Warners Lake

Location

Warner's Lake refers to the lake and surrounding community in the north central part of the town near East Berne.

History

WARNER’S LAKE HISTORY

• Mathias Warner Family from Schoharie moved to Beaver Dam by 1765 when Warner's Sawmill was built on the Foxenkill halfway between what are now the hamlet of Berne and East Berne
• 1765 - the first settlers on Warner’s Lake were Christopher Warner and his brother Johannes, who built a log cabin in 1765 and in 1790 built the original farmhouse. The large hickory trees there were grown from hickory nuts brought from Europe, hence the name Hickory Grove Farm. In 1849 Christopher Warner's son Abram J. built a second farmhouse on the north end of the lake. Both homes are still owned by Warner descendants Warner homes
• 1899, Henry Binns purchased the whole south end of the lake from Sussana Gallup, widow of Moses Gallup, who was the first to provide a swimming area with picnic tables. Henry Binns eventually built cabins for rent. At this time the farm was known as Binn's Grove, Binn’s Landing or Pine Grove. 1920’s the grove was sold to Mr. Pitcher and it became known as Pitcher’s Camp. Mr. Pitcher then sold his lakefront property to the Roberts family from Ravena, and the property was known as Robert's Grove for the next 28 years. The property changed hands a few more times, to owners George Vunck (1946), John and Teresa Cocca (1950), and Dave and Betty O’Hanlon (1955). The property was finally purchased by Mary and Patricia O’Hanlon in 1987 and is maintained as their private residence.
• 1906, Mr. George Tompkins built a large home at the north end of the lake on land purchased from the Warner Family. He ran his Lake View Cottage as a boarding house for many years. Mr. Tompkins owned a small covered Steam Launch "The Sarah E." which was brought from New York City to Altamont by train. The launch was then delivered to the cottage by Mr. Warner’s wagon. Mr. Tompkins gave people rides around the lake for 10 cents. In 1950 the property was sold to Karl and Hilde Zwicklbauer and became a popular German-American restaurant. In 1976 the restaurant was purchased by Reinhold and Adelheid Scholz, who sold it to the present owner, John Pleat.
• early 1900’s, Jay and Lydia Engle built Engle’s Fur Trading Post on the east side of the lake. Jay was a rather eccentric character known for his tall tales and the bear he kept as a pet. This property is now owned by the Osterhouts, who purchased it in 1970.
• around 1900 until the mid 1970’s a girls’ camp known as Camp Orinsekwa operated on the west shore of the lake. In later years the property expanded to become a co-ed camp known as Orinsekwa-Sonnekwa.
• In the 1930’s Arthur Warner sold camp lots along the east shore. From 1946-1950 many of the rental camps on the south end were sold to private owners. A large portion of the west shore remains undeveloped.
• From the 1940’s through the 1970’s, Warner’s Lake was a very popular tourist area with three public beaches, three boat launches and many camps for rent. At present, the lake community is mostly private residences, with only one restaurant and one boat launch remaining.

Learn more about Warner’s Lake and surrounding areas in a book entitled Life Along the Way on Route 43 available at local libraries.

Original source: Willard Osterhout (since modified)

Sections of the lake

• Jones Lane
• Dyer Road
• Young's Camps
• South End
• Simon's Hill Rd

Special Events

• Hawaiian Luau
• Dinner Dance at Plank Roaders
• Dinner Dance at the Haufbrau
• Family Day at O'Hanlon's
• Family Day at Osterhout's
• Ice Fishing Derby
• Hurricane Irene
• Dam Repairs
• Town of Berne Summer Youth Program
• Family Day at Scholz-Zwicklebauer's Hofbrau
• Block Party at O'Hanlon's Grove 1971
• WLIA winter meeting Jan.14,1989
• Ice Racing
• Walleye stocking program

Churches

• St. Mary's of the Lake, (Don't you just love that name?), the first Catholic Church in the Town, was established in 1916.

• St. Mary's of the Lake Catholic Church

Businesses

This section will have the history of each business beginning from its establishment, through various ownerships and name changes. Pictures may be used provided you have authority to post them.

