Crystal Lake (Manchester, New Hampshire)

Last updated
Crystal Lake
USA New Hampshire relief location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Crystal Lake
Usa edcp relief location map.png
Red pog.svg
Crystal Lake
Location Hillsborough County, New Hampshire
Coordinates 42°57′04″N71°24′26″W / 42.95111°N 71.40722°W / 42.95111; -71.40722
Primary outflows tributary of Cohas Brook
Basin  countriesUnited States
Max. length0.3 mi (0.5 km)
Max. width0.2 mi (0.3 km)
Surface area21 acres (0.1 km2)
Average depth10 ft (3.0 m)
Max. depth20 ft (6.1 m)
Surface elevation205 ft (62 m)
Settlements Manchester

Crystal Lake is a natural pond near Bodwell Road and Corning Road in south Manchester, New Hampshire, United States. Crystal Lake is a popular place for residents to enjoy swimming, boating and fishing.

Contents

Geography

The lake lies near the southeastern corner of Manchester at an elevation somewhat over 200 feet (61 m) above sea level. The lake's outlet stream flows west to Cohas Brook, a tributary of the Merrimack River, which flows south and east to the Gulf of Maine and the Atlantic Ocean.

History

Crystal Lake was historically known as Skenker's Pond and later as Mosquito Pond. In 1919, the city of Manchester built a public bathing area at the north end of the pond. The main entrance area consisted of a bathhouse and picnic grounds near the beach. The lake was the site of city-sponsored swim meets for children in the 1920s. Eventually, due to the lake's growing popularity, the facilities at Crystal Lake had to be expanded. In 1942 a new bathhouse was constructed and the beach was extended by the Works Progress Administration. In 1987, the fieldstone-constructed bathhouse underwent a renovation sponsored by the City Parks and Recreation Department [1] and still stands at the site today.

Hermit of Mosquito Pond

The story of the Hermit of Mosquito Pond is about a man who lived secluded on Crystal Lake for 60 years. Charles Alan Lambert came to Manchester in the 1840s. After a slew of heartbreaks he retreated to the woods to live a life of solitude. He purchased over 40 acres (16 ha) of land, on which he built a house out of logs he found on the property. He also grew his own food and herbs. He used the herbs to barter with local apothecaries. Over the years his hermit lifestyle made him into a kind of local celebrity, and he became the object of great curiosity. Despite his secluded lifestyle he would be visited by hundreds of people every summer. Mr. Lambert lived at his hermit homestead for over 60 years, spending the last two years of his life with the Sisters of Mercy at the House of St. John for aged men. He died in 1914, and his body now lies in St. Joseph Cemetery marked by a plain white tombstone, inscribed "The Hermit". [2]

Fishing

The lake is classified as a warmwater fishery, with observed species including smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, chain pickerel, brown bullhead, and black crappie. [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Auburn, New Hampshire</span> Place in New Hampshire, United States

Auburn is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,946 at the 2020 census, up from 4,953 at the 2010 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hampstead, New Hampshire</span> Place in New Hampshire, United States

Hampstead is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 8,998 at the 2020 census. Hampstead, which includes the village of East Hampstead, is home to a portion of the Rockingham Recreational Trail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Winnipesaukee</span> Lake in New Hampshire, U.S.

Lake Winnipesaukee is the largest lake in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, located in the Lakes Region at the foothills of the White Mountains. It is approximately 21 miles (34 km) long (northwest-southeast) and from 1 to 9 miles wide (northeast-southwest), covering 69 square miles (179 km2)—71 square miles (184 km2) when Paugus Bay is included—with a maximum depth of 180 feet (55 m). The center area of the lake is called The Broads.

