Lake Buel
Encyclopedia
Lake Buel is a 196 acre (0.79318456 km²) great pond
in Berkshire County, Massachusetts
just south of Route 57
and east of Great Barrington
. It is surrounded by over one-hundred summer home and a few dozen year-round homes in about a dozen separate, tight-knit neighborhoods, each with its own private or semi-private road. The roads do not interlink.
The Lake is named after Samuel C. Buel of Tyringham, Massachusetts
who saved people from drowning on the Lake (called at the time Six Mile Pond) on July 23, 1812.
The northern shore of the Lake is in the town of Monterey
and the southern shore is in New Marlborough
. There is a paved boat ramp on the northwest shore that is owned by the Public Access Board and managed by Forests and Parks and Fisheries and Game. A portion of the Appalachian Trail
crosses over a breached mill dam along the northern inlet.
encompasses 3268 acres (13.2 km²). At times the Konkapot River
Basin becomes part of this watershed. The Lake's water is well-buffered and hard
with a pH
between 7.8 and 8.6. This hardness and alkalinity
suggest that the Lake generally safe from the effects of acid rain
. The Lake is eutrophic and mesotrophic: eutrophic because of macrophyte
production and hypolimnetic
metabolism; mestrophic because of total phosphorus
content and summer phytoplankton
productivity. The normal full water elevation
of the Lake is 908 feet (276.8 m). The flood elevations for the 10-year and 100-year flood
s are 911.5 feet (277.8 m) and 913.6 feet (278.5 m).
on the south side of the lake’s outlet as a picnic
area, calling it Gibson’s Grove. In 1875, picnickers were caught in a sudden rain storm, which prompted the construction of a dining hall, the lake’s first building. In 1876 Gibson’s added a launch
, the Wm. B. Gibson, as an attraction, and by the following year Gibson’s hosted fishing derbies, dances, clambake
s, and tally-ho
parties. These events were often integrated and never segregated. Gibson’s had 300 visitors on good days. Gibson's added an ice house in 1893. In the early 1900s Gibson’s had available for rent: three furnished overnight cottages (each included wood, ice, and a boat), an unfurnished farm house, and two extended-stay cottages (each included a boat and telephone service).
As early as 1929 Gibson’s had a Sellner
toboggan slide. It was eventually removed in the mid-1950s because of liability issues.
Between 1933 and 1947, Gibson sold off portions of his land as lots.
In 1941 and 1949 Gibson sold lots to the Menaker family as they expanded Camp To-Ho-Ne. In 1952, Gibson’s was leased to Sonny Zanetti, who renovated the boats, including the Minnehaha, which no longer worked but was kept on display at the main dock. During this era, the pavilion had a jukebox that ran throughout business hours.
Gibson’s was sold outright in 1955. The new owners opened a tavern, the Blue Gill Club. The property was sold again in 1963; the Blue Gill was razed, and a new restaurant was built, which included a bar and a second story dance floor. The property was sold again in 1968, and efforts were made to continue the Blue Gill Club. In 1975 the main building and other buildings were razed. The Blue Gill was renovated into a private cottage in 1978.
, people could overnight there in rented tents.
In 1936 Turner’s renovated the main building and updated its cottages, introducing electricity to some. The 150 acre (0.607029 km²) property was sold in 1937.
In 1904 there were 21 buildings on Lake Buel, 8 in Monterey and 13 in New Marlborough. Pre-1920s private cottage names included: Camp Tee-Hee, Wildwood, Dewdrop Inn, Brookmede, Woodycrest, Sunset View, Lake Breeze, High Lawn, The Maples, Kamp Kozy, Highwood Hall, Bay View, Camp Runamuck, Merry Wood, Sunnybank and Kamp Kontent.
In the 1930s, New Marlborough had no zoning laws on the books for lot size requirements along the Lake. Between 1933 and 1941 Gibson sold over a dozen lots of varying sizes and shapes in the Lakeside community, and seven more by 1947. The last lot was sold in 1959.
In 1971 the Hebert family purchased neighboring wetlands and began filling it with gravel. Cottages were built on the landfill and eventually sold. The area was known as Cavity Cove and Cavity Row.
on Lake Buel was the Wm. B. Gibson, which made its public debute on July 4, 1876. The first steamboat in Berkshire County, it had a 6’ diameter wheel, a 14-hp engine, a 7’-high boiler, and could carry 200 people on its two decks.
The Wm. B. Gibson picked up passengers at Gibson’s Grove and at Turner’s Lake View Hall. It made the 1.25 miles (2 km) trip in 17 minutes. Fares were 20 cents for adults and 10 for children. After being sold by Gibson to Turner, the steamer’s name was changed to the Lake Buell. The craft went through major renovations in 1879 and 1882. Before being launched for the 1885 season, it was destroyed by arson
. Around 1891 Turner launched a new steamer, the Lake Buel. It was 20 feet (6.1 m) long and 8 feet (2.4 m) wide, propelled by a screw, and ran on oil. Turner continued to run this launch until 1934.
Another launch, a motorboat
, was active in 1911 and run by Levi Huntley out of a cottage owned by J.M. Bigford.
Gibson’s started a new launch in 1918. It was constructed in Norwalk, Connecticut
by Fay & Bowen and called the Minnehaha. A bigger and improved Minnehaha replaced it in the mid-1950s.
In the 1940s, Gibson’s also ran a Chris-Craft
.
The lake’s first gasoline boat was privately owned by W.E. Hill. It was 24 feet (7.3 m) long. He did not offer public rides.
s. A Camp Buel existed as early as 1900. Camp Berkshire, a small boys camp, started in 1912 and ended before 1937. It initially used Gibson’s Grove as a home base. Camp Owaissa was a summer camp for girls on the west shore from 1919 to 1920. In 1921 it moved to Lake Garfield
. Camp Half Moon
started about 1920. It became co-ed in 1994 and is still active.
Camp To-Ho-Ne started in 1921 on the former Owaissa grounds. To-Ho-Ne used a system of tribal government “to maintain discipline and safety.” In 1924, 200 acre (0.809372 km²) were purchased to expand the camp. Eventually added were tennis courts, a dispensary
and a lodge. The camp had a woodworking shop, held Saturday night plays, Wednesday hikes and staged a season-ending award ceremony. 1970 was the camp’s last year. In 1986 the land was sold and turned into a 27-lot housing development, To Ho Ne Shores.
In 1937, Turner’s Landing was sold, and the site became a camp, first called Camp Mi Yo Quan and then Berkshire Highland. Berkshire Highland ran until 1956. In 1957 and 1958 the site was the Ted Mack
Camp, a summer music camp for kids. Activities at Ted Mack included swimming, boating, weaving, music lessons and pony rides. Weekly shows were put on, including an end-of-the-season Broadway-type show. Guys and Dolls ended one season. Frank Loesser
introduced the show; his daughter was a camper there. Marvin Hamlisch
was also a camper there.
From at least 1949 until 1959 the site hosted the Children’s Colony Berkshires Camp. The camp was owned by Trude Frank who also had a day school of the same name in New York. The program emphasized waterfront activities, boating and espcially swimming; campers as young as 5 or 6 swam the full width of the lake and gained advance Red Cross swimming cards. Highlights of the summer included a hike along a portion of the Appalachian Trail and berry picking excursions.
