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Never heard of Canadohta Lake? Probably not. Canadohta Lake is known as one of Northwest Pennsylvania’s best kept secrets. Centrally located between Erie, Titusville and Meadville, Pennsylvania it is noted for its clean, clear, pristine spring fed waters. The Lake is 168 acres and is the second largest natural lake in Pennsylvania. This glacier lake was formed during the early ice age.
In the early 1700’s Native American’s camped along the shores and land surrounding what we now call Canadohta Lake. The ground in this area was rich in oil(Oil Creek originates at Canadohta Lake) and the Native American’s that made summer camp around the lake would soak blankets in the water where oil floated abundantly. The liquid was then stored and used for various medical remedies, and for burning in “crude” lamps. The Cornplanter tribe of the Seneca Nation that lived in the area not only gathered the lake oil, but also planted corn in the land around the lake. They were purportedly friendly to the white settlers and continued their use of the lake land until at least the 1700’s. Canadohta was originally named Washington Lake, purportedly because George Washington was a friend of Colonel Crawford(our county’s namesake) during the Revolutionary War.
In the 1800’s it was renamed again as Oil Creek Lake, for obvious reasons! Land developers and men in search of black gold - oil - bought and sold the land. In about 1900 the Canadohta Club was formed by a group of wealthy men. They bought all the land up and changed the name of the lake to its present name - Canadohta, after the Cornplanter Chief Canadaughta. They assumed they also owned the lake, since they owned the land. After a court battle with another group headed by Ben Ruggles, the lake was was determined to be a navigable body of water and was found to be owned by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This opened the lake up for public use and denied the Canadohta Club the private use of the water.
Today, the lake is surrounded by approximately 970 private homes and cottages. It is maintained by the Pennsylvania Fish Commision and and they maintain a public boat launch. Canadohta Lake is a sportsman’s paradise, all year ‘round. It is stocked with pan fish, bluegill, perch, sunfish, walleye, northern pike, muskellunge(musky) and small and large mouth bass.The area is bordered by many public game lands and there is bountiful hunting. The lake is used reacreationally for boating, swimming and fishing.
In the summer there are canoe races and fishing contests for kids and their grown-ups too! The lake is widely used for ice fishing in the winter and it is beautiful to see the lights from lanterns on the frozen lake at night. The area is very picturesque with a variety of quaint cottages and beautiful homes. Although many of the roads winding through the lake are dirt or gravel, they are maintained well in the winter by the State. The school buses wind their way through the park on school days, making it a simple matter to get your little ones on their way!
Fact Sheet
1.8 acres
2. 1/2 mi wide and 1¼ mile in length
3.Average depth - 26 feet
4.Kettle bottom - holes 50+ feet
5.Glacier lake, spring fed
6.Centrally located within 2 hours
of Cleveland, Buffalo and Pittsburgh.
7.Rent pontoon, paddle or canoes.
8. 10 horsepower limit.
What else is there to do at Canadohta? If you like to eat there is a great lakeside restaurant. Sip you wine cooler and dip your lobster in drawn butter out on the patio at the Frog Pond(814-694-2012) as you watch your kids swim and slide down the fabulous water slide into the lake. Are you hungry for great pizza - hand-made and hand stretched dough? Call JoJo’s(814-694-3017) pizza and have it delivered to your cottage. Enjoy browsing art galleries? Visit Leslie Blake’s “Back Home Studio”(814-967-3010). Like to golf? We have 2 miniature golf courses for you to master and an 18 hole course within 3 miles.
Whatever it is you like to do, you can find it at Canadohta Lake. Located just South of Union City, Pennsylvania - don’t be surprised to see an Amish buggy going through the beverage drive-thru ahead of you!
Contacts:
Rent-a-Cottage
Lloyd's 814/694-2402(boats, lakefront)
Pier 66 814/694-2020 or 3286
Sally's Place 814/694-2201 or 3049
Buy-a-House
Marsh Realty 814/827-6215
Century 21 814/694-2501
Bed-and-Breakfast
Dutch Hill 814/694-2654(the coolest place-
rustic, secluded, fireplaces in rooms)
Camp-and-Swim
Higby's Campgrounds 814/694-2501
Swing-your-Clubs
Union City Country Club 814/438-2810
Greenbriar Golf Course 814/438-7344
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