The Lake and Park Story and impact

The stream to the Lake

Early 1900s Landscape: The area south of Shabakunk Creek was originally the Stevens farm and meadow, bordered by a dirt road known as Brunswick Ave.

1923 Acquisition: A developer from the Colonial Land Co. of New England purchased the property.

Vision for Development: The goal was to create a premier suburban community for Trentonians on the main Philadelphia-New York highway, featuring a lake for swimming, fishing, picnicking, canoeing, and skating.

Dam Construction & Failure: The original dam on Shabakunk Creek collapsed after construction, forcing a complete rebuild to form the lake.

Finalization of Colonial Lake: After rebuilding, Colonial Lake was successfully established.

Community Planning: Residential building plots were laid out, with the land surrounding the lake preserved for what became Colonial Lake Park.

History of Colonial Lake

…To a private swim club, to a public park, to a photographer’s palette. Our story begins in the early 1900’s. BrunswickAvenue was a dirt road crossed by the Shabakunk Creek, a quiet country stream, which bordered the Stevens‘ Meadowon it’s journey through the southern portion of Lawrence Township.

A Developer’s Vision
The history of Colonial Lake began in 1923 when a developer from the New England-based Colonial Land Company purchased the property to build an exceptional suburban community. Situated along the main highway between Philadelphia and New York, the development featured a major attraction: a private lake for swimming, fishing, canoeing, and ice skating. To achieve this, a dam was constructed across the Shabakunk Creek, just upstream from the Delaware and Raritan Canal. Despite an initial dam failure and a subsequent rebuild, the waters eventually rose to create the Colonial Lake we know today.

Building a Community
Soon, 25’ x 75’ building lots were laid out in the meadow, while the land bordering the shoreline was carefully preserved to become Colonial Lake Park. Advertisements and brochures began appearing in the Trenton Times, enticing people to visit the lake and consider building a home. Houses quickly started popping up in the meadow, and as the post-war trend toward suburban living grew, the neighborhood expanded. An extension called Lakedale was added in 1950–51, followed by the Lake Park Heights neighborhood on the north side of the lake in 1965.

From Private Club to Public Park
For decades, the lake and park were managed for the exclusive use of homeowners. Between 1930 and 1965, the Colonial Lakelands Civic Association and Ladies Club operated the grounds. In 1955, ownership was deeded to the newly incorporated Colonial Lakelands and Lakedale Civic Association, which operated the area as a private swim club. However, a major turning point occurred in 1965 when the civic association turned the lake and park over to Lawrence Township for just $1. It has remained a cherished public park ever since.

Preservation and Evolution

Over the past century, the lake has undergone significant changes. Its size and shape have evolved, the dam has been reconstructed multiple times, and the basin was dredged in 1965, 1979, and 1998 to preserve water quality. Today, Lawrence Township’s Public Works, Recreation, and Engineering departments maintain the grounds. They are supported by an active community that organizes regular shoreline cleanups and tree-planting events. Remarkably, many of the mature trees shading the park today were planted over 60 years ago and continue to thrive.

A Community Hub for 100 Years
Whether it’s the original Colonial Lakelands or the newer neighborhoods, the park remains the heart of the community. On any given day, you can find people of all ages walking the trails, playing tennis or chess, fishing, picnicking, or simply photographing the abundant wildlife. The scenery is so striking it has been called "a photographer’s palette."

The Modern Era: Friends of Colonial Lake
The park’s future was tested in 2017 when a private concern proposed building a three-story motel on the last remaining piece of private lakefront property. In response, residents formed the "Save Colonial Lake" group to protest the development. With support from the township, county, and state open space funds, the property was purchased to finally complete the park’s footprint. That grassroots group evolved into the Friends of Colonial Lake Park, a non-profit dedicated to ensuring the lake and park remain sustainable for the next hundred years.

Most Recent Changes

Lawrence Township was awarded a grant in 2025 to reclaim a purchased parcel, adjacent to the park combining ecological restoration with shoreline stabilization. The project had three components: extending the existing path to Brunswick Pike with a branch to a small parking area; removing the old asphalt lot, adding soil, and seeding the area with meadow grasses and wildflowers; and restoring roughly 100 yards of eroding shoreline along the lake's northern edge, from the jutting point to just past the parking lot path. The Township further improved the area with fencing and signage.

2026, several new signage plaques, similar to those found in our state and national parks are to be installed in the restoration area.

For details on the project checkout 2025 Parcel Reclaimation Project under History.