In 1960 it became Camp Deerwood. Deerwood offered athletics, aquatics, arts, ham radio lessons, crafts, foreign languages and photography.
In 2000 the land was sold again and became the Seven Stones, a venue for business retreats, weddings and family reunions. In 2003 Seven Stones hosted the 2003 World Gay Outdoor Gathering. In 2008, the site was purchased by Kutsher's Sports Academy
, which was moving its camp from Monticello, New York
Kutsher's hosted 200 campers in 2008.
The Fokine Ballet Camp leased Littlecrest for eight weeks each summer from 1957 to 1960 before relocating to a site in Lenox, Massachusetts
. Bigford’s Landing hosted a Girl Scout Summer Camp throughout the 1950s.
In 1986, with a landowners’ vote of 147-4, the Lake Buel Restoration-Preservation district was formed. It was the first of its kind in Massachusetts for a great pond
. It allowed non-resident landowners to vote in Massachusetts.
, grazed wet meadow
, forested wetland and aquatic
environments in and around Lake Buel.
). It is likely that this aquatic plant was introduced unintentionally in the early 1960s. The magnitude and spread of the aquatic plant increased notably between 1974 and 1988, with a particularly dramatic increase between 1974 and 1981. These increases occurred because of fragmentation and vegetation reproduction. Because of decaying milfoil in the Lake's two hypolimnia
during this era, the Lake experienced an intensification of hypolimnetic anoxia
.
In the early 1990s the aquatic plant covered over 85 acres (over 40%) of the Lake. This infestation creates a large oxygen demand
in the Lake, limiting cold water habitat.
Aquatic macrophyte
harvesting was initiated in 1980. A 90 acres (364,217.4 m²) harvest was performed that year.
s were discovered in Laurel Lake
in Lee
, prompting the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game to close Laurel Lake's boat ramp. A number of lakes around the area responded by closing their ramps, including Stockbridge Bowl
. The Monterey Board of Selectmen voted to close Lake Buel's ramp and on July 22, the ramp was blocked off with a concrete barricade and padlocked chain.
A non-native invasive species, Zebra Mussels were originally native to the lakes of southeast Russia
. In the 1990s they began colonizing the Great Lakes
, and have since spread into streams and rivers nationwide. In some areas they completely cover the substrate, sometimes covering other freshwater mussels. They can grow so densely that they block pipelines, clogging water intakes of municipal water supplies and hydroelectric companies.
As of 2009, Massachusetts has no specific legislation to address invasive species, leaving it up to local authorities.
. Buell eventually married, had a family and lived as a farmer. He died in 1865 and is buried in Mahaiwe Cemetery in Great Barrington
. The lake was not named in his honor until a decade after his death, July 4, 1876, during a Centennial ceremony.
In 1878, the Berkshire Courier dropped the second L from Buell, and soon other papers followed suit.
Helen Humphries was the first to swim the length of the lake from Miami Beach to Gibson’s (about 2 miles). She did it in 1928 in 70 minutes.
Michael Danek of Westfield, Massachusetts
caught a State record Northern Pike in January 1987; it weighed 32 pounds, 4 ounces.
Great Pond
The largest great pond in Maine named Great Pond is located in Kennebec County and is part of the Kennebec River watershed. There are several other, smaller ponds named Great Pond in Maine and New England. Great Pond is among the largest waterbodies in the world named "pond".Great Pond receives...
in Berkshire County, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
just south of Route 57
Massachusetts Route 57
Route 57 is an east–west Massachusetts state route that runs from Monterey to Agawam. The eastern 5.0 miles in Agawam is a freeway that runs from Route 187 to the route's eastern terminus at U.S. Route 5.- Route description :...
and east of Great Barrington
Great Barrington, Massachusetts
Great Barrington is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,104 at the 2010 census. Both a summer resort and home to Ski Butternut, Great Barrington includes the villages of Van...
. It is surrounded by over one-hundred summer home and a few dozen year-round homes in about a dozen separate, tight-knit neighborhoods, each with its own private or semi-private road. The roads do not interlink.
The Lake is named after Samuel C. Buel of Tyringham, Massachusetts
Tyringham, Massachusetts
Tyringham is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 327 at the 2010 census.- History :...
who saved people from drowning on the Lake (called at the time Six Mile Pond) on July 23, 1812.
The northern shore of the Lake is in the town of Monterey
Monterey, Massachusetts
Monterey is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 934 at the 2000 census.- History :...
and the southern shore is in New Marlborough
New Marlborough, Massachusetts
New Marlborough is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,494 at the 2000 census...
. There is a paved boat ramp on the northwest shore that is owned by the Public Access Board and managed by Forests and Parks and Fisheries and Game. A portion of the Appalachian Trail
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...
crosses over a breached mill dam along the northern inlet.
Natural characteristics
The mean depth is 20 feet (6.1 m); the maximum depth is 42 feet (12.8 m). The Lake Buel watershedDrainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
encompasses 3268 acres (13.2 km²). At times the Konkapot River
Konkapot River
The Konkapot River is a river in southwestern Massachusetts and northern Connecticut. It is a tributary of the Housatonic River, not to be confused with the smaller Konkapot Brook in Stockbridge ....
Basin becomes part of this watershed. The Lake's water is well-buffered and hard
Hard water
Hard water is water that has high mineral content . Hard water has high concentrations of Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions. Hard water is generally not harmful to one's health but can pose serious problems in industrial settings, where water hardness is monitored to avoid costly breakdowns in boilers, cooling...
with a pH
PH
In chemistry, pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Pure water is said to be neutral, with a pH close to 7.0 at . Solutions with a pH less than 7 are said to be acidic and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline...
between 7.8 and 8.6. This hardness and alkalinity
Alkalinity
Alkalinity or AT measures the ability of a solution to neutralize acids to the equivalence point of carbonate or bicarbonate. The alkalinity is equal to the stoichiometric sum of the bases in solution...
suggest that the Lake generally safe from the effects of acid rain
Acid rain
Acid rain is a rain or any other form of precipitation that is unusually acidic, meaning that it possesses elevated levels of hydrogen ions . It can have harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals, and infrastructure. Acid rain is caused by emissions of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen...
. The Lake is eutrophic and mesotrophic: eutrophic because of macrophyte
Macrophyte
A macrophyte is an aquatic plant that grows in or near water and is either emergent, submergent, or floating. In lakes macrophytes provide cover for fish and substrate for aquatic invertebrates, produce oxygen, and act as food for some fish and wildlife....
production and hypolimnetic
Hypolimnion
The hypolimnion is the dense, bottom layer of water in a thermally-stratified lake. It is the layer that lies below the thermocline.Typically the hypolimnion is the coldest layer of a lake in summer, and the warmest layer during winter...
metabolism; mestrophic because of total phosphorus
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is the chemical element that has the symbol P and atomic number 15. A multivalent nonmetal of the nitrogen group, phosphorus as a mineral is almost always present in its maximally oxidized state, as inorganic phosphate rocks...
content and summer phytoplankton
Phytoplankton
Phytoplankton are the autotrophic component of the plankton community. The name comes from the Greek words φυτόν , meaning "plant", and πλαγκτός , meaning "wanderer" or "drifter". Most phytoplankton are too small to be individually seen with the unaided eye...
productivity. The normal full water elevation
Elevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
of the Lake is 908 feet (276.8 m). The flood elevations for the 10-year and 100-year flood
100-year flood
A one-hundred-year flood is calculated to be the level of flood water expected to be equaled or exceeded every 100 years on average. The 100-year flood is more accurately referred to as the 1% annual exceedance probability flood, since it is a flood that has a 1% chance of being equaled or exceeded...
s are 911.5 feet (277.8 m) and 913.6 feet (278.5 m).
