Wilkins Lake

Wilkins Lake. . , A prominent Winchester Citizen and Philanthropist, James R. Wilkins Sr., had an idea dating back to the 1950's for a lake to serve the residents of Winchester, Virginia. He also felt that you must reinvest your profits into your community. This love of community, outdoor recreation and fishing led to the development of a 3.5-acre parcel of brush and swamp land to become Wilkins Lake in what is now Jim Barnett Park., Through a donation from the Wilkins family, the State Commission of Outdoor Recreation and private contributions, groundbreaking took place on September 16, 1982 with a completion and dedication on April 7, 1984. This newly built lake was and is fed by Rouss Spring., In 1999, plans for a pier, walkway and streetlights to provide nighttime illumination, and a 5-foot tall retaining wall to prevent erosion were all part of the next phase of Wilkins Lake. This was made possible thanks to a generous donation from the Wilkins family. The rededication took place on June 9, 2000., Wilkins Lake remains a place for fishermen (both new and seasoned) to cast, a place for all to come and relax, to take a leisurely stroll or to be wed while enjoying the beauty that is Wilkins Lake., (Captions):, James Wilkins Jr. (left) and James Wilkins Sr. casting a line at Wilkins Lake. , Courtesy of Winchester Star - Photo by Scott Mason, Employees of H&W Construction of Winchester working on the new bridge for the perimeter sidewalk at Wilkins Lake, April 7, 2000. , Courtesy of Northern Virginia Daily - Photo by Alan Lehman, Wilkins Lake getting stocked for the first time. April 3, 1984. , Courtesy of Northern Virginia Daily - Photo by Rich Cooley, The keystone, gray retaining wall, under construction, will halt lake erosion. A sidewalk was added to the areas around the lake, November 20, 1999. , Courtesy of Winchester Star - Photo by Rick Foster