Lake Mohawk, New Jersey
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Lake Mohawk is a census-designated place and an unincorporated area located in parts of both Byram Township and Sparta Township, in Sussex County, New Jersey. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 9,755.
The community is located around Lake Mohawk, the largest artificial body of water in the state of New Jersey. There are two other small lakes in the mountains of the community, the Upper Mohawk Lake and the Alpine Pool, both of which are spring fed. The water for the Alpine Pool cascades down gracefully from a spring that rises from an even higher peak in the mountains. An alpine motif was used throughout the community.
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[edit] Community
The buildings in the tiny town center resemble little castles, or reflect alpine architectural styles. The town center has a few restaurants, a post office, and limited shop, service, or professional space. A tiered boardwalk was constructed along the northern edge of the lake where the town center exists. A clubhouse dominates the boardwalk near the water fall created by the dam of the Wallkill River that created the lake. A landing was provided along the boardwalk that residents may use to tie up to a dock while visiting the country club facilities. Activities at the club house include billiards, shuffle board, cards, checkers, a snack bar, a large beach, and regular dances on weekends. Special events are scheduled to keep the children and teens involved. Annual events include balls, sailboat races, a beauty contest, and a ski show. Distinctive glass cases display the beauty queens of note through the years and the most current winner as well as notices of current events in the community.
In the 1950s a movie theater, a stone's throw beyond the main entrance to the lake, was built along the adjacent county roadway which leads to the Dutch colonial and revolutionary era mining town of Sparta.
Beaches are provided along the edge of the lakes, spaced to enable residents to walk to the nearest one. Membership in the club is required for owners and renters alike. An issue of exclusion was raised at one point legally, but membership remains a requirement for residents. An attended gated area, resembling castle turrets, exists on the western road, which leads to the homes on the islands and along the western shore. A golf course located along the western drive is part of the country club.
Except for the Alpine Pool and the Upper Mohawk Lake areas, all of the community is reached by descending from the surrounding mountains of Sussex County. Homes have been built up each face of the enclosing mountains, but the roads to them are accessed only from the main road around the lake. From the Alpine Pool, a panoramic view of the county is possible: on one side almost the entire stretch of the main lake is visible and on the other, the mountains that reach into the states of Pennsylvania and New York.
At the southern end of the lake is a pool and tennis complex called the Cruiser Club that is constructed to resemble the deck of a ocean liner. It is modeled after the likes of SS Normandie, having all of the appointments of a cruise ship, with a galley motif for the restaurant and a great stand of stadium seating with colorful backs for the spectators at swimming events held at the facility. Through the seating is a stairway to the captain's quarters where the managers and lifeguards have quarters and stow special equipment.
The pool is air filtered, without a drop of chlorine in the water. The engines that filter the water were built into what was designed to resemble the engine room of the ship. The pool is twice Olympic-size and has a central tower for diving events. The depth of the pool at that portion is fifteen feet. Both ends of the pool are more shallow, with a kiddie section nearest the tennis courts. On the northern end of the pool near the galley, is a giant wet slide one may climb to the height of the second level of the diving tower to sail down into the water. That slide was featured in "Zest" soap commercials on television in the 1960s. Beyond the pool to the south are numerous clay tennis courts.
Swimming events at the pool are AAU competitions in all aquatic categories. Celebrities such as Buster Crabbe and Esther Williams were normal fare at the events in the 1940s and 50s. This was a time when the youngsters of the community could hitch-hike rides along the road from their neighbors without concern.
Many of the homes along the water have boathouses and docks. Sail boats and motor boats are a popular way to get around the lake. The marina is midway along the lake on the eastern shore.
The community used to be composed of summer residences. Few lived there around the year. Many houses were not insulated, nor did they have heating beyond a fireplace for especially cool summer nights. Among those who stayed year-round, friends would be hosted for the snowy holidays and winter sports. Driving across the frozen lake was shorter and safer than trying to traverse the steep hills; even delivery trucks would make the short trip.
Before the community was created, the area that is today Lake Mohawk was known as "Brogden's Meadow." A 600-foot dam on the Wallkill River was begun in 1926 and filled in 1928. The dam was privately constructed by the developers Arthur D. Crane and Herbert L. Closs. They controlled the development, sales and rentals of the entire community.
There is an urban legend that soon after the construction of the lake, in the mid- to late 1930s, one of the architects was staying with his family in a seaplane on the lake. A fire broke out on the seaplane. While they escaped by boat, the plane sank to the bottom of the lake. In the late 1990s an Italian team attempted salvage, but supposedly the wreck was too deteriorated and could not be recovered.
The route to Lake Mohawk was a winding drive up and down through a shady rural and mountainous roadside until after the completion of Interstate Highways connecting the area to the New York metropolitan area. After those high speed connections were established nearby into the county, the community took on a year-round population of entertainers, airline employees and pilots, as well as commuters.
[edit] Geography
Lake Mohawk is located at (41.018491, -74.660034)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 15.9 km² (6.2 mi²). 12.9 km² (5.0 mi²) of it is land and 3.0 km² (1.1 mi²) of it (18.70%) is water.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1990 | 8,930 |
|
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| 2000 | 9,755 | 9.2% | |
| source: [1] | |||
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 9,755 people, 3,692 households, and 2,787 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 753.3/km² (1,951.2/mi²). There were 3,940 housing units at an average density of 304.2/km² (788.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.88% White, 0.38% African American, 0.09% Native American, 1.11% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.44% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.53% of the population.
There were 3,692 households out of which 38.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.9% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.5% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 27.7% under the age of 18, 4.1% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 27.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $81,699, and the median income for a family was $95,621. Males had a median income of $72,279 versus $40,417 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $35,637. About 0.8% of families and 1.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.8% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Trivia
For a short time Brad Pitt had a summer house on Lake Mohawk. Donald Trump's sister lived on Manitou Island on Lake Mohawk.
[edit] References
- Pierson, Duane. Images of Sparta, Minisink Press, Inc., 1981
[edit] External links
- New Jersey Skylands - Lake Mohawk
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
