Ellis Lake
- For other lakes with the same name, see Ellis Lake (disambiguation)
| Ellis Lake | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Marysville, California |
| Coordinates | 39°08′52″N 121°35′14″W / 39.14778°N 121.58722°WCoordinates: 39°08′52″N 121°35′14″W / 39.14778°N 121.58722°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Basin countries | United States |
Located in Marysville, California, Ellis Lake has been the most memorable centerpiece of the City of Marysville since the 1930s. It is a sparkling man-made lake surrounded by lush greenery and sidewalks with flocks of ducks, geese and a variety of other birds. Feeding the geese has been a recreational activity enjoyed by the Yuba-Sutter Area at the lake for years as well as boating and fishing. The lake is bounded by 9th street to the South, B Street to the East, 14th Street to the North and D Street to the West.
History
Ellis Lake was once an unsightly spillway of the Feather River. It wasn't until 1924 that the Women's Improvement Club of Marysville commissioned Robbie McLaren, famed designer of the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, to turn the swamp into a beautiful lake. The project was completed in 1939. The lake, named for Marysville citizen W.T. Ellis, Jr. offers a pleasant walk, picnic areas,and fishing.
Work on the lake was completed by unemployed local men during the Great Depression through President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal Plan.
(Original) Work included landscaping, construction of two tennis courts and a judging stand, a 20-ft. concrete and native stone bridge connecting the mainland with an island in the lake, a dock and boat landing 39, rubble rock electroliers for night illumination; and the installation of an ornamental fountain and rubble walls on the banks.[1]
Body of Mary Jane Gooding
On October 20, 2002 a car was found at the bottom of the lake, in seven feet of water. Inside the car was the skeletal body of Mary Jane Gooding. It is believed by police that Mary Jane Gooding, accidentally drove her husband's car into the lake on October 10, 1981. It is believed by her children that she was a victim of foul play.
Independence Day Celebration & Tragedy
For decades, Ellis Lake hosted a 4th of July celebration every year, an event that is composed throughout the day of power boat and cardboard boat races (youths build boats out of cardboard and duct tape, trying to cross the lake without sinking). An annual fireworks display was cancelled in 2004 after a young girl lost part of her leg due to a rogue firework shot from the island in the center of the lake into the gathered crowd. That year they had twice as many fireworks than usual, which made shooting the fireworks more difficult and dangerous. The lawsuit finally closed 11 months later when the California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection released a report stating that mortar shells burst low into the crowd onto the other side of the lake from Gazebo Island. Further more the shell that was alleged to be what caused the accident was reported to be two and a half inches in radius. The firework company supplying the fireworks for the show doesn't manufacture shells of half inch dimensions. In addition there were reports of people launching fireworks off the levee behind the girl at the time.
Children's Fishing Derby
Ellis Lake is the location of the annual Marysville fishing derby, when the lake is stocked with fish and local children can fish and win prizes for the size of fish they catch.
Recent Additions
A small commercial center opened up on the south end of the lake. It includes some restaurants, a sports bar and a bank.
The Marysville Exchange Club donated a new flagpole in October 2007, to coincide with the installation of a new fountain and lighting system. The fountain's new computerized light system is capable of running 37 colors and will run year round from 8pm to midnight.
As of April 2012, the island fountains are not functioning and due to Marysville's ongoing financial struggles, will not be up and running again any time soon.