To appreciate fully the recreational possibilities in Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvania, one should recall the Ice Age.
Near the end of the Pleistocene epoch, thousands of years ago, the lake was formed by a large block of ice that melted and filled in a depression in the land.
Down the street from the lake, a reminder of Conneaut Lake’s prehistoric origins can be found at the Conneaut Lake Historical Society Museum. Visitors can view the fossilized remains of a woolly mammoth plucked from the lake in 1958. An ancestor of the elephant, the creature lived about 10,000 years ago.
Humans made their mark on local history, too, as Iroquois Indians enjoyed the benefits of abundant fish and wildlife at Conneaut Lake. More recently, its deep, cold waters allowed the lake to remain frozen late into spring, which made it a vital source of ie before the advent of mechanical refrigeration. An annual festival at Conneaut Lake celebrates this chapter in the borough's history.
A few yards away, a coffee shop on a busy main street gives visitors and residents a commanding view of the lake. For the young at heart, to the north, is Conneaut Lake Park, which has a long history of fun attractions.
Exploring PA Boroughs: Conneaut Lake airs October 3 at 7:30 PM on cable and the PCN Select Streaming Service.