Sheldrake Lake

Sheldrake Lake is a man-made body of water located in the north-eastern section of New Rochelle in Westchester County, New York. It has a surface area of 25 acres and formerly served as the water supply for neighboring Larchmont village. The lake is the result of Larchmont Water Company Dam #2 on the Sheldrake River. The dam, constructed in 1935, is masonry with a height of 31ft and a length of 1000ft. The dam has a maximum discharge is 987cuft per second and drains an area of 2.66sqmi.HistoryThe value of the water power of the Sheldrake River was recognized at an early date, and its development was primarily due to the work of Quakers who lived in the north-eastern portion of New Rochelle. In 1754 Nehemiah Palmer appears to have been the founder of the mill and he erected a saw-mill at the site of the lake in 1754. He gave the mill to his grandson Drake Palmer, and ratified this early gift in his will dated 1760. In 1774 Drake Palmer sold the mill to his brother, Aaron Palmer, and a grist-mill was added to the site. Both mills remained in operation by various owners for over a century. In 1876, under the ownership of John T.Goodlife, the mill dam was improved to enlarge the area of the pond so as to develop its use in the ice industry. The various enterprises of the mills continued until they were ultimately sold to Charles H. Murray who promoted the sites use by the Larchmont Water Company.