Crystal Lake or Crystal Lakes may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Raisin</span> River in southeastern Michigan, United States

The River Raisin is a river in southeastern Michigan, United States, that flows through glacial sediments into Lake Erie. The area today is an agricultural and industrial center of Michigan. The river flows for almost 139 miles (224 km), draining an area of 1,072 square miles (2,780 km2) in the Michigan counties of Lenawee, Washtenaw, Jackson, Hillsdale, and Monroe County, where its mouth at Lake Erie is located. French settlers named it as La Rivière aux Raisins because of the wild grapes growing along its banks, the French word for grape being raisin. The French term for "raisin" is raisin sec.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lakes Region (New Hampshire)</span> Region in New Hampshire, United States

The Lakes Region of New Hampshire is located in the east-central part of the state, south of the White Mountains Region and extending to the Maine border. It is named for the numerous lakes in the region, the largest of which are Lake Winnipesaukee, Lake Winnisquam, Squam Lake, and Newfound Lake. The area comprises all of Belknap County, the southern portion of Carroll County, the eastern portion of Grafton County, and the northern portions of Strafford County and Merrimack County. The largest municipality is the city of Laconia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newfound Lake</span>

Newfound Lake is located in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. It is situated in the Lakes Region of central New Hampshire, in the towns of Alexandria, Bridgewater, Bristol, and Hebron. Its area of 4,451 acres (18.0 km2) places it behind only Lake Winnipesaukee and Squam Lake among lakes located entirely within New Hampshire, and fourth in the state overall, when Umbagog Lake on the Maine border is included.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crystal Lake (Gilmanton, New Hampshire)</span> Lake in Belknap County, New Hampshire

Crystal Lake is a 455-acre (1.8 km2) water body located in Belknap County in the Lakes Region of central New Hampshire, United States, in the town of Gilmanton. Crystal Lake is at the head of the Suncook River watershed. Water flows into Crystal Lake from the Belknap Range through Manning and Sunset lakes to the north. Water from Manning Lake enters Crystal Lake via Nelson Brook. Other waterways flowing into Crystal Lake include Wasson Brook and Mill Brook. Water flows out of a dam from the southern end of Crystal Lake via the Suncook Lakes and Suncook River to the Merrimack River. Shoreline development along Crystal Lake consists primarily of summer cottages, with a few year-round residents. Belknap Mountain and Mount Major can be seen from the shoreline.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goose Pond (New Hampshire)</span> Lake in New Hampshire, United States

Goose Pond is a 625-acre (2.5 km2) water body located in Grafton County in western New Hampshire, United States, in the towns of Canaan and Hanover. It is considered a great pond by the state of New Hampshire. The lake has 6.3 miles (10.1 km) of shoreline, and is approximately 3 miles (5 km) long by 0.5 miles (0.8 km) wide. All but the northernmost end of the pond is in the town of Canaan. The average depth of the pond is approximately 10 feet (3.0 m), with the deepest part approximately 35 feet (11 m). The lake is part of the Mascoma River watershed, flowing to the Connecticut River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spofford Lake</span>

Spofford Lake is a 732-acre (2.96 km2) body of water in the town of Chesterfield in southwestern New Hampshire, United States. Water from Spofford Lake flows via Partridge Brook to the Connecticut River. In 2005 the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department named it the cleanest lake in southwestern New Hampshire, despite the amount of motor boating. The village of Spofford is located at the lake's outlet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dublin Pond</span> Lake in Cheshire County, New Hampshire

Dublin Pond or Dublin Lake is a 236-acre (0.96 km2) water body located in Cheshire County in southwestern New Hampshire, United States, in the town of Dublin. The pond lies at an elevation of 1,480 feet (451 m) above sea level, near the height of land between the Connecticut River/Long Island Sound watershed to the west and the Merrimack River/Gulf of Maine watershed to the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Echo Lake (Franconia Notch)</span> Water body in Grafton County, New Hampshire

Echo Lake is a 38.2-acre (15.5 ha) water body located in Franconia Notch in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, at the foot of Cannon Mountain. The lake is in the Connecticut River watershed, near the height of land in Franconia Notch; water from the lake's outlet flows north via Lafayette Brook to the Gale River, then the Ammonoosuc River, and finally the Connecticut River to Long Island Sound, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Pond (New Hampshire)</span> Lake in Rockingham County, New Hampshire