Resorts and inns
Lake Buel was rarely used for recreation until the 1870s when it became a major summer attraction for the outlying area. Gibson’s Grove opened on the south side of the lake’s in the early part of the decade and shortly thereafter Turner’s Landing opened on the lake’s northwest end.Gibson’s Grove
In the early part of the 1870s, George N. Gibson established a pine groveGrove (nature)
A grove is a small group of trees with minimal or no undergrowth, such as a sequoia grove, or a small orchard planted for the cultivation of fruits or nuts...
on the south side of the lake’s outlet as a picnic
Picnic
In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...
area, calling it Gibson’s Grove. In 1875, picnickers were caught in a sudden rain storm, which prompted the construction of a dining hall, the lake’s first building. In 1876 Gibson’s added a launch
Launch (boat)
A launch in contemporary usage refers to a large motorboat. The name originally referred to the largest boat carried by a warship. The etymology of the word is given as Portuguese lancha "barge", from Malay lancha, lancharan, "boat," from lanchar "velocity without effort," "action of gliding...
, the Wm. B. Gibson, as an attraction, and by the following year Gibson’s hosted fishing derbies, dances, clambake
Clambake
Clambake is a 1967 musical film starring Elvis Presley, and co-starring Shelley Fabares and Bill Bixby—the last of his four films for United Artists. The movie reached No. 15 on the national weekly box office charts.-Plot:...
s, and tally-ho
Tally-ho
The phrase tally-ho is a largely British phrase, used in foxhunting, shouted when a rider sees the fox.-Etymology:Tally-ho dates from around 1772, and is probably derived from the French taïaut, a cry used to excite hounds when hunting deer...
parties. These events were often integrated and never segregated. Gibson’s had 300 visitors on good days. Gibson's added an ice house in 1893. In the early 1900s Gibson’s had available for rent: three furnished overnight cottages (each included wood, ice, and a boat), an unfurnished farm house, and two extended-stay cottages (each included a boat and telephone service).
As early as 1929 Gibson’s had a Sellner
Sellner Manufacturing
Sellner Manufacturing is the Faribault, Minnesota manufacturer of the Tilt-A-Whirl and other amusement park rides. Started by Herbert Sellner in 1926 and still family owned.-History:Herbert Sellner made lamps, toys and library tables...
toboggan slide. It was eventually removed in the mid-1950s because of liability issues.
Between 1933 and 1947, Gibson sold off portions of his land as lots.
In 1941 and 1949 Gibson sold lots to the Menaker family as they expanded Camp To-Ho-Ne. In 1952, Gibson’s was leased to Sonny Zanetti, who renovated the boats, including the Minnehaha, which no longer worked but was kept on display at the main dock. During this era, the pavilion had a jukebox that ran throughout business hours.
Gibson’s was sold outright in 1955. The new owners opened a tavern, the Blue Gill Club. The property was sold again in 1963; the Blue Gill was razed, and a new restaurant was built, which included a bar and a second story dance floor. The property was sold again in 1968, and efforts were made to continue the Blue Gill Club. In 1975 the main building and other buildings were razed. The Blue Gill was renovated into a private cottage in 1978.
Turner’s Landing
Turner’s Landing was established around 1875. It was also known as Turner’s View House and Turner’s Lakeview Villa. Turner’s hosted gypsy carnivals from 1875 to 1877. In the 1880s, Turner’s had over 400 visitors a week, sometimes 200 a day. In 1900 Turner’s had its busiest season to date. Prior to World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, people could overnight there in rented tents.
In 1936 Turner’s renovated the main building and updated its cottages, introducing electricity to some. The 150 acre (0.607029 km²) property was sold in 1937.
Littlecrest Inn
The Littlecrest Inn (aka Littlecrest), which boarded summer guests, started in 1937. It included individual cabins. Renovations occurred in 1947, which focused on the main building. It closed in 1959 when a judgment forced the owner to compensate a worker injured on the premises. The following year it re-opened under new ownership as the Seven Arts Guest Lodge, but it only ran for one season. The main lodge eventually burned in 1975. Some of the original buildings still remain as private cottages.Miami Beach
Miami Beach, an amusement and swimming resort, opened on the north shore of the Lake about 1925. The upstairs had a jukebox, a big front porch, a dance hall, refreshment room and kitchen. The main building was destroyed by fire in 1947.Bigford’s Landing
Bigford’s Landing was established in 1910. It had its own launch, a restaurant and camps.Hebert’s Beach
Hebert’s Beach opened in 1946. It included a large hall which hosted square dances. In 1955, the building was converted into a 7-unit motel. The beach itself closed in 1962 but continued to rent boats. The motel was then converted into apartments and renamed first the Leeside Lodge, and then Blue Heron Landing.Private cottages
The first private cabin on Lake Buel was built in 1881 by Dr. Willard Rice, a Great Barrington dentist. In 1894, the lease was transferred for $1 to Charles Booth and John England who renovated the building, raising height of the roof, adding a kitchen, and enlarging the porch around a birch tree. It became the Mahaiwe Club, for men only. In the early 1900s Great Barrington's Sedgwick School, a boy's private school, built a cottage north of Turner's for its students' recreation.In 1904 there were 21 buildings on Lake Buel, 8 in Monterey and 13 in New Marlborough. Pre-1920s private cottage names included: Camp Tee-Hee, Wildwood, Dewdrop Inn, Brookmede, Woodycrest, Sunset View, Lake Breeze, High Lawn, The Maples, Kamp Kozy, Highwood Hall, Bay View, Camp Runamuck, Merry Wood, Sunnybank and Kamp Kontent.
In the 1930s, New Marlborough had no zoning laws on the books for lot size requirements along the Lake. Between 1933 and 1941 Gibson sold over a dozen lots of varying sizes and shapes in the Lakeside community, and seven more by 1947. The last lot was sold in 1959.
In 1971 the Hebert family purchased neighboring wetlands and began filling it with gravel. Cottages were built on the landfill and eventually sold. The area was known as Cavity Cove and Cavity Row.
Launches
The first launchLaunch (boat)
A launch in contemporary usage refers to a large motorboat. The name originally referred to the largest boat carried by a warship. The etymology of the word is given as Portuguese lancha "barge", from Malay lancha, lancharan, "boat," from lanchar "velocity without effort," "action of gliding...
on Lake Buel was the Wm. B. Gibson, which made its public debute on July 4, 1876. The first steamboat in Berkshire County, it had a 6’ diameter wheel, a 14-hp engine, a 7’-high boiler, and could carry 200 people on its two decks.
