Lake Oscawana

Lake Oscawana

Dogs swimming in Lake Oscawana
Location Putnam County, New York, United States
Coordinates 41°23′48″N 73°50′54″W / 41.39667°N 73.84833°WCoordinates: 41°23′48″N 73°50′54″W / 41.39667°N 73.84833°W
Basin countries United States
Surface area 386 acres (156 ha)
Max. depth 30 ft (9.1 m)

Lake Oscawana is a lake at the heart of Putnam Valley, New York State, United States.

The 386-acre (1.6 km2) lake has a depth that ranges from 25 feet (7.6 m) to 30 feet (9.1 m). The lake is fed by a stream from its north end and it drains through a stream at the middle of its eastern shore. It is nestled in between two hill ranges, which provide spectacular views if you climb one.

The lake also features many houses around its edges and a peculiar rock formation (Goose rocks) in the center of the lake, accessible most safely by kayak or canoe. Lake Oscawana provides summer recreation to many of the local residents who use the lake for boating, swimming, fishing, and just lying on one of the lake's several private beaches.

It features a variety of wildlife including fish, Canada geese, water snakes, turtles, and an occasional stork. In the summer it is cleaned regularly by a floating weed harvester which is a sight in itself. In the winter, the lake freezes over and allows for ice skating and ice fishing. Legend has it there are several cars at the bottom of lake from when the ice was not thick enough.

Babe Ruth is known to have spent a good deal of time on the lake which housed many hotels and resorts in the 1930s. His favorite was called the Casino. Another former resident was Roy Scheider.[1] Scheider's house, which is still owned by his former wife, was filmed in the Adirondack Lake house scene in The Sopranos episode, "Soprano Home Movies".[2]

References

  1. North County News
  2. The Sopranos location guide

External links