Lake Names Question

Airedale1 · 08-04-2013, 12:52 PM

I am hoping that somebody here can explain to me why some lakes have the term, "lake" first and some put "lake" afterwards, e.g. Lake Winnipesaukee and Lake Wentworth as opposed to, Squam Lake and Silver Lake.

I thought if there was a reason that maybe somebody here would know.

camp guy · 08-04-2013, 01:52 PM

That, Airedale1, is a very interesting question. I hope some historian can provide an answer.

tis · 08-04-2013, 03:20 PM

That is a good question. I also have wondered why some streets are road while others are drive, or street or avenue or whatever.

RailroadJoe · 08-04-2013, 03:34 PM

I know why highways were called turnpikes, but still not sure why ponds and lakes are different.

camp guy · 08-04-2013, 04:52 PM

In response to RailroadJoe, I went to Google and typed in his question: why are lakes "lakes" and ponds "ponds. I will leave it up to you to do this to read the answer. I thought the answer was simple enough to satisfy me, but I am sure that some professor-type might expand it and add in all sorts of qualifications. Hey, river vs stream; hill vs mound; chocolate vs vanilla ?

Kamper · 08-04-2013, 04:55 PM

Usually "lake" first means it was named by the French. Winnipisaukee is an obvious exception to that rule.

RailroadJoe · 08-04-2013, 05:27 PM

CampGuy Thanks. I tried to distingish the difference, but they only confuse more. I'll stick with whatever they call it , it is all right with me.

tis · 08-04-2013, 05:33 PM

Unless you go to Florida. Then a puddle is called a lake.

SAMIAM · 08-05-2013, 08:34 AM

Some ponds,such as Dan Hole,are larger than some lakes.......go figure.

SIKSUKR · 08-05-2013, 09:30 AM

Probably the smallest "lake" I know of is Profile lake at Cannon Mt at only 13 acres.Right next to it lies Echo Lake and not much bigger at 38 acres.

surfnsnow · 08-05-2013, 12:23 PM

I have the same questions about mountains - mt. Washington vs cannon mt for example

codeman671 · 08-05-2013, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airedale1

I am hoping that somebody here can explain to me why some lakes have the term, "lake" first and some put "lake" afterwards, e.g. Lake Winnipesaukee and Lake Wentworth as opposed to, Squam Lake and Silver Lake.

I thought if there was a reason that maybe somebody here would know.

If I remember correctly, the sign that the state installed at the new Downings Landing facility launch is "Winnipesaukee Lake". Not sure why.

BroadHopper · 08-05-2013, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by codeman671

If I remember correctly, the sign that the state installed at the new Downings Landing facility launch is "Winnipesaukee Lake". Not sure why.

Maybe the legislature thought it was politically correct!

Phantom · 08-08-2013, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RailroadJoe

, but still not sure why ponds and lakes are different.

RailroadJoe -- I can help with this one -- at least in Mass.

There are three categories given to a body of water based on it's size (acreage) I am not clear on the exact sizes so I will defer on that for the time being but the categories going from smallest to largest is
Pond
Great Pond
Lake

I believe that anything including & larger than a Great Pond must provide Public access.

I live on a Great Pond in MA

Hope that helps

Kamper · 08-08-2013, 11:39 AM

I was told that a pond was shallow enough for light to reach the bottom and a lake was too deep for that. I this is the true criteria, I have no idea how they figured it out before scuba gear.

Slickcraft · 08-08-2013, 12:33 PM

I don't think that any science was involved in the names. Most bodies of water were given a name long ago, that name being whatever the person(s) naming it wanted.

Same with most roads. If 200 years ago the Jones family built a road it could have been known as: Jones Road or Jones Street or Jones Lane or Jones Way or whatever. Jones Turnpike if they had a toll station.

Now if Jones had a pond that they wanted to sound big so folk would use the turnpike to get there, it would probably be Jones Lake or maybe even Lake Jones.

joey2665 · 08-08-2013, 01:22 PM

http://des.nh.gov/organization/commi...ents/bb-49.pdf

This is the fact sheet of Ponds vs Lakes from the NH DES

jrc · 08-08-2013, 04:10 PM

"Names for lakes and ponds generally originated from the early settlers living near them, and the use of the terms "lake" and "pond" was completely arbitrary."

"However, they also recognize that "deep" lakes and ponds function differently than "shallow" lakes and ponds,"

Remember, we paid someone in Concord to write this.

08-04-2013, 12:52 PM	#1
Airedale1 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Laconia Posts: 595 Thanks: 557 Thanked 1,569 Times in 274 Posts	Lake Names Question I am hoping that somebody here can explain to me why some lakes have the term, "lake" first and some put "lake" afterwards, e.g. Lake Winnipesaukee and Lake Wentworth as opposed to, Squam Lake and Silver Lake. I thought if there was a reason that maybe somebody here would know. __________________ "The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit." Nelson Henderson (1865-1943)

08-04-2013, 01:52 PM	#2
camp guy Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: formerly Winter Harbor, still Wolfeboro Posts: 1,181 Thanks: 299 Thanked 525 Times in 293 Posts	Lakes names question That, Airedale1, is a very interesting question. I hope some historian can provide an answer.

