Naming of the Wasatch Lakes

Top: Lake Blanche: The Sun Dial, Cottonwood Canyon Below: Lake Lillian

NAMING OF THE WASATCH LAKES By Alfred Lambourne. Our caption is rather too wide in its scope. In writing of the naming of the Wasatch Lakes we refer not to the many crystal bodies of water that gem our beautiful and noble range of mountains, but in par- ticular to those lakes or lakelets which lie in the glacial hollows in the re- gion at the heads of the Big and Little Cottonwood canyons. So many times, however, have we been asked concerning the naming of the Cottonwood Lakes, that perhaps a few words upon the matter may not be out of place at the present time. It may be said tfciat there is no more beautiful scenery in the entire Wasatch range than that which surrounds those high mountain reservoirs of which we write. At the time the lakes were given their names the upper Wasatch was a place of primitive appearance and solitude, but the progress of civilization has made a change; where once the silence was broken by the screech of the wild cat, the harsh voice of the mountain lion, or where the savage grizzly climbed the ledges or lolled in the tall, moist grass by the streams, or on the Lake margins, may be found the nomadic cow; the voices of women and children— summer pleasure seekers — are echoed through the pine-woods, or by the cliffs, at the lakes which are turned into reservoirs of crystal waters, subject to the uses of human- kind. Brighton Lake, sometimes called Silver Lake, was named after William A. Brighton, the pioneer settler of the Big Cottonwood Lake basin, some time in the early seventies, and his cabin was the first hotel in the region. Lake Catherine, the highest lake in the group was named after his wife; this was in the days when the "logger" was the only person one was liable to meet in an excursion of the moun- tain trails; and the remains of their slippery wood-tracks, and the foundation of the old flour-mill a half mile below the lake, may still be found. Lake Phoebe, sometimes known as the Fairy Pool, was called after the wife of George M. Ottinger, one of the earliest artists of Utah, and one of the very first to sketch in the scenery of the Wasatch where its lakes are situated. Lake Mary, first called Granite Lake, was re-christened in honor of Mary Borneman, wife of Hartwig Borneman, an artist of New York City, and who painted in water-colors a popular portrait of Brigham Young in the year, as near as we remember, 1871. Lake Martha, directly above Lake Mary, was named at the same time for Mrs. Martha Lambourne, wife of William Lambourne, and although there was no relationship between the two ladies for whom the lakes were named, there was perhaps in the minds of the names, a scriptural thought — the sisters of Bethany. On a high granite shelf

1056 IMPROVEMENT ERA beyond Brighton Lake, and near Pheobe Lake, is a tiny lakelet; most secluded and hidden. Annette, the pool was named, in 1875, after the then Miss Annette Wells. Lake Lackawaxen, or Glacier Lake, on the northern side of Mount Majestic, was so named in the early days of the Park City Mining Camps, but by whom we were never able to ascertain. Dog Lake, in the hollow east of Phoebe, was so called because, at least at one time it was the home of the electric dog-fish; and the Twin Lakes, in the basin between Brighton and the Alta Ridge, was named in the pioneer days at the time of the big annual summer picnic, in celebration of the 24th of July, Pioneer Day. Why so named, is of LAKE FLORENCE course, obvious. Lake Minnie, or Flora, bears the name of a mother and daughter — in the first place, of Minnie Williamson, and second, of Minnie Shanks, of Rigby, Idaho. The Sister Lakes, in Hidden Valley. These three wonderfully beautiful high lakes on the south side of the tremendous ridge between the Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons, midway along its length, were named as follows: (1886.) Lake Lillian — lowest one of the group; for the lady who is now Mrs. Andy Walker. Lake Florence, after the daughter of Mr. H. L. A. Culmer, and Blanche, for Miss Blanche Cutler. This completes the list of lakes, and our knowledge of their naming. These names have been officially recognized in government surveys. Although a little aside from our purpose in these paragraphs let us conclude by

NAMING OF THE WASATCH LAKES 1057 stating that no more entrancing scenes are to be found in the entire length of the Wasatch mountains than those in the Hidden Valley, the valley so called because it is held so near the sky, among the great bastions and peaks of the range; and totally unsuspected by the tourist up the Big Cottonwood Canyon, unless he should begin to wonder where that stream comes from which plunges into the main canyon torrent, about half way up "the Stairs", that steep part of the great Wasatch defile. Go about three miles up the steep ravine toward the granite summits, and suddenly one is in the Hidden Valley, scenic wonder of the Wasatch Range. Song of the Stars Perchance you have listened, your Heart strings attuned, to the Song of the stars in the night, The harmony song of a million stars, In the stilly, balmy night, That swept through the heavens in silvery bars, 'Mid the music of Neptune, and Saturn, and Mars, The harmony song of a million stars In the stilly, balmy, night. Perchance in your wonder, you Trusted your soul To the song of the stars in the night, And mingled your voice with the song Of the stars in the stilly, balmy, night. Then soared on their splendor, the Sweeping bars, 'mid the music of Neptune, and Saturn, and Mars, 'Mid the song of a million of heaven's stars, In the stilly, balmy, night. Perchance you exalted, and thrilled In the awe, of a harmony Deep in your soul, And the chord of creation struck Loud to resound into melody deep in your soul, Or a passion to worship the God of your birth, The God of your fathers, the God of your earth, Yes, the great God omnipotent, God of your earth, From the chords that struck deep in your soul. Helena, Montana. LE MAX SAXON.