About

The ancient rhymer forgot the law of compensation and did not remember that Nature always, although to the indifferent observer she appears to favor one part of the country more than another, bestows to that poorer locality something to compensate for the difference in soil and climate, and thus it happened our early defamer passed by our beautiful river, which by the genius of man, has been transformed into a powerful servant and been the means by which our large manufacturing establishments have furnished employment for thousands, who in their turn, have organized banks by which to carry on their financial business; stores where the necessaries and many of the luxuries of life may be obtained; markets for the products of our farmers; money with which to erect and maintain public buildings, our schools, our churches and briefly to enable our people to build up the largest and most prosperous town in the county of Hampshire.

These results have only been achieved by industry perseverance and economy and verify the success that has been accomplished was in obedience to the Divine Command, "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread.”

Several years since when our medical men were not so much engaged in their profession as they are to-day, they formed a company and engaged in the lumber business, bought wood lots, erected saw mills, damned the streams, flowed meadows and swamps, and transformed many unsightly localities into beautiful ponds and lakes; one of these beautiful localities was given the suggestive name of Pillville.

Time passed, the mill long abandoned and the name even forgotten; and once more the brush our ancient inheritance claimed its own, and the valley of Beaver brook became a young wilderness.

The younger generation knew nothing of the former lake except by tradition and the wonderful fish stories told by their elders, which like all stories of that kind grow more wonderful every time they are repeated.

About five years ago two young men stopped to rest on an eminence on the easterly side of the valley, when one Mr. L.A. Fisherdick remarked to the other Mr. E.W. Lawton, "'I would give one hundred dollars if that valley was flowed again.

Other conversation followed and on their return to the village the attention of several of our young business men was also called to the subject.

In a community where all are workers and where the truth of the old addage, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,” has many times been proven, the idea of again creating a lake in the Beaver brook valley and providing a place near at hand where good healthful recreation could be obtained was welcomed by all.

An organization was formed at once, a charter obtained from the State and The Ware Rod and Gun Club became an established fact.

About five miles due west of the Town Hall is the Beaver brook, a small stream, the overflow of the Davis pond, in Enfield. The brook is dammed at the highway, leading from Ware Center to Belchertown and makes a beautiful lake covering nearly four hundred acres, being about one mile in length and one-half mile in width.

The lake is stocked with Trout, Black Bass, White Perch and Carp. It is the natural home of the Trout, and many weighing from two to five pounds have been captured by our very careful anglers.

Pickerel and Yellow Perch abound and many other varieties by their very abundance furnish much pleasure to the children.

The Club House was erected three years since and during the past season an addition has been built, the whole comprising, an office, large reception room, Ladies' parlors two dining rooms, chambers for the accommodation of a dozen guests at a time, a boat house, bowling alley and janitor's rooms; all in all providing a very convenient temporary home for the members of the Club and their guests, and thus the ancient home of the most remarkable builder among animals has become the play ground and resting place of those human builders whose duty and pleasure it has been to create, support and maintain the prosperity and progress of the Town of Ware.