Lake Gregory (California)
| Lake Gregory | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Location |
San Bernardino National Forest San Bernardino County, California |
| Coordinates | 34°14′48″N 117°16′03″W / 34.2466°N 117.2675°WCoordinates: 34°14′48″N 117°16′03″W / 34.2466°N 117.2675°W |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Primary outflows | Houston Creek |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface elevation | 4,554 ft (1,388 m) |
| Settlements | Crestline, California |
| References | U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: |
Lake Gregory is an artificial lake in the San Bernardino National Forest of the San Bernardino Mountains in San Bernardino County, California. The lake and the surrounding area make up the Lake Gregory Regional Park adjacent to Crestline, California.
The area, originally known as Houston Flat, was developed by and named for its developer, Redlands citrus grower Arthur Gregory, Sr. Gregory bought and developed land in an area known today as Valley of the Moon. He erected a sawmill at Valley of the Moon to cut wood for crating his "Orange Blossom" brand of citrus fruit. Gregory was also instrumental in creating the Crest Forest County Water District (CFCWD), which, in turn, was necessary to acquire federal aid in order to develop the area. Although the lake is in Crestline proper, Crestline is not a part of the Crest Forest District, but rather the Crestline Water District, which purchases water from CFCWD.
Work began in 1937 under a Works Progress Administration (WPA) grant to dam the east and west forks of Houston Creek, whose waters drained into tributaries of the Mojave River, thereby "going to waste". The project was nearly completed by March 1938, but federal funds had run out. Gregory financed the completion of the project, lending money to the district for the completion. The eventual cost was US$225,000, of which US$160,000 came from the federal government, with the balance funded by the water district.
Heavy rains that March put the dam to its first test. It had been estimated that it would take three years to fill the lake. So heavy were the rains that the lake filled in only three days. An unconfirmed, but plausible urban legend claims that the construction equipment left on the lake bed in 1938 during the rains remains at the bottom of the lake today.
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