In early times the stretch of water lying to the northwest of Unity
Village was called the “Twenty-five Mile Pond,” because of its distance
from Fort Halifax. During the childhood of the older citizens and up
to fairly recent times, it was designated by the simple name of “Unity
Pond.” It was a good fishing ground on dull days when there chanced to
be spare time, and the pond lilies attracted in the summer season, but
no one guessed the possibilities hidden away in its blue depths and
pine groves for many years. In later years this piece of water has been
called “Lake Winnecook.”
The lake is seven miles long and three miles wide. It is bounded by the
towns of Unity, Troy and Burnham, Unity lying on the south and easterly
sides. The section of land beyond the cemetery, extending into the
lake toward Burnham, was named “The Horseback,” the extreme north end
was called “The Point.” At some seasons of the year, the water is very
low between this and the Burnham shore, and used to be forded by a few
daring ones like Ephraim Braley. Near the end of “The Horseback” was
the Indian burial ground. Before the railroad was built, this was one
of the finest sections of land to be found.
The lake was well stocked with shad and alewives before dams were built
on the rivers. I have heard old people say that when the wind was
northerly, the fish would be driven into the cove in such numbers that
one could take a basket and dip them up. Gibbs Tilton was very fond of
fishing; his favorite place was the deep hole near the northeast end of
“The Horseback.” The boys envied Uncle Gibbs his skill, for he always
had a good catch. Some of the boys--and I think Editor Dingley was
one of them--used to say that his luck was caused by the spitting of
tobacco juice on the bait. As a fisherman, he was followed by “Didymus”
Thompson, who had great luck in catching pickerel.
Soon after the railroad was built, considerable ice was cut in the lake
for shipment, but owing to the cost of transportation, the work was
given up, and now only enough for local consumption is harvested.
There was a time when George Fred Terry, F. A. Whitehouse, Albert Bacon
and others were greatly interested in iceboating, but that has passed.
The lake is now a great pleasure resort in summer. Cottages have been
built on its shores, motorboats may be seen conveying summer visitors
across the lake, while on smaller boats the young of both sexes exhibit
their skill in capturing the wily bass, the elusive pickerel and the
pretty little perch with which these waters abound.