The Wm. B. Gibson picked up passengers at Gibson’s Grove and at Turner’s Lake View Hall. It made the 1.25 miles (2 km) trip in 17 minutes. Fares were 20 cents for adults and 10 for children. After being sold by Gibson to Turner, the steamer’s name was changed to the Lake Buell. The craft went through major renovations in 1879 and 1882. Before being launched for the 1885 season, it was destroyed by arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
. Around 1891 Turner launched a new steamer, the Lake Buel. It was 20 feet (6.1 m) long and 8 feet (2.4 m) wide, propelled by a screw, and ran on oil. Turner continued to run this launch until 1934.
Another launch, a motorboat
Motorboat
A motorboat is a boat which is powered by an engine. Some motorboats are fitted with inboard engines, others have an outboard motor installed on the rear, containing the internal combustion engine, the gearbox and the propeller in one portable unit.An inboard/outboard contains a hybrid of a...
, was active in 1911 and run by Levi Huntley out of a cottage owned by J.M. Bigford.
Gibson’s started a new launch in 1918. It was constructed in Norwalk, Connecticut
Norwalk, Connecticut
Norwalk is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the city is 85,603, making Norwalk sixth in population in Connecticut, and third in Fairfield County...
by Fay & Bowen and called the Minnehaha. A bigger and improved Minnehaha replaced it in the mid-1950s.
In the 1940s, Gibson’s also ran a Chris-Craft
Chris-Craft Industries
Chris-Craft Industries, Inc., formerly National Automotive Fibers, Inc., was a publicly-held American corporation traded on the New York and Pacific Stock Exchanges. It later took on the name of one of its acquisitions, Chris-Craft Boats...
.
The lake’s first gasoline boat was privately owned by W.E. Hill. It was 24 feet (7.3 m) long. He did not offer public rides.
Summer camps
The Lake has a long history of summer campSummer camp
Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
s. A Camp Buel existed as early as 1900. Camp Berkshire, a small boys camp, started in 1912 and ended before 1937. It initially used Gibson’s Grove as a home base. Camp Owaissa was a summer camp for girls on the west shore from 1919 to 1920. In 1921 it moved to Lake Garfield
Lake Garfield
Lake Garfield is a 262 acre lake located about a half mile north of the center of Monterey off Route 23 in Massachusetts. At the furthest western point of the lake near Tyringham Road, a public boat ramp and parking lot can be found...
. Camp Half Moon
Camp Half Moon
Camp Half Moon is a co-ed sleepover camp on Lake Buel in Monterey, Massachusetts.Camp Half Moon was established as a boys camp in 1922. The Mann family, originally from Lititz, PA, currently own and operate Half Moon and purchased it from Dr. Ed Storey in 1967, who had owned and operated it for...
started about 1920. It became co-ed in 1994 and is still active.
Camp To-Ho-Ne started in 1921 on the former Owaissa grounds. To-Ho-Ne used a system of tribal government “to maintain discipline and safety.” In 1924, 200 acre (0.809372 km²) were purchased to expand the camp. Eventually added were tennis courts, a dispensary
Dispensary
A dispensary is an office in a school, hospital or other organization that dispenses medications and medical supplies. In a traditional dispensary set-up a pharmacist dispenses medication as per prescription or order form....
and a lodge. The camp had a woodworking shop, held Saturday night plays, Wednesday hikes and staged a season-ending award ceremony. 1970 was the camp’s last year. In 1986 the land was sold and turned into a 27-lot housing development, To Ho Ne Shores.
In 1937, Turner’s Landing was sold, and the site became a camp, first called Camp Mi Yo Quan and then Berkshire Highland. Berkshire Highland ran until 1956. In 1957 and 1958 the site was the Ted Mack
Ted Mack
Ted Mack may refer to:*Ted Mack , Edward Mack, Australian politician*Ted Mack , born William Edward Maguiness, American television host...
Camp, a summer music camp for kids. Activities at Ted Mack included swimming, boating, weaving, music lessons and pony rides. Weekly shows were put on, including an end-of-the-season Broadway-type show. Guys and Dolls ended one season. Frank Loesser
Frank Loesser
Frank Henry Loesser was an American songwriter who wrote the lyrics and scores to the Broadway hits Guys and Dolls and How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, among others. He won separate Tony Awards for the music and lyrics in both shows, as well as sharing the Pulitzer Prize for...
introduced the show; his daughter was a camper there. Marvin Hamlisch
Marvin Hamlisch
Marvin Frederick Hamlisch is an American composer. He is one of only thirteen people to have been awarded Emmys, Grammys, Oscars, and a Tony . He is also one of only two people to EGOT and also win a Pulitzer Prize...
was also a camper there.
From at least 1949 until 1959 the site hosted the Children’s Colony Berkshires Camp. The camp was owned by Trude Frank who also had a day school of the same name in New York. The program emphasized waterfront activities, boating and espcially swimming; campers as young as 5 or 6 swam the full width of the lake and gained advance Red Cross swimming cards. Highlights of the summer included a hike along a portion of the Appalachian Trail and berry picking excursions.
In 1960 it became Camp Deerwood. Deerwood offered athletics, aquatics, arts, ham radio lessons, crafts, foreign languages and photography.
In 2000 the land was sold again and became the Seven Stones, a venue for business retreats, weddings and family reunions. In 2003 Seven Stones hosted the 2003 World Gay Outdoor Gathering. In 2008, the site was purchased by Kutsher's Sports Academy
Kutsher's Sports Academy
It is amazing!Kutsher's Sports Academy is a summer sleepaway camp in Monterey, Massachusetts for children ages 7-17. It was originally "conceived and developed by Milton and Joseph Kutsher and legendary basketball coach Clair F. Bee in 1968." The Kutsher family owned and operated the academy...
, which was moving its camp from Monticello, New York
Monticello, New York
Monticello is a village located in the Town of Thompson in Sullivan County, New York, United States. The population was 6,512 at the 2000 census. It is the seat for the Town of Thompson and the county seat of Sullivan County...
Kutsher's hosted 200 campers in 2008.
The Fokine Ballet Camp leased Littlecrest for eight weeks each summer from 1957 to 1960 before relocating to a site in Lenox, Massachusetts
Lenox, Massachusetts
Lenox is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. Set in Western Massachusetts, it is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,077 at the 2000 census. Where the town has a border with Stockbridge is the site of Tanglewood, summer...
. Bigford’s Landing hosted a Girl Scout Summer Camp throughout the 1950s.
Associations
The Lake Buel Association began in 1938; it focused on the lake’s health, especially the elimination of weeds, and on social events. It was active as late as 1976.In 1986, with a landowners’ vote of 147-4, the Lake Buel Restoration-Preservation district was formed. It was the first of its kind in Massachusetts for a great pond
Great Pond
The largest great pond in Maine named Great Pond is located in Kennebec County and is part of the Kennebec River watershed. There are several other, smaller ponds named Great Pond in Maine and New England. Great Pond is among the largest waterbodies in the world named "pond".Great Pond receives...
. It allowed non-resident landowners to vote in Massachusetts.
Wildlife
The following charts include species found in wetlandWetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
, grazed wet meadow
Wet meadow
A wet meadow is a semi-wetland meadow which is saturated with water throughout much of the year. Wet meadows may occur because of poor drainage or the receipt of large amounts of water from rain or melted snow. They may also occur in riparian zones....
