The Secret Lake of Ainsworth Road

From the steamer trunk.

This spring-fed lake didn't used to be such a secret; this photo (probably dating to the 1920s or early 1930s) shows it lying amidst open fields.


(Click on images to enlarge)
Images courtesy of E.H.

Nowadays, it's screened by grown trees. You can see part of it from the road if you know where to look, and you can see it in satellite images on-line.

The photo below may have been taken a little later (in the 1930s?), as here the lake's surroundings look slightly more grown-up — or perhaps it's just the angle of the shot.



I don't know whose barn that is in the background.

At the time these photos were taken, the lake was on the Harms farm, lying northeast of the house. Herman Harms, Sr. kept the lake stocked with fish, and rented boats to people who wanted to fish on it. That brought in a little money for the family.