Lone Star Lake, 185 acre lake located in Kansas
Lone Star Lake is a man-made reservoir in Douglas County, Kansas, covering about 185 acres. Water is fed by Washington Creek, and the surrounding 400-acre park includes picnic areas, a campground, a swimming beach, and a boat ramp for small watercraft.
Construction began in 1934 by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression and was completed in 1939. In the 1980s, improvements were made to water quality under the Clean Lakes Act, and around 2000 the dam was extensively rebuilt to address erosion damage.
The lake takes its name from the nearby unincorporated community of Lone Star. Visitors can still see remnants of the original workers' camp today, including a stone water tower and fireplaces that serve as reminders of the people who built this place.
The lake sits roughly 2 kilometers southwest of Lone Star and is accessible year-round. Visit during warmer months for swimming, though the lake serves walkers, picnickers, and boaters across all seasons.
The original dam was designed in the Art Deco style of the 1930s and may become a candidate for the national historic register. The remaining structures from the CCC workers' camp, including stone water towers and fireplaces, still stand and tell the story of laborers who worked through the economic crisis.
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