, forested wetland and aquatic
Aquatic ecosystem
An aquatic ecosystem is an ecosystem in a body of water. Communities of organisms that are dependent on each other and on their environment live in aquatic ecosystems. The two main types of aquatic ecosystems are marine ecosystems and freshwater ecosystems....
environments in and around Lake Buel.
| Animals | Species |
| Fish Fish Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups... es |
Black Crappie, Bluegill Bluegill The Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:... , Brook Trout Brook trout The brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, is a species of fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. In many parts of its range, it is known as the speckled trout or squaretail. A potamodromous population in Lake Superior are known as coaster trout or, simply, as coasters... , Brown Bullhead Brown bullhead The brown bullhead, Ameiurus nebulosus, is a fish of the Ictaluridae family that is widely distributed in North America. It is a species of bullhead catfish and is similar to the black bullhead and yellow bullhead... , Brown Trout Brown trout The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species.... , Chain Pickerel Chain pickerel The chain pickerel, Esox niger , is a species of freshwater fish in the pike family of order Esociformes. The chain pickerel and the american pickerel belong to the Esox genus of pikes.-Range:... , Largemouth Bass Largemouth bass The largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth... , Pumpkinseed Pumpkinseed The pumpkinseed sunfish is a freshwater fish of the sunfish family of order Perciformes. It is also referred to as "pond perch", "common sunfish", "punkys", and "sunny".-Range and distribution:... , Rainbow Trout Rainbow trout The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species.... , Rock Bass Rock bass The rock bass , also known as the rock perch, goggle-eye, or red eye is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. They are similar in appearance to smallmouth bass but are usually quite a bit smaller... , White Perch White perch The white perch, Morone americana, is not a true perch but is, rather, a fish of the temperate bass family, Moronidae, notable as a food and game fish in eastern North America.The name "white perch" is sometimes erroneously applied to the white crappie.... , and Yellow Perch Yellow perch The yellow perch is a species of perch found in the United States and Canada, where it is often referred to by the shortform perch. Yellow perch look similar to the European perch, but are paler and more yellowish, with less red in the fins. They have six to eight dark, vertical bars on their sides... ; White Sucker White Sucker The White Sucker is a bottom-feeding freshwater fish inhabiting North America from Labrador in the north to Georgia and New Mexico in the south. It is a long, round-bodied fish with a dark green, grey, copper, brown, or black back and sides and a light underbelly. When fullgrown, it is between 12... , Minnows Fundulus Fundulus is a genus of ray-finned fishes in the superfamily Funduloidea, family Fundulidae . They belong to the order of toothcarps , and therein the large suborder Cyprinodontoidei... , Northern Pike Northern Pike The northern pike , is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus Esox... (introduced in 1979 ), Bridle Shiner Bridle Shiner The Bridle Shiner is a member of the Minnow family . This species has been identified as being of Special Concern by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada .- Distribution :... , Common Shiner Common Shiner The Common Shiner is a fish found in North America. They average in length between 2½ to 4 inches.-Description:The Common Shiner is silvery colored and has an "olive back with a dark dorsal stripe."... , Fallfish Fallfish The Fallfish, Semotilus corporalis, is a species in the family Cyprinidae, order Cypriniformes. It is found in the northeastern United States and eastern Canada, where it inhabits streams, rivers, and lake margins. It is fished as a game fish but opinions vary as to its edibility. As far as a... , and Golden Shiner Golden shiner The golden shiner is a cyprinid fish native to eastern North America. It is the sole member of its genus. Much used as a bait fish, it is probably the most widely pond-cultured fish in the United States.-Description:... . Tiger muskies Muskellunge A muskellunge , also known as a muskelunge, muscallonge, milliganong, or maskinonge , is a large, relatively uncommon freshwater fish of North America. Muskellunge are the largest member of the pike family, Esocidae... (introduced in 1997). |
| Reptile Reptile Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors... s |
Common Snapping Turtle, Wood Turtle Wood Turtle The wood turtle is a turtle endemic to North America. It is in the genus Glyptemys, a designation given to only one other turtle: the bog turtle. The wood turtle reaches a carapace length of , its defining characteristic being the pyramidal pattern on its upper shell... , Spotted Turtle Spotted Turtle The Spotted turtle , the only current species of Clemmys, is a small, semi-aquatic turtle that reaches a carapace length of upon adulthood. Their broad, smooth, low dark-colored upper shell, or carapace, ranges in its exact colour from black to a bluish black with a number of yellow tiny round spots... and Painted Turtle Painted Turtle The painted turtle is the most widespread native turtle of North America. It lives in slow-moving fresh waters, from southern Canada to Louisiana and northern Mexico, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The turtle is the only species of the genus Chrysemys, which is part of the pond turtle... . |
| Amphibian Amphibian Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods... s |
Common Mudpuppy Common Mudpuppy The Mudpuppy is a species of salamander that is part of the genus, Necturus. They live an entirely aquatic lifestyle in the eastern part of North America in lakes, rivers, and ponds. Mudpuppies go through paedomorphosis and retain their external gills... , Dusky Salamander Dusky Salamander The Dusky Salamander is an amphibian in the lungless salamander family. The species is also sometimes called the Northern Dusky Salamander by those acknowledging that populations in the southern United States form a separate species, called the Southern Dusky Salamander... , Eastern Newt Eastern Newt The Eastern Newt or Red-spotted Newt is a common salamander of eastern North America. Eastern newts dwell in wet forests with small lakes or ponds. They can coexist in an aquatic environment with fish, however, their skin secretes a poisonous substance when the newt is threatened or injured... , Spring Peeper Spring Peeper The Spring Peeper is a small chorus frog widespread throughout the eastern USA and Canada.-Subspecies:There are two subspecies of the Spring Peeper, the Northern and the Southern Spring Peeper . The Northern is similar to the Southern except for a strong dark marking on the Southern frog's belly... , Green Frog, Bullfrog Bullfrog The American bullfrog , often simply known as the bullfrog in Canada and the United States, is an aquatic frog, a member of the family Ranidae, or “true frogs”, native to much of North America. This is a frog of larger, permanent water bodies, swamps, ponds, and lakes, where it is usually found... , and Northern Leopard Frog Northern Leopard Frog The Northern Leopard Frog is a species of leopard frog from the true frog family, native to parts of Canada and United States. It is the state amphibian of Minnesota and Vermont.-Physical description:... . |
| Mammal Mammal Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young... |
American Beaver American Beaver The North American Beaver is the only species of beaver in the Americas, native to North America and introduced to South America. In the United States and Canada, where no other species of beaver occurs, it is usually simply referred to as "beaver"... and Muskrat Muskrat The muskrat , the only species in genus Ondatra, is a medium-sized semi-aquatic rodent native to North America, and introduced in parts of Europe, Asia, and South America. The muskrat is found in wetlands and is a very successful animal over a wide range of climates and habitats... . American Mink American Mink The American mink is a semi-aquatic species of Mustelid native to North America, though human intervention has expanded its range to many parts of Europe and South America. Because of this, it is classed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Since the extinction of the sea mink, the American mink is the... have not been observed at the Lake, but likely use the perimeter and wetlands. |
