Sunday, April 28, 2019

Threlkeld Memorial Lake



A post card showing the newly built city water filtration Plant, located on the Chapel Hill Road.  Cira late 1930's, early 1940's.

Threlkeld Memorial Lake
In 1933 Marion's long awaited for water project was finally becoming a reality. A WPA project for the city was to beautify the water works lake site on Chapel Hill Road. 

December 8, 1933 – After the filter plant and dam were completed, Marion's next project was to turn the water works lake sight into a park and it would be called Lake Side Park. 

June 8, 1934 -Mayor J. V. Threlkeld, passed away on April 22, 1934. Mr. Threlkeld was one of Marion's most popular Mayors. Through two administrations and entering upon the third he served his city and in that capacity was instrumental in securing the R. F. C. loan for the financing of the filtration plant and water works reservoir recently completed.

Through the efforts of Dr. T. A. Frazer, a lasting tribute will be paid to former Mayor J. V. Threlkeld, by naming the grounds of the new Marion water plant the “J. V. Threlkeld Memorial Lake Park.

With the cooperation of the council, local citizens, the Marion Kiwanis Club, other interested individuals and the Kentucky game and fish Commission, the lake site will be beautified and made one of the most appropriate memorials ever imagined. At the earliest possible date the lake will be stocked with game fish and such as may be furnished by the State and Federal government . The lake site will be beautified and made one of the most appropriate memorials ever imagined.

(These park plans were not completed until the fall of 1952 when the Marion Kiwanis Club decided to make it one of their 1952 projects and placed six concrete picnic tables and brick or stone furnaces where people might go for an outing. ) But it never was the popular community site that they thought it would be. I can remember doing some child hood fishing in the lake with my dad and having a family picnic on the grounds. It is one of our forgotten passages of time as nothing is there to show it as it once was. The old treatment plant was torn down in 1983.
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