to pick up where they left off and another royal couple was elected. The royal couple have been typically high school seniors and are selected by a vote, of all the lake members, conducted on Fun Weekend. Several weeks later a royal celebration is held which lasts all weekend. It starts with the official coronation, and party, on Friday night. Then on Saturday there is a semi-formal themed royal ball. This is followed on Sunday afternoon by a car parade around the lake typically followed by a picnic. It is a weekend full of tradition that all lake members are invited to enjoy. Since 1965 a Mr. & Mrs. Indian Lake represented by one of the adult couples has also been elected.

References

External links

Indian Lake website

Hub Lakes home page
{{authority control Denville Township, New Jersey Lakes of Morris County, New Jersey Reservoirs in New Jersey Unincorporated communities in Morris County, New Jersey