| Zooplankton Zooplankton Zooplankton are heterotrophic plankton. Plankton are organisms drifting in oceans, seas, and bodies of fresh water. The word "zooplankton" is derived from the Greek zoon , meaning "animal", and , meaning "wanderer" or "drifter"... |
Daphnia sp. Daphnia Daphnia are small, planktonic crustaceans, between 0.2 and 5 mm in length. Daphnia are members of the order Cladocera, and are one of the several small aquatic crustaceans commonly called water fleas because of their saltatory swimming style... , Bosmina sp. Bosmina Bosmina is a genus in the order Cladocera. Its members can be distinguished from those of Bosminopsis by the separation of the antennae; in Bosminopsis, the antennae are fused at their bases.... , Diaptomus sp. Diaptomus Diaptomus is a genus of copepods with a single eye spot. It is superficially similar in size and appearance to Cyclops. However it has characteristically very long first antennae that exceed the body length. In addition, the females carry the eggs in a single sac rather than the twin sacs seen in... , Lyngbya sp. Lyngbya Lyngbya is a genus of cyanobacteria, unicellular autotrophs that form the basis of the oceanic food chain.Lyngbya form long unbranching filaments inside a rigid mucilage sheath. Sheaths may form tangles or mats, intermixed with other phytoplankton species... , Oscillatoria sp. Oscillatoria Oscillatoria is a genus of filamentous cyanobacterium which is named for the oscillation in its movement. Filaments in the colonies can slide back and forth against each other until the whole mass is reoriented to its light source. It is commonly found in watering-troughs waters, and is mainly... . |
| Plants | Species |
| Aquatic plant Aquatic plant Aquatic plants are plants that have adapted to living in aquatic environments. They are also referred to as hydrophytes or aquatic macrophytes. These plants require special adaptations for living submerged in water, or at the water's surface. Aquatic plants can only grow in water or in soil that is... s |
Eurasian Water Milfoil Myriophyllum spicatum Myriophyllum spicatum is a species of Myriophyllum native to Europe, Asia, and north Africa. It is a submerged aquatic plant, and grows in still or slow-moving water.-Description:... (invasive), Rigid Hornwort Ceratophyllum demersum Ceratophyllum demersum is a species of Ceratophyllum. It is a submerged, free-floating aquatic plant, native to North America but nowadays having a cosmopolitan distribution in temperate and tropical regions... , Fragrant Water Lily Nymphaea odorata Nymphaea odorata, also known as the Fragrant Water Lily and Beaver Root, is a flower belonging to the genus Nymphaea. It can commonly be found in lake shallows, ponds, and permanent slow moving waters throughout North America where it ranges from Central America to northern Canada... , Chara sp. Charales Charales is an order of pondweeds, freshwater algae in the division Charophyta. They are green plants believed to be the closest relatives of the green land plants. Linnaeus established the genus Chara in 1753.-Description:... , Common Bladderwort Utricularia vulgaris Utricularia vulgaris is an aquatic species of bladderwort found in Asia and Europe. The plant is a free-floating and does not put down roots. Stems can attain lengths of over one metre in a single growing season, but die back and form turions in winter... , Wild Celery Wild celery Wild celery is a plant in the family Hydrocharitaceae . Contrary to the implications of its name, wild celery bears little to no resemblance to the celery used as a vegetable. Wild celery grows under water and is consumed by various animals, including the canvasback... , Slender Naiad Najas flexilis Najas flexilis is an aquatic annual plant native to parts of North America and Europe. Its common names include slender naiad and nodding waternymph.The plant inhabits shallow bodies of brackish and fresh water such as lakes and bays... , Water-shield Brasenia Brasenia is a genus belonging to the family Cabombaceae, consisting of one extant species widely distributed in warm temperate and tropical regions of the world. Brasenia is an aquatic perennial plant with floating, peltate leaves and rhizomatous stems... , Common Duckweed Lemna minor Lemna minor is a species of Lemna with a subcosmopolitan distribution, native throughout most of Africa, Asia, Europe and North America, occurring everywhere that freshwater ponds and slow-moving streams occur, except for arctic and subarctic climates... , Common Pondweed, Water Buttercup Ranunculus longirostris Ranunculus longirostris is a plant species of the genus Ranunculus.-External links:*... , Curly-leaf Pondweed Curly-leaf pondweed Potamogeton crispus, the curly-leaf pondweed, is a species of aquatic plant native to Eurasia but perhaps better known as an introduced species and often a noxious weed in North America.... (invasive), Largeleaf Pondweed Potamogeton amplifolius Potamogeton amplifolius, commonly known as largeleaf pondweed or broad-leaved pondweed, is an aquatic plant of North America. It grows in water bodies such as lakes, ponds, and rivers, often in deep water.... , Illinois Pondweed, Robbins' Pondweed Potamogeton robbinsii Potamogeton robbinsii, commonly known as Robbins' Pondweed, is a North American perennial herb.It is found in "deep to shallow, quiet, often muddy waters of lakes, ponds, and rivers."... , and White-stemmed Pondweed Potamogeton praelongus Potamogeton praelongus, commonly known as White-stem Pondweed, is an aquatic plant with stout, rusty-spotted rhizomes. It is relatively easy to distinguish from other Potamogeton species by the leaves clasping around a zig-zagging stem and persistent, whitish stipules.-External links:*****... ; Pickerelweed Pontederia cordata Pontederia cordata, commonly known as Pickerelweed, is a monocotyledonous aquatic plant native to North and South America. It can be found on pond and lake margins across an extremely large range from eastern Canada south to Argentina. The species is tristylous, meaning the styles of individual... and Bullhead Lily Nuphar variegata Nuphar variegata is a plant in the water lily family, Nymphaeaceae. It is native to much of Canada and the northernmost United States.-Description:... ; Sagittaria sp. Sagittaria Sagittaria is a genus of about 30 species of aquatic plants whose members go by a variety of common names, including arrowhead, duck potato, iz-ze-kn, katniss, kuwai , swan potato, tule potato, and wapato... and Elodea sp. Elodea Elodea is a genus of aquatic plants often called the waterweeds. Elodea is native to North America and is also widely used as aquarium vegetation. The introduction of some species of Elodea into waterways in parts of Europe, Australia, Africa, Asia, and New Zealand has created a significant problem... . |
| Tree Tree A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to... s |
Speckled Alder, Red Maple, Red Osier Dogwood Red Osier Dogwood The Red Osier Dogwood is a species of dogwood native throughout northern and western North America from Alaska east to Newfoundland, south to Durango and Nuevo León in the west, and Illinois and Virginia in the east... , Yellow Birch, Paper Birch, American Hornbeam, Tamarack Larch Tamarack Larch Tamarack Larch, or Tamarack, or Hackmatack, or American Larch is a species of larch native to Canada, from eastern Yukon and Inuvik, Northwest Territories east to Newfoundland, and also south into the northeastern United States from Minnesota to Cranesville Swamp, West Virginia; there is also a... , American Elm, and Eastern White Pine Eastern White Pine Pinus strobus, commonly known as the eastern white pine, is a large pine native to eastern North America, occurring from Newfoundland west to Minnesota and southeastern Manitoba, and south along the Appalachian Mountains to the northern edge of Georgia.It is occasionally known as simply white pine,... ; Black Willow; Eastern Cottonwood Eastern Cottonwood Populus deltoides, the eastern cottonwood, is a cottonwood poplar native to North America, growing throughout the eastern, central, and southwestern United States, the southernmost part of eastern Canada, and northeastern Mexico.-Description:... . |
