Greenbelt Lake

Greenbelt Lake. . , Construction on the Greenbelt project began with this lake on October 12, 1935. Originally a heavily wooded 23-acre valley cut by a stream, the lake required one year and over two hundred men to complete it. Because the federal government was interested in putting as many unemployed laborers to work as possible, much of the land was cleared by hand. Men hired by the federal government's Resettlement Administration pulled the trees out by their root, cleared the brush, and built a 22-foot dam on the east side of the lake. The dam now forms the eastern link of the path that encircles the lake. , The original plans for the lake included a bathhouse and boathouse. The boathouse was to include a dock with a boat rental and launch, sand beach, and changing facilities for bathers. The federal government never built the boathouse and other structures in the original plans due to budget constraints. In addition, health officials soon discovered that the lake contained bacteria that made the water unsafe for swimming. The lake has been closed to swimmers since July 1938. In former times local residents rented boats on the lake. , The park surrounding the lake is named after Albert "Buddy" Attick who helped to build Greenbelt and then became a lifelong employee of the city, serving as Director of Public Works for 23 years.