Whipple Dam State Park

About Whipple Dam State Park

Whipple Dam State Park is a nice, quiet place to take a day trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The lake is the perfect place to take a refreshing dip, watch the birds or do jurelax.

The park was originally purchased by the Iroquois Confederation on July 6, 1754, from the Pennsylvania government. Charcoal was produced in iron furnaces in the area, but there is no evidence of iron ore mining. Eventually, the land became part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a national park and Whipple Dam.

In 1868 Osgood M. Whipple purchased a large piece of land and built a dam and sawmill on it. The purpose of the dam was to create a water source for the upstream and downstream operation.

In 1897 Whipple left the timber business and the dam remained in place for many years, known locally as Whipple Dam or Whip Dam State Park. In 1927, the Office of Forest and Waters provided the old tree trunks, cribs and embankments and considered finding a place to relax in this area.

It was decided to build a new dam upstream in a better place and it was completed in the spring of 1928. It had a shallow basin and harbored water from the river to the shore, as well as the water of the creek.

Leisure activities began almost immediately, and in the early 1930s Whipple Dam was used as a public storage site for the state forest. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) maintained a labour camp in Eule from 1933 to 1941.

During this time, the Corps members built pavilions, roads, a beach and toilets, and a campground with a swimming pool, picnic area, swimming hole, beach, and picnic areas.

In 1935, the CCC dismantled the old dam and built a new dam, an existing dam bridge and two new bridges over the river. The Whipple Dam National Historic District was declared in 1987 and its inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places recognized and preserved the historic importance of the dam and its role in the construction and conservation of a national park. In 1987, all the work of the National Park was carried out in accordance with the guidelines of the National Park Service.

The use of local materials and the rustic look of the park illustrated the park's philosophy that it should be in harmony with the natural environment and not a blatant interference with the landscape. All construction and repair work has been carried out to complement the historic nature of the dam and its historical significance as a national park.

Whipple Lake is one of the largest lakes in the USA and the second largest lake in Michigan. All motor boats must have a boat registration in that state, and all non-motorized boats must have one or the following boat registrations from another state.

All boats must be rowed at least 1,000 feet from the shore and no more than 2,500 feet in each direction.

Throughout the park, there are hand-operated, pressurized drinking fountains with a capacity of 1,000 gallons or more. The Wooding Hills Water Fountain, the largest of its kind in the state, is located at the foot of the dam on the east side of Pine Hill Road.

Three picnic pavilions can be reserved for $11 per month against advance payment, and there is one unreserved picnic pavilion. First come, first served, free - first served picnic tables are served on the park's picnic area.

Whipple Dam State Park is located on the west side of the Whipple River, north of the intersection of Interstate 95 and I-95. The park is easily accessible by turning right off Interstate 94 at the park entrance and then left on Interstate 90 onto Interstate 85.