Lums Pond State Park near Bear centers on Delaware’s largest freshwater pond, created in the early 19th century by the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal to supply water for canal locks on the route between the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River. The impoundment also powered a local gristmill before the area gradually became a recreation destination. After passing to the state in the mid-20th century, the park opened in 1963. Lum's Mill House, linked to the site’s milling past, joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. The park now supports year-round boating, fishing, camping, trails, sports facilities, a nature center, and canal-related marina access.