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The West Virginia Encyclopedia
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The West Virginia Encyclopedia
Located eight miles south of Clarksburg, 55-acre Buffalo Lake was the centerpiece of the Buffalo Lake Recreation Area. The 600-acre recreational area was open during the day for fishing, boating, and picnicking. In 1955, the town of Clarksburg constructed the lake to serve as a backup reservoir to its municipal water supply. The lake, fed by Buffalo Creek and natural springs, was never used for Clarksburg’s water supply. In 1958, the Clarksburg Park Board developed the lake into a public recreation area.
Buffalo Lake was stocked with channel catfish and three types of trout. It was a popular recreation site for people from the Clarksburg area and vicinity. Paddle boats and aqua cycles were available for use, and the surrounding grounds had picnic tables and a shelter. In 1998, the lake was closed for swimming because Canada geese were fouling the water. The city sold the lake in 2007 to a private developer for $250,000. Despite discussions about redeveloping the site, the former Buffalo Lake Recreation Area is no longer open to the public.
This site is different from the 22-acre Buffalo Lake, a popular fishing impoundment in Pocahontas County.