Reflections About Water

John D. Patrus, a life-long resident of the area, has shared the following lake memories with us.  He hopes you’ll enjoy them too.

As a young boy growing up on Logan Road in the 1950’s, my family and I would venture nearly every summer to the shore of Lake Erie.  “Geneva on the Lake,” “Madison on the Lake,”  “Northeast,” meant it was time to go to “the lake.”  My mother would try to calm my excited seven-year-old voice chanting, “When are we going to be there?” over, and over, and over again - beginning somewhere north of Mercer on Route 19.  As we got closer to Erie, and I yearned to see the water in the distance, my mother would say, “Be quiet and you can smell the lake...”

In the spring of 1955, I sat on top of my grand pap’s hill, above the northern end of Overbrook Road, Middlesex Township North, and saw Glade Run Lake’s beginning.  Beautiful water down beneath the woods and fields.  From that point on, “the lake” was just down the road.  When I was allowed to walk to and from home to go fishing, it was some of my first responsibilities to bring home bluegills - enough to tease one person - the task was huge!

Our family had friends named the Lunt’s.  They owned a piece of land just below the spillway - next to the road to the lake - that once was a sawmill.  When the lake opened, they built a white wooden lovely concession stand.  It was great fun to walk there!

Memories of frozen water on a back cove at the end of the boat launch area.  Watching older boys playing hockey.  I wasn’t big enough - no sticks, no skates.  The lake was always great for my imagination.  So my fishing memories - lots of bites - lots of smiles - a few cuss words in tangled moments - lots of “throw backs” - wonderful walks home through the adjoining fields and woodlands.  Many simple walks with loved ones - present and past - eternal appreciation for the spiritual energy of Glade Run within nature’s divine order.

Perhaps it is heaven sent that we can and will save Glade Run Lake.  Evan, the young boy on the brochure, and the present senior know so!