Harvey's Lake, lake in Barnet, Vermont
Harvey's Lake is a reservoir near the town of Barnet in northeastern Vermont, covering just over half a square mile with depths reaching over 140 feet. A small dam at the northern end is operated by the town of Barnet to hold back the water.
The lake was shaped by the region's early settlers hundreds of years ago and has served as a recreation spot ever since. A notable moment occurred in the early 1920s when young Jacques Cousteau attended summer camp nearby and experimented with breathing underwater using hollow reeds from the shallows.
The lake's name comes from the area's early settler history, though official maps write it without an apostrophe. Locals value the place as a gathering spot where families and friends come together to enjoy simple pleasures by the water.
The lake sits at about 900 feet above sea level and is accessible for swimming, canoeing, and fishing during the summer months. Harvey's Lake Park on the northern shore offers beaches and picnic areas, and a private campground is located nearby for visitors.
The lake was where Cousteau experimented as a boy in the 1920s with hollow reeds from the shallows before he later invented diving equipment. These early attempts in shallow water helped him understand how to stay underwater longer.
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