A Lost Pond

Locust Pond was an artificial lake originally used to wash iron ore and remove its impurities. In the 20th century it became a popular place for village recreation. Oral histories from the mid-20th century recall students from the nearby schoolhouse sneaking out at lunchtime to go boating in an old rowboat. The boat was rumored to have been used by President Roosevelt for fishing, but by the 1950s it was old and leaky, and children as young as ten took turns bailing out water so it would not sink. In winter the pond was used for ice skating. When Route 15 was relocated in the 1960s, Locust Pond was almost filled in and covered by the new highway, and it was buried under what is now the southbound lane when the highway was expanded in the 1970s.

Maryland · United States