Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Hoo Hoo Lake had pipes for water access

Travis Bell, 77, of Gurdon said Hoo Hoo Lake needs to be filled up with water as soon as possible "so this town will have a reliable water source in the future."

Hoo Hoo Lake, known in modern terms as Gurdon Pond Number Two or Big Timber Lake, is currently dry and has been since about 1990. The land it occupied, and surrounding acreage, was recently given to Gurdon.

The future of the lake is uncertain, according to Mayor Clayton Franklin, who accepted the 100 or so acres from Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

Historically, Bell said he and family members fished the lake for years. Bell said it was originally constructed in 1943, as Hoo Hoo Lake, and the Missouri Pacific Railroad had it contracted out to fill up water in its train steam engines.

"The engines continued using the lake until the last of steam, when diesel took over as a power source for trains," he said. "We fished in it back then, but in 1955, when steam engines stopped, Hoo Hoo Lake became strictly a recreational thing."

Bell noted the last Missouri Pacific steam engine was the Hope Switch 9300, which stopped in 1955. Hoo Hoo Lake was important in the days before that because the steam engines had to take on water every eight to 16 miles.

Bell said he was glad the mayor has spoken of a filled up Hoo Hoo Lake as a potential water supply for Gurdon in the future.

"I noticed the mayor talking about the lake's potential as a water supply for Gurdon. I think Gurdon is shaky on its current water supply because we have added deep wells. Having been a biology major, I can tell you one of the recent wells has a lot of calcium carbonate. Our only opportunity to treat these deep wells is at the well head, Bell said.

"I say by all means turn Hoo Hoo into a lake again. We could set up treatment ponds and have a much better chance of a good water supply for the future."

Bell suggested the city street department crews could be sufficient to go in and strengthen the levy before filling the lake with water. He said water pipe already exists from the old pond because of railroad water supply efforts of the past.

"I don't know how much of it still exists, but line for the railroad from that pond used to go to the Gurdon Roadhouse, 100 feet from the bridge on Go-Devil Road. Stories were that years ago there were shower rooms in there. Water could be piped under ground," he said. "I am not in position to know how Gurdon stands for water in a real big fire, but it was a worry years ago about running out of water. With Hoo Hoo Lake and those old pipes as access, firefighting might not be as hard as one would think."

Bell said the land deed, for Hoo Hoo Lake and surrounding property, should tell where the pipe is located. He suggested an inspection of courthouse files.

Bell, who was born on Rhodes Street, lives on Old Whelen Road. He said Bill Kirby was mayor in 1943 when Hoo Hoo Lake was first made. He and his brother Kenneth, now of Kansas, pulled bass out of there years ago.

"I say fill it up as fast as the funding becomes available," Bell said. "I really believe it would make treatment of the water so much easier and just give us a better future. I know we will have to get a decent road to it, and make sure the levy is safe. I say that would not be too hard. Let it fill up with water and get those pine trees out of there."

Bell said he hopes the restoration of the lake brings back the local frog population. Since the lake has been drained, he said he has not heard a spring peeper.

By John Nelson

Travis Bell, 77, of Gurdon said Hoo Hoo Lake needs to be filled up with water as soon as possible "so this town will have a reliable water source in the future."

Hoo Hoo Lake, known in modern terms as Gurdon Pond Number Two or Big Timber Lake, is currently dry and has been since about 1990. The land it occupied, and surrounding acreage, was recently given to Gurdon.

The future of the lake is uncertain, according to Mayor Clayton Franklin, who accepted the 100 or so acres from Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

Historically, Bell said he and family members fished the lake for years. Bell said it was originally constructed in 1943, as Hoo Hoo Lake, and the Missouri Pacific Railroad had it contracted out to fill up water in its train steam engines.

"The engines continued using the lake until the last of steam, when diesel took over as a power source for trains," he said. "We fished in it back then, but in 1955, when steam engines stopped, Hoo Hoo Lake became strictly a recreational thing."

Bell noted the last Missouri Pacific steam engine was the Hope Switch 9300, which stopped in 1955. Hoo Hoo Lake was important in the days before that because the steam engines had to take on water every eight to 16 miles.

Bell said he was glad the mayor has spoken of a filled up Hoo Hoo Lake as a potential water supply for Gurdon in the future.

"I noticed the mayor talking about the lake's potential as a water supply for Gurdon. I think Gurdon is shaky on its current water supply because we have added deep wells. Having been a biology major, I can tell you one of the recent wells has a lot of calcium carbonate. Our only opportunity to treat these deep wells is at the well head, Bell said.

"I say by all means turn Hoo Hoo into a lake again. We could set up treatment ponds and have a much better chance of a good water supply for the future."

Bell suggested the city street department crews could be sufficient to go in and strengthen the levy before filling the lake with water. He said water pipe already exists from the old pond because of railroad water supply efforts of the past.

"I don't know how much of it still exists, but line for the railroad from that pond used to go to the Gurdon Roadhouse, 100 feet from the bridge on Go-Devil Road. Stories were that years ago there were shower rooms in there. Water could be piped under ground," he said. "I am not in position to know how Gurdon stands for water in a real big fire, but it was a worry years ago about running out of water. With Hoo Hoo Lake and those old pipes as access, firefighting might not be as hard as one would think."

Bell said the land deed, for Hoo Hoo Lake and surrounding property, should tell where the pipe is located. He suggested an inspection of courthouse files.

Bell, who was born on Rhodes Street, lives on Old Whelen Road. He said Bill Kirby was mayor in 1943 when Hoo Hoo Lake was first made. He and his brother Kenneth, now of Kansas, pulled bass out of there years ago.

"I say fill it up as fast as the funding becomes available," Bell said. "I really believe it would make treatment of the water so much easier and just give us a better future. I know we will have to get a decent road to it, and make sure the levy is safe. I say that would not be too hard. Let it fill up with water and get those pine trees out of there."

Bell said he hopes the restoration of the lake brings back the local frog population. Since the lake has been drained, he said he has not heard a spring peeper.