Carroll County’s Tabor Lake celebrates 100 years of community and resilience

A century ago, a group of Carroll County neighbors decided to transform a quiet stretch of farmland into something lasting. The result was Tabor Lake, a community landmark that marked its centennial this summer.

A celebration and dinner was held Aug. 16, following a series of events throughout the summer that included lighting the lake, fireworks and a regatta.

“Welcome to Tabor Lake’s 100th anniversary celebration,” said project leader Jennifer Keplinger. “We have had numerous opportunities to celebrate throughout the year. The efforts by folks to ‘Light the Lake’ are a success. It is so beautiful to see the lights reflect off the water, and it was so well received that some folks want to continue it through next year, the 250th birthday of our country.”

The Tabor Lake Co. was incorporated in August 1925. The effort was led by Eli Pretty, who served as the company’s first president, and William T. Ferrall, who sold nearly 20 acres of his land for the project.

Within months, about 20 local families had purchased $200 shares that gave them both a lakeside lot and use of the new reservoir. A dam was built, water filled the basin and thousands of fish were stocked before the first winter. What had been farmland quickly became a year-round gathering place, complete with skating on the ice and picnics on the shore.

The name Tabor already carried meaning for the community. Decades earlier, the crossroads had been known as Scott’s Station, a small railroad stop that managed to house a store, post office, blacksmith shop and rooms for travelers in a single building.

When a post office was established there, officials could not use the name Scott’s Station because another Ohio town already had it. The settlement became known as Tabor instead. The name gained wider attention in 1893 when International Harvester promoted the village at the Chicago World’s Fair as “The Biggest Little Town in the U.S.A.” Although the original store burned in 1938 and the railroad eventually disappeared, the lake carried the Tabor name forward.

Tabor Lake’s first century has been marked by resilience. In 1937, a leak in the dam swelled into a break that sent water rushing downstream and nearly emptied the lake. Neighbors acted quickly, patching the dam and refilling the basin so the water returned within days. Another flood in the late 1940s damaged the structure again, and later decades brought routine spillway repairs. A major reconstruction of the spillway in 2000 ensured the dam would remain secure for the next generation.

Over time, sediment buildup posed another challenge. By the 1970s, the lake was noticeably shallower, leading to a 1980 study that confirmed years of silt washing in from the surrounding watershed. Dredging followed later that decade, and shoreline reinforcement projects helped control runoff. The effort reflected a theme that has defined Tabor Lake from the beginning: hands-on stewardship by its members.

The community grew in 1996 when the Tabor Lake Co. purchased the former Rolling Y Ranch, a YMCA camp southwest of the lake. That acquisition added trails, open space and a wider buffer of protected land. Over the years, amenities have been improved as well. A picnic shelter was built in 1993 and renovated in 2024, a small beach and floating dock were added, and habitat projects have included restocking fish and strengthening wetland areas.

Today, Tabor Lake covers a little more than 6 acres and is bordered by just under 30 cottages. It remains privately owned and managed by its shareholders, many of whom represent families with long histories at the lake. Though modest in size, it continues to serve the purpose its founders envisioned: a shared place for recreation, relaxation and community.

The centennial was not only a celebration but also a chance to reflect on what has kept the lake alive for 100 years. It began with a $200 investment and a vision for a place to gather. It survived natural setbacks, aging infrastructure and the slow creep of sediment. And it has adapted through careful planning and improvements that keep the water healthy and the community vibrant.

“We have many thanks to the folks who made the year special, including a special thanks to those who contributed to and installed the party lights in the shelter,” Keplinger said. “Thanks also to Tim Nizen for providing the hot dog roller and slushy maker this year. Special thanks to Liam and Kurt Traum for the spectacular fireworks displays this year. The Traums provided the displays at no charge to the lake. Thanks to Keely Kandle for designing and creating the coffee mugs, and to Paul Long for being our go-to helper, assisting with cleaning up the shelter and relocating items.

“A big thank you as well to our historian Ron Beck, Scott Bosworth, Catherine Butler, Debbie Long, Betsy Miller — the baker lady and centerpiece maker — Donna Thorley, Stephanie and Curt Werren, the team that made the 100-year celebration happen. It was a wonderful team to work with, and I appreciated the opportunity to collaborate with them and get to know them better. And last, thank you to all the members for their contributions of time, energy, hard work and vision over the years that have made Tabor Lake what it is today, and for the fellowship and joy each brings to the community.”