I’ve heard about Shelton’s Swimming Lake in the Pfafftown area for many years. I’ve heard friends talk about swimming there in the summer. But, here’s my confession…I never went to Shelton’s Lake. I have no wonderful summer memories of being there.
A friend shared this photo a few years ago, and he felt certain that it is Shelton’s Lake. But I cannot confirm that it is or that it is not Shelton’s Lake. So I’m looking for help in confirming the identity of this photo.
I believe that Shelton’s Lake was owned by William Herman Shelton and his wife, Carolyn Cottee Shelton. Does anyone know when the lake opened as a recreation area? Does anyone know when it closed to the public?
Can you help? Feel free to share your memories of Shelton’s Lake and I’ll post them for all to read. Any help will be appreciated!
Photograph courtesy of Forsyth County Public Library Photograph Collection.
Stay tuned for the next historical post on June 1st.
I remember going to Shelton’s Lake when I was young. It was off Olivet Church Road in Pfafftown. There’s a small upscale housing development there now. The lake is still there, I believe, but no longer for swimming.
Was that the lake that Doc Shelton used to have the Boy Scouts come stay at? It looks like it from a faded memory. He was a podiatrist that lived on Stratford Road and heavily involved in Boy Scout Troop 749 from Ardmore Methodist Church.
I grew up on Olivet Church Rd and my family were friends with the Sheltons. Still friends with the youngest son Will to this day. They had a small farm there along with the swimming lake which was just up past there home. The Sheltons you named were the owners. That is a photo of it. The building itself had a video game area, small grill with food and snacks, as well as a locker room downstairs. It was a beautiful swimming lake surrounded by sand. Gary is correct. The land surrounding the lake has residential homes now and there is now a home in front of the lake.
I used to swim there as a child. Mainly, I remember the vicious horse-flies that kept me on guard even out in the water. I think I recall that there were carp either in that lake or a small pond next to it and you could feed dough-balls.to them.
My now husband of 50 years and I went to Shelton’s Lake several times while dating in 1967 and ‘68. It was the only local swimming (that we knew of) that had a beach! I couldn’t swim and needed some place close to watch. It was great!
I’m not sure when it closed, but my sisters and I would go spend days there in the early ’80’s. It is one of my favorite memories, we had just moved to Lewisville. That was back when your parents could drop you off without any worries.
There were actually a series of four lakes connected by dams. The upper lake was the smallest. The second lake was great for fishing and also had a covered pavilion for family cookouts/gatherings. The third lake was the swimming lake pictured here. A fourth lake was stocked with nice bass and fishing rights were granted for surrounding residents. There was also a daily pass that could be purchased. All the above was available in the late 50’s and early 60’s. Iver Shelton was the owner at the time. He and my father were good friends; and, I had the opportunity to do a lot of fishing in my pre-adolescent and adolescent years there. In fact, when I joined the Navy in ’66, Iver bought my two rabbit beagles. So many wonderful memories around those lakes.
Robyn & I, with our sons Jason & Ryan, moved into a home on the 2nd. of 4 lakes called Shelton’s Lakes, in 1980, and we are still there today – over 40 years later. The WS Swimming Lake was lake #3, and this photo is definitely the lake, taken from the NE side where the locker room was located. We remember sitting on our deck watching people jumping off the high dive in the lake center. It was often crowded with people relaxing in the sun and just plain having fun. I believe it was open until about 1985 or so. Sometimes we think of moving but our view of these lakes is a most pleasant sight that we could never duplicate. It’ll be in our hearts and minds forever!
We are looking at buying the house at the end big lake! It looks like an awesome area!
I spent many days in the summer of ’62 and ’63 at that lake and Crystal lake fond memories of both lake, aah to be young again. BTW that was my Jr. and Sr. summers
I spent many summers at Sheltons lake…I’m 74 now & from South Fork area our parents used to carpool us there. There was a diving platform in an 8ft deep area. It had a sandy beach.
How many of you went to Crystal Lake. It was spring fed & cold. There was a wooden water wheel to climb on early on.You had to walk thru a shallow mild clorox basin to get in.There was an upstairs room for (?) dancing I think. My big sis was a lifeguard there…blond. He hair turned green from the already in the deep end!