Laurel Lake (Cumberland County, Pennsylvania)

The lake was created for supplying a water race to Laurel Forge by an 1830 dam on Mountain Creek. In 1855 and again in 1889, the downstream Upper Mill dam (now Eaton-Dikeman mill) was breached by downwash when the Laurel Forge breached.^[2]

In 1919, the Laurel Dam breached and washed out the Hunters Run and Slate Belt branch and breached the Upper Mill dam at Mount Holly.^[3]

The lake was a popular camp location. The Camp Rothrock Boy Scout facility in the area, with wooden shelters and a dining room, used Laurel Lake's beaches in 1922.^[4] In 1921, "Laurel Lake Park" was one of 26 camps built by the Civilian Conservation Corps and maintained by the state for camping tourists,^[5] and the public camp was still going strong in 1923.^[6] By 1929, the Gettysburg Academy conducted week-end camps at Laurel Dam.^[7] (A dam repair was performed in 1929.) Camp Lion was at the Laurel Dam in 1933.^[8]

In 1947, sand was added to the lake's beach.^[9] Gettysburg College used the park for football camp in both 1941 (at the 1941 Carlisle YMCA Camp site)^[10] and in 1947.^[11] Camp Thompson was at the lake in 1949^[12] and 1953.^[13]

A fire burned 7 acres near the lake in 1963. In 1965 the lake was closed due to contamination^[14] and subsequently re-opened.

In 1979 the Laurel Forge Pond name was designated in the USGS's Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) as feature 1178931, 40°02′22″N 77°16′09″W / 40.03944°N 77.26917°W / 40.03944; -77.26917). Laurel Lake was so named in 1990 (1194510, 40°02′22″N 77°16′13″W / 40.03944°N 77.27028°W / 40.03944; -77.27028).

The lake was drained for repairs in November 1994^[15] and then re-opened. The lake and dam underwent reconditioning in 2006–2007.^[16]

Laurel Lake is now part of Pine Grove Furnace State Park, one of Pennsylvania's state parks.