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Jason
Voorhees has haunted the residents of Pinehurst County, New Jersey
for decades, claiming victim after victim at Crystal Lake and its
surroundings. No matter what people do to him to end his reign of
terror, Jason keeps coming back. At one point, he's going to get tired
of it and start looking for a new home. Jason, should he decide to
leave New Jersey alone, will discover that Texas has a few options
for him.
In Shelby County
near the Sabine River, Crystal Lake lies 1.4 miles west of a town
called Joaquin.
The artificial body of water serves as a reservoir for the town and
surrounding area. Its construction began in 1913, thanks to the effort
of Abner O. Whiddon.
The farmer and land owner chose his fields to be the spot for his
project. He filled it using spring water from Clear Branch Creek.
The clearness of the source inspired the name Crystal Lake.
Abner moved his fields to the left side of the lake when he started
construction. The progress was slow and continued into the 1930s.
The whole thing came to a hault when the Great Flood of 1933 washed
away the lake's levy.
In 1947, Abner's son Orren took over the project with the help of
his wife Cynthia. He repaired the damage caused by the floor and added
improvements. Once this was done, he opened the lake to the public.
It instantly became a popular destination for those living in the
area, including the Louisiana town of Logansport.
Crystal Lake opened every year on Memorial Day and closed on Labor
Day. However, it was only available during the weekend. There could
be no profanity and no glass bottles. The Boy Scouts and church groups
often made reservations for special events and a Catholic church held
Sunday services. Over the years, new additions were installed. The
lake had diving boards, picnic tables, sunbathing spots, a bath house,
a snack bar, a zipline, and a dance hall. Orren drained the lake each
year after Christmas and cleaned the bottom of the lake.
Unfortunately, Orren's health started deteriorating, leading to the
decision to close Crystal Lake in 1980. His son Richard reopened the
lake in 1985, but closed it again three years Iater because attendance
was too low. Richard's sister Susan considered opening it in 1989.
However, the high cost of liability insurance changed her mind. Today,
Susan lives on the lake, but it remains closed to the public.
Another
Crystal Lake is located seven miles east of Palestine
in Anderson County.
The natural water source drains into Stills Creek and serves as a
recreation spot for the Crystal Lake Country Club. In addition,it
provides fishing and camping opportunities for those living in the
town of Crystal Lake, Texas.
Although the date of the settlement's founding remains a mystery,
records show that the nearby country club started in 1875. During
the 1930s, the town had some homes, a school, and a golf course. The
school belonged to the Swanson Spring School District in 1932, but
it was consolidated with the Palestine
district by 1955. Antioch Church became a part of Crystal Lake in
1982. Three years later, the town had one business. The population
reached twenty by the end of 2000.
© Clint
Skinner
November 20, 2018 |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage/historic photos, please contact
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