Indian Lake (Ohio)

Indian Lake
Bridge at Russells Point, last remaining part of the Sandy Beach Amusement Park
Location	Logan County, Ohio, United States
Coordinates	40°28′03″N 83°52′31″W / 40.46750°N 83.87528°W / 40.46750; -83.87528Coordinates: 40°28′03″N 83°52′31″W / 40.46750°N 83.87528°W / 40.46750; -83.87528
Lake type	reservoir
Primary inflows	North and south forks of the Upper Great Miami River, Cherokee Mans Run, Blackhawk Creek, and Van Horn Creek
Primary outflows	Great Miami River
Basin countries	United States
Surface elevation	1,263 feet (385 m)
Settlements	Russells Point, Lakeview
References

Indian Lake (formerly Lewistown Reservoir) is a reservoir in Logan County, western Ohio, in the United States. It is approximately 20 mi (32 km) southeast of Lima. It is fed by the north and south forks of the Upper Great Miami River, Cherokee Mans Run, Blackhawk Creek, and Van Horn Creek, and, starting at the bulkhead or "spillway" (located at what is now State Route 366) built in the 1850s by Irish laborers, is the beginning of the Great Miami River.

Indian Lake, so named by European-American settlers because several tribes lived in the region and found the Lake area to be ideal for fishing and hunting, was originally a group of small lakes and wetlands occupying about 640 acres (2.6 km²) acres. In the 1850s it was adapted as the 6,334 acres (25.63 km²) acre "Lewistown Reservoir," in order to collect water for the Sidney Feeder to the Miami and Erie Canal, which extended from Toledo to Cincinnati. Within a few years after its construction, the canal system became an obsolete form of transportation compared to the new and growing railways.

However, Indian Lake remained. It was well served by the railways, and has become a destination for leisure activities and recreation such as fishing and boating. In its early years, the lake had bass as aprize catch for fishermen, with bluegill and crappies being caught in great numbers. Since the mid-20th century, the Lake has been stocked with fish including Saugeye, for which it has been nationally recognized. Several major fishing tournaments are held each year, with local bass clubs holding weekly contests. Generally these follow "catch and return" rules. Ice fishing and snowmobling have grown in popularity. Colorful snowmobiles gather, often in large numbers, outside the several lake-front restaurants as their owners stop for tea and coffee with their burgers and wings.

Indian Lake has numerous islands, including the "Indian Isles" chain that arcs through the center of the Lake, expansive wildlife areas accessible by a network of channels, numerous inlets and bays, and approximately 30 miles of shoreline. The lake, and adjoining Oldfield Beach (the end point of a several mile, lake-front biking/walking trail), Moundwood and Lakeview Harbor boat ramps, marinas at Moundwood and at Cherokee Campgrounds, and other greenspaces including Pew Island, are managed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources as part of the Ohio state park system. Popular state walking trails are located, in addition to the one ending at Oldfield Beach, at Pew Island and at the Cherokee Campgrounds.