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Celebrating Lake Milton’s centennial
By Bob Jackson
LAKE MILTON
She turned 100 years old this year, and folks who know her well say she’s never looked better.
“She” is Lake Milton, which has become a popular spot for boaters, swimmers, fishermen and residents. The centennial of construction of a dam that created the lake took place Saturday, with a slew of activities on and around the 1,685-acre lake.
“Without the dam, there would be no Lake Milton,” said Wendy DiBernardi of Lake Milton, a member of the centennial committee. She said planning for Saturday’s events took about a year.
The day started with guests being driven in classic cars from the Harry Meshel Amphitheater to a boat-launching area on the other side of the lake. From there, guests boarded boats and were joined by dozens of other boaters for a parade around the lake. The shore was lined with residents who live along the waterway, gathered to watch the boats sail past.
The parade ended back at the amphitheater, where a program marked the centennial. Several state and local officials spoke, and the Jackson-Milton High School marching band performed.
Todd Johnson, a member of the Lake Milton Boat Club, led the parade with his 41-foot catamaran houseboat. The boat club, founded in 1949, has 135 members, Johnson said.
Johnson, who grew up in Youngstown, said he’s been sailing for the past 50 years.
There were nearly 50 watercraft in the parade. Most were pontoon boats, but there were also speedboats, fishing boats and even a fan boat.
There was also a jet-ski driven by Lake Milton resident “Captain” Tony Hoffer, whose 10-year-old American bulldog, Toby, rode shotgun.
“He would never sit behind me,” Hoffer said of his seafaring pooch. “But when he’s up front, he just loves it. He loves having the wind in his face.”
Some of the boats were decorated according to themes, including a pirate ship, Hawaiian scenes and one adorned with Pittsburgh Steelers memorabilia. Many of the boats sported flags and red, white and blue bunting.
Sally Smolek, president of the Lake Milton Historical Society, said the turnout for the parade and the activities that followed exceeded her expectations.
“It was all just fantastic,” Smolek said. “The cars were wonderful, the boats were wonderful, the flags ... it was all just fabulous. We couldn’t have asked for a better day.”
Charlie Varney, who moved to Lake Milton from Aurora, in 2001, said he fell in love with the community while he was passing through on a cruise in the same 1957 Chevrolet he drove in the antique car parade Saturday.
“I love Lake Milton,” Varney said. “It’s like a little family all its own.” As he drove, Varney often honked his horn, waved, and said hello to friends walking along the lake.
“I think Lake Milton is the best-kept secret in Northeast Ohio. I really do,” Varney said.
But Mahoning County Commissioner Anthony Traficanti said the secret is apparently out, as the lake has become a hotspot for recreation and residential life. He said growth really took off after a project that began in 1985, when the lake was drained and the dam was rebuilt. The lake was refilled in 1988, and Lake Milton State Park was established.
Once that happened, more people started moving to the lake to live, either buying existing homes or building new ones. The lakeshore is now lined with several impressive, pricey homes.
“Not only does [the lake] have history, but the recreational and economic potential for the community is tremendous,” Traficanti said. “It’s good for the Mahoning Valley. It’s a destination point for people from all over.”
Traficanti, Commissioner David Ditzler and county Auditor Ralph Meacham said a county-driven project to extend water and sewer service along the east side of the lake also contributed to the growth in the area.