About 60 years ago, more than 250 cabins, fishing shacks, and boat houses lined the eastern shore of White Rock Lake.

If you have a hard time imagining this scene, this month’s photo will give you an idea of the way the lake looked in the late ’20s and early ’30s when lots were available for yearly leases.

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With a City permit, an individual who leased a small tract could build a cabin or shack. Since the lake was considered “way out in the country,” this was a perfect arrangement for those having to travel the great distances for a day or weekend at the lake.

When the Great Depression hit our country, programs were created to provide work. The Works Progress Administration was responsible for numerous improvements of the lake area. Look for the letters “WPA” in the curbs of some of Lakewood’s older streets.

The Civilian Conservation Corps was another program. Housed at Winfrey Point, 250 young men ages 18-25 removed the cabins along the eastern shore of White Rock Lake. In their place, a building at Winfrey Point was constructed for public use.

The removal of the cabins and construction of the Winfrey Point recreation building, which offered a view of the entire lake, restored White Rock Lake to its natural setting that continues to be enjoyed by all.