| Shrub Shrub A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience... s |
Leather Leaf, American Winterberry, Swamp Rose Rosa palustris Rosa palustris is a shrub in the rose family native to much of eastern North America. It can be found from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in the north, south to Florida and west to Arkansas and Ontario.-Description:... , Bog Myrtle Myrica gale Myrica gale is a species of flowering plant in the genus Myrica, native to northern and western Europe and parts of northern North America. It is a deciduous shrub growing to 1–2 m tall. Common names include Bog Myrtle and Sweet Gale... , Broadleaf Meadowsweet Spiraea latifolia Spiraea latifolia, commonly known as Broadleaf Meadowsweet , is a shrub in the Rosaceae family.-External links:**... , and Arrow-wood Viburnum Viburnum dentatum Viburnum dentatum — southern arrowwood or arrowwood viburnum or roughish arrowwood — is a small shrub, native to the Eastern United States and Canada from Maine south to Northern Florida and Eastern Texas.... ; Shrubby Cinquefoil; Witch Hazel Hamamelis virginiana Hamamelis virginiana is a species of Witch-hazel native to eastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to Minnesota, and south to central Florida to eastern Texas.... ; Baby Rose. |
| Poales Poales Poales is a large order of flowering plants in the monocotyledons, and includes families of plants such as the grasses, bromeliads, and sedges. Sixteen plant families are currently recognized by botanists to be part of Poales.... |
Common Reed, River Bulrush Scirpus fluviatilis Scirpus fluviatilis is a species of flowering plant in the Cyperaceae family. Its range spans from east Asia to North America and Australia... , Tussock Sedge Carex stricta Carex stricta is a species of sedge known by the common name Tussock Sedge.-External links:*... , Narrow Leaf Cattail Typha angustifolia Typha angustifolia L., , is a perennial herbaceous plant of genus Typha. This cattail is an "obligate wetland" species that is commonly found in the northern hemisphere in brackish locations... , and Giant Bur-reed Sparganium eurycarpum Sparganium eurycarpum is a species of bur-reed known by the common names giant bur-reed and broadfruit bur-reed. It is native to Eurasia and North America.-External links:***... ; Reed Canary Grass Reed canary grass Reed canarygrass, Phalaris arundinacea, is a tall, perennial bunchgrass that commonly forms extensive single-species stands along the margins of lakes and streams and in wet open areas, with a wide distribution in Europe, Asia, northern Africa and North America.-Description:The stems can reach 2.5... ; Timothy-grass Timothy-grass Timothy-grass , is an abundant perennial grass native to most of Europe except for the Mediterranean region. It grows to 50–150 cm tall, with leaves up to 45 cm long and 1 cm broad. The flowerhead is 7–15 cm long and 8–10 mm broad, with densely packed spikelets... ; Water Sedge Carex aquatilis Carex aquatilis is a species of sedge known by the common names water sedge and leafy tussock sedge. It has a circumboreal distribution, occurring throughout the northern reaches of the Northern Hemisphere. It grows in many types of mountainous and Arctic habitat, including temperate coniferous... . |
| Herb Herb Except in botanical usage, an herb is "any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavoring, food, medicine, or perfume" or "a part of such a plant as used in cooking"... s |
Harlequin Blueflag Iris versicolor Iris versicolor, also commonly known as the Harlequin Blueflag, Larger Blue Flag, Northern Blue Flag, and other variations of those names, is a species of Iris native to North America where it is common in sedge meadows, marshes, and along streambanks and shores.-Growth:I. versicolor is a perennial... , Garden Angelica Garden Angelica Angelica archangelica, commonly known as Garden Angelica, Holy Ghost, Wild Celery, and Norwegian angelica, is a biennial plant from the Apiaceae family Apiaceae family, formerly known as Umbelleferae... , Rough Avens Geum laciniatum Geum laciniatum is a member of the Rosaceae family. It is a perennial forb, native to eastern North America. -External links:*... , Curled Dock Curled Dock Curled Dock , also known as Curly Dock, Yellow Dock, Sour Dock, Narrow Dock, sometimes as "narrow-leaved dock" , and ambiguously as "garden patience", is a perennial flowering plant in the family Polygonaceae, native to Europe and Western Asia.The mature plant is a reddish brown colour, and... , and Upright Bedstraw Galium album Galium album. Miller. is a herbaceous annual plant of the family Rubiaceae... ; Common Milkweed Common Milkweed Asclepias syriaca, commonly called Common Milkweed, Butterfly flower, Silkweed, Silky Swallow-wort, Virginia Silkweed, is a herbaceous plant species. It is in the genus Asclepias, making it a type of milkweed. This species is native to most of North America east of the Rocky Mountains, excluding... . |
| Wildflower Wildflower A wildflower is a flower that grows wild, meaning it was not intentionally seeded or planted. Yet "wildflower" meadows of a few mixed species are sold in seed packets. The term "wildflower" has been made vague by commercial seedsmen who are interested in selling more flowers or seeds more... s |
Goldenrod sp. Goldenrod Solidago, commonly called goldenrods, is a genus of about 100 species of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Most are herbaceous perennial species found in the meadows and pastures, along roads, ditches and waste areas in North America. There are also a few species native to Mexico, South... and Joe-Pye Weed; Field Thistle Cirsium discolor Cirsium discolor is a species of thistle in the genus Cirsium. Field thistle has a pink or lavender flower that blooms in late summer/early fall. Field thistle is common and lives in most moist areas of eastern North America.... and Meadow Buttercup; True Forget-me-not Myosotis scorpioides Myosotis scorpioides , the Water Forget-me-not or True Forget-me-not, is a herbaceous perennial plant of the genus Myosotis. It is native to Europe and Asia and it can be found elsewhere, including much of North America, as an introduced species and sometimes a noxious weed. It grows in bogs and... and common Jewelweed Impatiens capensis Impatiens capensis, the Orange Jewelweed, Common Jewelweed, Spotted Jewelweed, Spotted Touch-me-not, or Orange Balsam, is an annual plant native to North America. It is common in bottomland soils, ditches, and along creeks, often growing side-by-side with its less common relative, Yellow Jewelweed... . |
| Fern Fern A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants... s |
Sensitive Fern Sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis, the Sensitive fern, also known as the bead fern, is a coarse-textured, medium to large-sized perennial fern. The name comes from the observation by early American settlers that it was very sensitive to frost, the fronds dying quickly when first touched by it... and Cinnamon Fern; Flowering Fern Osmunda spectabilis Osmunda spectabilis is a species of fern once thought to be the same as Osmunda regalis, but recent genetic studies have shown it to be a separate species. -Description:... . |
| Vine Vine A vine in the narrowest sense is the grapevine , but more generally it can refer to any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent, that is to say climbing, stems or runners... s |
Nightshade Solanum dulcamara Solanum dulcamara, also known as bittersweet, bittersweet nightshade, bitter nightshade, blue bindweed, Amara Dulcis, climbing nightshade, fellenwort, felonwood, poisonberry, poisonflower, scarlet berry, snakeberry, trailing bittersweet, trailing nightshade, violet bloom, or woody... (invasive). |
| Scouring rushes | Field Horsetail Equisetum arvense Equisetum arvense, commonly known as the Field Horsetail or Common Horsetail, is a rather bushy perennial with a rhizomatous stem formation native to the northern hemisphere. These horsetails may have sterile or fertile stems. Sterile stems start to grow after the fertile stems have wilted... . |
Milfoil infestation
Lake Buel suffers from an infestation of milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatumMyriophyllum spicatum
Myriophyllum spicatum is a species of Myriophyllum native to Europe, Asia, and north Africa. It is a submerged aquatic plant, and grows in still or slow-moving water.-Description:...
