Then and Now
Answer from Last Months Photo
Crystal Lake (Lake Lashaway) Dam

This is a picture of one of the first dams that created the mill pond known today as Lake Lashaway.

In 1825 Lieutenant Jeduthan Stevens built the first dam across the Five Mile River along the Post Road, known today as E. Main Street (Rt 9). The purpose of the dam was to provide water power for his grist and saw mills. The pond created by this dam was known as J. Stevens Mill Pond but was eventually simplified to Stevens Pond. As time went on the pond, which was privately owned, acquired other names including Furnace Pond and Crystal Lake. The name Lake Lashaway first appeared on a map published in 1898 but State highway maps published as late as November, 1920 still referred to the body of water as Crystal Lake.

Numerous industries prospered as a result of this dam including mills owned by members of the Stevens family and a woolen mill owned by George Daniels.
 
The aging dam was replaced in 1926 by George Daniels as he had acquired ownership of the dam and all land within the lake. This new dam received significant damage during the hurricanes and floods of 1938 and 1955, mostly to the earthen portion leading to the bridge and spillway. The Hurricane of 1938 washed out nearly 200 feet of the earthen dam along with a portion of the Daniels Mill. Both were rebuilt.

November 2008 In 1967 Brookfield Athletic Shoe Co., current owners of the original Daniels Mill complex deeded the dam and lake to the Town of East Brookfield. This created a great disagreement between the towns of East and North over property taxes but this was eventually settled.

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