Great Pond is a 268-acre (1.08 km2) water body in Rockingham County in southeastern New Hampshire in the United States. The lake lies near the center of the town of Kingston. Kingston State Park, a small preserve with a swimming beach, occupies the northeastern end of the lake, near the town center. The lake is located along the Powwow River, a tributary of the Merrimack River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Winnecunnet Pond</span>

Winnecunnet Pond or Winneconnet Pond or Winnecunnett Pond, very often called Lake Winnecunnet or Lake Winneconnet or Lake Winnecunnett although it is a pond rather than a lake, is a body of water in Norton, Massachusetts, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crystal Lake (Newton, Massachusetts)</span>

Crystal Lake is a 33-acre (130,000 m2) natural great pond located in Newton, Massachusetts. Its shores, mostly lined with private homes, also host two small parks and a designated swimming area with a bathhouse. The public is not allowed to swim outside of the small swimming area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Sunapee</span> Lake of the New Hampshire, United States

Lake Sunapee is located within Sullivan County and Merrimack County in western New Hampshire, the United States. It is the fifth-largest lake located entirely in New Hampshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pawtuckaway State Park</span> Preserve in New Hampshire, United States

Pawtuckaway State Park is a 5,000-acre (20 km2) preserve in New Hampshire, United States. It is one of the largest state parks in southeastern New Hampshire and is named for Pawtuckaway Lake and the Pawtuckaway Mountains. The park extends from the west shore of the lake to the west side of the mountains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willard Pond</span>

Willard Pond is a small, protected lake in Antrim, New Hampshire, United States. The lake, located in southwestern New Hampshire, is about 108 acres (44 ha) in size with an average depth of 25 feet (7.6 m) and a maximum depth of 58 feet (18 m). No petroleum motors are allowed, and fly fishing is the only form of fishing allowed. It is part of the dePierrefeu Wildlife Sanctuary, which is owned by the New Hampshire Audubon Society. Because the pond and the land around it are part of the sanctuary, the shore is unable to be developed. Therefore, there are no buildings around the pond and there won't be in the foreseeable future. Willard is instead surrounded by extensive amounts of wilderness and hiking trails that lead around the pond and to the summits of Bald Mountain and Goodhue Hill. Willard is a popular fishing, boating and hiking destination, and it has become more popular with its mention in numerous magazines and newspapers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enchanted Pond</span>

Enchanted Pond is a mountain pond in the U.S. state of Maine. Situated in the Western Maine Mountains in the Northwest Somerset Region, the pond is located in a deep mountain valley between Coburn Mountain and Shutdown Mountain. Near its southern end, the pond is distinguished by two rockslides from the exposed cliffs of these mountains that extend down into the water along both shores. Enchanted Pond is fed by mountain springs and Little Enchanted Pond, and is the primary source of Enchanted Stream which flows into the Dead River, a tributary of the Kennebec River. Development on the pond is limited to a small set of sporting camps at the northern end of the pond and one remote camp on the southwest shore, both a part of Bulldog Camps. There are no islands in the pond.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beeds Lake State Park</span> State park in Franklin County, Iowa

Beeds Lake State Park is located northwest of Hampton, Iowa, United States. It was listed has a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places as Beeds Lake State Park, Civilian Conservation Corps Area in 1990. At the time of its nomination it contained 21 resources, which included one contributing building, 15 contributing structures, and five non-contributing structures. The 319-acre (129 ha) park surrounds a 99-acre (40 ha) reservoir. It features hiking trails, boating, fishing, swimming, camping, picnic areas and shelters, lodges and concessions.

References

  1. Manchester Union Leader, 1987
  2. Perreault, 1984
  3. "Crystal Lake, Manchester" (PDF). NH Fish & Game. Retrieved August 7, 2014.