Editing Lake Mohawk, New Jersey (section)

==Community==
{{Unreferenced section|date=May 2008}}
The community is located around Lake Mohawk, the largest artificial body of water in the state of [[New Jersey]] that is a private lake. There is the main lake in the mountains of the community and the Alpine Pool, both of which are spring fed. The water for the Alpine Pool cascades down gracefully from a spring that rises from an even higher peak in the mountains. An alpine motif was used throughout the community.<ref>Ptacek, Kathy. [http://www.njskylands.com/tnmohawk "Lake Art"], Skylands Visitor. Accessed July 21, 2016. "In January 1926 the Arthur D. Crane Company, under the direction of developer and designer Herbert L. Closs, began the work that would result in this largest of private artificial lakes in New Jersey."</ref>

The buildings in the tiny town center resemble little [[castle]]s, or reflect an alpine architectural style. This distinctive architecture in the town center and of many homes was a major aspect of the listing of Lake Mohawk on the [[National Register of Historic Places]]. The town center has restaurants, a post office, and limited shop, service, or professional space. This area is called White Deer Plaza after a Native American who lent her name to the center. A tiered [[boardwalk (entertainment district)|boardwalk]] was constructed along the northern edge of the lake where the town center exists. A [[country club]] dominates the boardwalk near the dam.

In the 1950s a movie theater, a stone's throw beyond the main entrance to the lake, called Winona Parkway, was built along the adjacent county roadway, route 15, which leads to the [[New Netherland|Dutch colonial]] and [[American Revolution|revolutionary]] era [[mining]] town of [[Sparta, New Jersey|Sparta]].

Except for the Alpine Pool and the main lake areas that are accessible from an entrance high in the mountains, all of the community is reached by descending from the surrounding mountains of Sussex County. Homes have been built up each face of the enclosing mountains, but the roads to them are accessed only from the main road around the lake. From the Alpine Pool, a [[panorama|panoramic view]] of the county is possible. On one side almost the entire stretch of the main lake is visible and on the other, the mountains that reach into the states of [[Pennsylvania]] and [[New York (state)|New York]].

At the southern end of the lake is a [[swimming pool]] and [[tennis]] complex originally called the "Marine Pool", that is constructed to resemble the deck of an [[ocean liner]]. It is modeled after the likes of [[SS Normandie|SS ''Normandie'']], having all of the appointments of a [[cruise ship]], with a galley motif for the restaurant and a great stand of stadium seating with colorful backs for the spectators at swimming events held at the facility. Through the seating is a stairway to the captain's quarters where the managers and lifeguards have quarters and stow special equipment.

The pool is ozone filtered, without a drop of chlorine in the water, and was the first pool in the United States to use corona discharge (CD) ozone to treat its water.  The filter system, built in 1937, was designed to resemble the engine room of the ship. The pool is [[Swimming pool|Olympic-size]] (50&nbsp;m, with eight lanes) and has a central tower for [[Diving (sport)|diving]] events. The depth of the pool at that portion is ten feet. Both ends of the pool are more shallow, with a kiddie section nearest the tennis courts. On the northern end of the pool near the galley, there used to be a giant [[water slide]] that had been featured in television commercials for [[Zest (soap)|Zest]] soap in the 1960s. Beyond the pool to the south are three asphalt tennis courts, with another set of three clay courts in the parking area.

Swimming events at the pool are [[Amateur Athletic Union|AAU]] competitions in all [[Water sport (recreation)|aquatic]] categories. Celebrities such as [[Buster Crabbe]] and [[Esther Williams]] were normal fare at the events in the 1940s and 1950s. This was a time when the youngsters of the community could hitch-hike rides along the road from their neighbors without concern.

In the 1940s and 1950s there was an "Indian village" with a souvenir shop, located along the opposite shore of the southern end of the lake that added another attraction depicted in [[postcard]]s of the day. [http://www.some1else.com/mohawk/]  The development of Lake Mohawk was referred to as a "reservation" in most promotional materials to continue the Indian tribe imagery.

Many of the homes along the water have [[boathouse]]s and [[Dock (maritime)|dock]]s. [[Sail boat]]s and [[motor boat]]s are a popular way to get around the lake. The "Marine Base", a [[marina]] built in the style of the country club, is located at a midpoint along the lake on the eastern shore.

The community used to be composed of summer residences. Few lived there around the year. Many houses were not insulated, nor did they have heating beyond a [[fireplace]] for especially cool summer nights. Among those who stayed year round, friends would be hosted for the snowy holidays and winter sports. Driving across the frozen lake was shorter and safer than trying to traverse the steep hills. Even delivery trucks would make the short trip across the ice.

The seasonal residents of the early years included many who showed horses in the English-style regional circuits. Hunters, open-jumpers, and three- and five-gated saddle horses competed in the events. The Lake Mohawk Horse Show drew competitors from New York and Pennsylvania as well as New Jersey. The professional photographer who traveled from show to show along with the competitors throughout the season, maintained his office in Lake Mohawk at a little castle structure opposite the club house. Photographs of the competitors, judges, and winners were available from his files, selected from proofs sent to the subjects or from displays he set up at later shows.

The route to Lake Mohawk was a winding drive up and down through a shady rural and mountainous roadside until after the completion of [[Interstate Highway]]s connecting the area to the [[New York City|New York]] [[metropolitan area]]. After those high speed connections were established nearby into the county, the community took on a year-round population of entertainers, airline employees and pilots, as well as commuters.

=== Lake Mohawk Golf Club ===
The Arthur D Crane company set aside 125 acres in the 1920s for a golf course within the Lake Mohawk Community. The first nine holes opened on August 30, 1929.  Architect Irving Sewall designed the course.  In the 1930s the course converted into private membership and remains separate from the larger reservation. Today the golf course offers a Par 70 18 hole course and has a full-length driving range, practice green, and clubhouse.

===Lake Mohawk Yacht Club===
[[File:Burgee of Lake Mohawk YC.svg|thumb|upright=.75|[[Burgee]] of Lake Mohawk Yacht Club.]]
Incorporated in 1938, the club is a private [[yacht club]] located in [[Sparta Township, New Jersey]], on Lake Mohawk.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://marinas.com/view/marina/5389_Lake_Mohawk_Yacht_Club_Sparta_NJ_United_States|title=Lake Mohawk Yacht Club |publisher=Marinas.com}}</ref> [[Sailing (sport)|Sailing]] was taking place as an organized activity on the lake as early as 1933. Lake Mohawk Country Club members Charles Gabor and Morgan Reichner decided to adopt the [[Snipe (dinghy)|Snipe]] as the most suitable boat for the lake, and the [[List of Snipe fleets|Snipe fleet (number 10)]] was chartered on January 23, 1934, by the Snipe Class International Racing Association (SCIRA). In 1938, Charles Gabor won for the fleet the [[Commodore Hub E. Isaacks and O'Leary Trophies|Commodore Hub E. Isaacks Trophy]] and by 1939 there were fifty-two Snipes in the fleet. In 1940, Kenneth Heitman won the National Junior Championship.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://snipe.org/bulletin/snipe-bulletin-archive/jib-sheet/55-jib-sheet-1946-august/file|title=Lake Mohawk boats one of the largest fleets|publisher=Jib Sheet, August 1947}}</ref>

Soon after the Snipes came the [[Lightning (dinghy)|Lightnings]], another historical fleet chartered by the International Lightning Class Association (ILCA) as fleet #25.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sites.google.com/site/lakemohawkyachtclub/about-our-club/the-history-of-lmyc|title=The History of LMYC|publisher=Lake Mohawk Yacht Club}}</ref>