08-04-2013, 04:52 PM	#5
camp guy Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: formerly Winter Harbor, still Wolfeboro Posts: 1,181 Thanks: 299 Thanked 525 Times in 293 Posts	Lake names question In response to RailroadJoe, I went to Google and typed in his question: why are lakes "lakes" and ponds "ponds. I will leave it up to you to do this to read the answer. I thought the answer was simple enough to satisfy me, but I am sure that some professor-type might expand it and add in all sorts of qualifications. Hey, river vs stream; hill vs mound; chocolate vs vanilla ?

08-05-2013, 09:30 AM	#10
SIKSUKR Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 5,075 Thanks: 215 Thanked 903 Times in 509 Posts	Probably the smallest "lake" I know of is Profile lake at Cannon Mt at only 13 acres.Right next to it lies Echo Lake and not much bigger at 38 acres. __________________ SIKSUKR

08-08-2013, 01:22 PM	#17
joey2665 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Meredith Bay & LI, NY Posts: 3,222 Thanks: 1,219 Thanked 1,009 Times in 649 Posts	From the NHDES http://des.nh.gov/organization/commi...ents/bb-49.pdf This is the fact sheet of Ponds vs Lakes from the NH DES

The Following User Says Thank You to camp guy For This Useful Post:
Airedale1 (08-05-2013)

08-04-2013, 03:20 PM	#3
tis Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,699 Thanks: 751 Thanked 1,452 Times in 1,009 Posts	That is a good question. I also have wondered why some streets are road while others are drive, or street or avenue or whatever.

08-04-2013, 03:34 PM	#4
RailroadJoe Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 620 Thanks: 259 Thanked 158 Times in 100 Posts	I know why highways were called turnpikes, but still not sure why ponds and lakes are different.

08-04-2013, 04:55 PM	#6
Kamper Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Thornton's Ferry Posts: 1,302 Thanks: 67 Thanked 171 Times in 127 Posts	Usually "lake" first means it was named by the French. Winnipisaukee is an obvious exception to that rule.

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Kamper For This Useful Post:
Airedale1 (08-05-2013), Lakegeezer (08-04-2013)

08-04-2013, 05:27 PM	#7
RailroadJoe Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 620 Thanks: 259 Thanked 158 Times in 100 Posts	CampGuy Thanks. I tried to distingish the difference, but they only confuse more. I'll stick with whatever they call it , it is all right with me.

08-04-2013, 05:33 PM	#8
tis Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,699 Thanks: 751 Thanked 1,452 Times in 1,009 Posts	Unless you go to Florida. Then a puddle is called a lake.

08-05-2013, 08:34 AM	#9
SAMIAM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 2,891 Thanks: 334 Thanked 1,673 Times in 584 Posts	Some ponds,such as Dan Hole,are larger than some lakes.......go figure.

08-05-2013, 12:23 PM	#11
surfnsnow Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 173 Thanks: 133 Thanked 52 Times in 29 Posts	I have the same questions about mountains - mt. Washington vs cannon mt for example

The Following User Says Thank You to surfnsnow For This Useful Post:
Airedale1 (01-29-2016)

08-08-2013, 11:39 AM	#15
Kamper Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Thornton's Ferry Posts: 1,302 Thanks: 67 Thanked 171 Times in 127 Posts	I was told that a pond was shallow enough for light to reach the bottom and a lake was too deep for that. I this is the true criteria, I have no idea how they figured it out before scuba gear.

08-08-2013, 12:33 PM	#16
Slickcraft Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Welch Island and The Taylor Community Posts: 3,296 Thanks: 1,222 Thanked 2,080 Times in 952 Posts	I don't think that any science was involved in the names. Most bodies of water were given a name long ago, that name being whatever the person(s) naming it wanted. Same with most roads. If 200 years ago the Jones family built a road it could have been known as: Jones Road or Jones Street or Jones Lane or Jones Way or whatever. Jones Turnpike if they had a toll station. Now if Jones had a pond that they wanted to sound big so folk would use the turnpike to get there, it would probably be Jones Lake or maybe even Lake Jones.

The Following User Says Thank You to joey2665 For This Useful Post:
Phantom (08-09-2013)

08-08-2013, 04:10 PM	#18
jrc Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NH Posts: 2,689 Thanks: 33 Thanked 439 Times in 249 Posts	"Names for lakes and ponds generally originated from the early settlers living near them, and the use of the terms "lake" and "pond" was completely arbitrary." "However, they also recognize that "deep" lakes and ponds function differently than "shallow" lakes and ponds," Remember, we paid someone in Concord to write this.