New City Lake gets Named - 1969

 

Crittenden Press article - April 1958

New City Lake Park Attractive. With the return of spring local people are again turning to the park on the shores of the newest city reservoir, Lake George, a little over two miles from the city limits. 

The park, never officially named, was completed last year. It is the result of a cooperative effort by the Marion Business and Professional Women's Club and the city government.

To get to it is a drive of about three miles from Marion. You drive by the city waterworks on Chapel Hill Road, proceeding along the road, one crosses a bridge, climbs a hill, then turns left onto a grave road. This road goes past Earl Patmor's farm house to the earthen dam of the new lake. A right turn here takes you to a parking lot by the park.

The site is shady and restful. Sturdy concrete picnic tables and grills are available, and a shelter house is there in case of rain. Half the money for the facilities, $700 was provided by the Business & Professional Womans Club. The money came from prizes awarded for the Community Development Scrapbook that was entered by the club in the statewide contest in 1954 and 1955.

 The club, after considerable debate, offered the money for a park if the city would match it. This the city did. The site is now in use and is one of the best picnics ground in the area.  (This picnic area was never used as it was meant to be, there were no bathroom facilities and no electricity to the area and actually awkward to get to.   It is seldom, perhaps, never used today and has set unused for many years. 2019.  But the lake is a popular fishing location for local fishermen.)

The new lake has been stocked by the state Fish and Wildlife Department, as has the older lake nearby and excellent catches have been reported in its waters.

In March of 1969 a marker was erected near the entrance to what was usually just referred to locally as "the new city lake". It was erected in tribute to the man who made the original survey for the lake back in the early 1950's. 

George Strickler moved to Marion in 1951 from Auburn, Kentucky and was with the soil conversation service here until 1954. Mr. Strickler is now deceased and the marker is a tribute to him and his dedicated service to the people of Marion and Crittenden County. Mr. Strickler received no remuneration for his work and the marker is a fitting tribute to the man and a job well done.

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