1890: Mr. W.F. Fowble, who owned a large tract of land on the east edge of town, teamed up with N.H. Cruce, David Rogers and Julius Schmidt and set about to build a lake on Mr. Fowble’s land. They erected a dam on the north end of a large spring fed branch, and erected an ice house below it which they rented to Anson and Son. The lake became Wonder City Lake.

1899: Clarence O. Ross and, F.W. Hiatt erected El Dorado Springs first electric light plant at the lake.

1904: In June El Dorado Springs had a torrential rain and the pressure on the lake’s dam caused it to break, letting all the water out and carrying away a large quantity of ice and fish from the lake. This was a loss of over $1,000 and also left the electiric plant without a water supply. The dam was quickly repaired.

1909: On January 19 at 7 p.m. the ice house; which was still run by Anson and Son, burned. The loss was put at over $2,000. Arson was suspected. It was rebuilt.

1904-1914: The lake had become a popular picnic area. It provided boating, bathing and fishing and most any day of the week during the summer months you could find large crowds of picnickers and pleasure seekers there.

1915: Mr. and Mrs. J.R. Morrison leased the lake and did extensive improvements on it, by 1919 the property was owned by J.C. Budd and by 1920 by Dr. D.I Netherow.  

1940s: The Camp it was leased by Dr. Martin Short and others who used it as a private club.

1950: The United Methodist Church stepped in and improved the property and made it a summertime destination for young people at a church camp.

2014: The Camp was put up for sale by the United Methodist Church.

2015: 125 years after the first efforts to establish a recreational spot, local owners purchase the Camp to preserve it for future generations.
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