). It is likely that this aquatic plant was introduced unintentionally in the early 1960s. The magnitude and spread of the aquatic plant increased notably between 1974 and 1988, with a particularly dramatic increase between 1974 and 1981. These increases occurred because of fragmentation and vegetation reproduction. Because of decaying milfoil in the Lake's two hypolimnia
Hypolimnion
The hypolimnion is the dense, bottom layer of water in a thermally-stratified lake. It is the layer that lies below the thermocline.Typically the hypolimnion is the coldest layer of a lake in summer, and the warmest layer during winter...
during this era, the Lake experienced an intensification of hypolimnetic anoxia
Dead zone (ecology)
Dead zones are hypoxic areas in the world's oceans, the observed incidences of which have been increasing since oceanographers began noting them in the 1970s. These occur near inhabited coastlines, where aquatic life is most concentrated...
.
In the early 1990s the aquatic plant covered over 85 acres (over 40%) of the Lake. This infestation creates a large oxygen demand
Biochemical oxygen demand
Biochemical oxygen demand or B.O.D. is the amount of dissolved oxygen needed by aerobic biological organisms in a body of water to break down organic material present in a given water sample at certain temperature over a specific time period. The term also refers to a chemical procedure for...
in the Lake, limiting cold water habitat.
Aquatic macrophyte
Macrophyte
A macrophyte is an aquatic plant that grows in or near water and is either emergent, submergent, or floating. In lakes macrophytes provide cover for fish and substrate for aquatic invertebrates, produce oxygen, and act as food for some fish and wildlife....
harvesting was initiated in 1980. A 90 acres (364,217.4 m²) harvest was performed that year.
Zebra Mussel concerns
In July 2009, Zebra MusselZebra mussel
The zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, is a small freshwater mussel. This species was originally native to the lakes of southeast Russia being first described in 1769 by a German zoologist Peter Simon Pallas in the Ural, Volga and Dnieper rivers. They are still found nearby, as Pontic and Caspian...
s were discovered in Laurel Lake
Laurel Lake
Laurel Lake is a waterbody with recreation area at Pine Grove Furnace State Park .-History:The lake was created for supplying a water race to Laurel Forge by an 1830 dam on Mountain Creek...
in Lee
Lee, Massachusetts
Lee is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts, metropolitan statistical area. The population was 5,943 which was determined in the 2010 census. Lee, which includes the villages of South and East Lee, is part of the Berkshires resort...
, prompting the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game to close Laurel Lake's boat ramp. A number of lakes around the area responded by closing their ramps, including Stockbridge Bowl
Stockbridge Bowl
Stockbridge Bowl is a artificially impounded body of water that is 4 km north of the village of Stockbridge, Massachusetts. A variant name is Lake Mahkeenac....
. The Monterey Board of Selectmen voted to close Lake Buel's ramp and on July 22, the ramp was blocked off with a concrete barricade and padlocked chain.
A non-native invasive species, Zebra Mussels were originally native to the lakes of southeast Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. In the 1990s they began colonizing the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
, and have since spread into streams and rivers nationwide. In some areas they completely cover the substrate, sometimes covering other freshwater mussels. They can grow so densely that they block pipelines, clogging water intakes of municipal water supplies and hydroelectric companies.
As of 2009, Massachusetts has no specific legislation to address invasive species, leaving it up to local authorities.
Samuel Buell
On July 23, 1812, Samuel Buell (1796–1865), age 16, saved three of seven people during a row boat accident. Three others drowned and one swam to shore on his own. That September, he was presented with a gold heart medal by the Washington Benevolent Society of TyringhamTyringham, Massachusetts
Tyringham is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 327 at the 2010 census.- History :...
. Buell eventually married, had a family and lived as a farmer. He died in 1865 and is buried in Mahaiwe Cemetery in Great Barrington
Great Barrington, Massachusetts
Great Barrington is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,104 at the 2010 census. Both a summer resort and home to Ski Butternut, Great Barrington includes the villages of Van...
. The lake was not named in his honor until a decade after his death, July 4, 1876, during a Centennial ceremony.
In 1878, the Berkshire Courier dropped the second L from Buell, and soon other papers followed suit.
Other drownings on the lake
- John Benton, age 8, in 1904; fell from a boat
- Joseph Sabban of East Caanan, 27, in June 1925; fell from a canoe
- Alfred Kotite on Brookyn, 14, June 1925; fell from a boat rented from Turner’s
- Allen Lasher of Germantown, NY, 18, June 1930; fell from a canoe
- James Bearder of West Springfield, MA, 51, June 1945; near Gibson’s Grove while fishing alone
- Paul Schoenfeld of Brooklyn, NY; 14, June 1945; fell from a boat while fishing
Feats
The first person known to swim the length of the Lake was Helen Tobey, 17, who, in 1910, swam from Turner’s to Gibson’s (about 1 and a half miles) in 70 minutes.Helen Humphries was the first to swim the length of the lake from Miami Beach to Gibson’s (about 2 miles). She did it in 1928 in 70 minutes.
Michael Danek of Westfield, Massachusetts
Westfield, Massachusetts
Westfield is a city in Hampden County, in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 41,094 at the 2010 census. The ZIP Code is 01085 for homes and businesses, 01086 for Westfield State...
caught a State record Northern Pike in January 1987; it weighed 32 pounds, 4 ounces.
Notable residents
- Roy LichtensteinRoy LichtensteinRoy Lichtenstein was a prominent American pop artist. During the 1960s his paintings were exhibited at the Leo Castelli Gallery in New York City and along with Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, James Rosenquist and others he became a leading figure in the new art movement...
- In the 1920s, as a child Lichtenstein summered at Lake Buel. - Alan FordAlan Ford (swimmer)Alan Ford was an American swimmer who was a silver medalist at the 1948 Summer Olympics and was the first to swim the 100-yard freestyle in under 50 seconds.-Biography:...
, honeymooned at Littlecrest in 1945. - Lud GluskinLud GluskinLudwig Elias Gluskin was a jazz bandleader.Gluskin drummed for bands in France in the 1920s, including at the Casino de Paris...
- Walt KuhnWalt KuhnWalt Kuhn was an American painter and was an organizer of the modern art Armory Show of 1913, which was the first of its genre in America.-Biography:Kuhn was born in Brooklyn, New York City...
, maintained a summer studio on the Lake from 1940 to 1942. - Ted Mack, ran a summer camp, 1957 to 1958.