Former businesses

• Mattice's Lake View Cottage was a summer boarding house
• Warner homes were summer boarding houses
• Steam Launch "The Sarah E."

• Binn's Grove
• Engle's Store
• Camp Orinsekwa
• Camp Woodstock
• Robert's Grove
• Harvesting Ice
• Camp Solo
• Abram J. Warner Home
• Christopher Warner Home
• Warner Lake Improvement Association
• Newspaper Articles

Current businesses

• The Hofbrau Restaurant - serving German specialties in an historic resort on the shore of beautiful Warners Lake at 141 Warners Lake Rd., East Berne; Tel. (518) 872-1016 / 872-9912.
• Maple Inn - a restaurant in an historic building in East Berne. 64 Main Street, East Berne. Tel. 518-872-9433.

Families

• Bruce Family
• Osterhout Family

Cemeteries

The Warner Family Burying Groundis the burial ground for the Warner family for which the Lake is named.

Photo Gallery

This section is for scenic photos and post cards of the hamlet. Photos of people and families should be posted on biography or family pages.

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  Postcard 2
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  Postcard 3
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  Postcard 4
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  Postcard 5 along the highway
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  Postcard 6 1929
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  Postcard 7 cottages along the east shore
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  Postcard 8 "Sarah E."
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  Postcard 10 Scene looking from Engel's Beach
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  Lake View Cottage, photo from Life At The Lake
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  Lake View Cottage 1930, photo from Life At The Lake
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  Pitcher's Camp 1920, photo from Life At The Lake
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  Camp Binns 1930, photo from Life At The Lake
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  Binn's Camp 1912, photo from Life At The Lake
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  Osterhout Family at Warner's Lake
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  Air Raid Poster, photo from Life At The Lake
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  Willard Brownell
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  Early sailors on Warner's Lake, photo from Life At The Lake
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  Early swimmers, love the suits, photo from Life At The Lake
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  Swimming at the lake in the early 20s, photo from Life At The Lake
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  Which group has priority, photo from Life At The Lake
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  Diving at Warner's Lake in the 1930s, note the use of a hand operated air pump, photo from Life At The Lake
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  A ride around the lake, note the chain driven rear wheel
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  Fishing at the lake, you can even see the worm on the hook
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  Badgely Family from Voorheesville camping at Warner's Lake in the 1920s
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  Lucy(Warner)Hinman and Edna(Talmadge)Hinman at Warner's Lake, photo from Life At The Lake
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  Zwicklbauer's Hofbrau, formerly Mattics and Tompkins
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  Sholtes and Wood families camping at the south end of Warner's Lake in 1895
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  Advertisement for Zwicklbauers
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  The first lot sold on the East side of Warner Lake by Arthur and Minnie Warner in 1925
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  A description of lot #1
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  Ice patterns in front of Osterhouts on March 31, the day before the ice went out.
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  Mt. Grippe after the ice storm Dec. 2008
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  Pictures taken from the porch of Osterhout's home.
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  L-R Friend Sholtes, Alta Mae Sholtes Ball, Clyde L. Ball Warner's Lake in the background. Photo courtesy of Allan Deitz
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  Virginia Sholtes at the flag pole. Photo courtesy of Allan Deitz
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  Luther League, photo from the Willard Osterhout collection
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  Bin's Grove, photo from the collection of Willard Osterhout
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  A scenic view of the lake looking towards the West side in 1914, from the Willard Osterhout collection
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  Warner Lake in summer
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  Geese observing sunrise on Mt. Grippee, photo courtesy of Willard Osterhout
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  No coffee on the deck this morning, photo courtesy of Willard Osterhout
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  Sunrise on Dyer Rd. West side of Warner Lake, photo courtesy of Willard Osterhout
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  Two boys swimming at Warner's Lake 1931 - Courtesy Timothy J. Albright
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  The 1958 Blizzard at Warner Lake
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  Ode to Warner Lake by Willard Osterhout
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  50# Carp caught at Warner Lake, from the book "The Final Journey"
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  A view of the lake looking North when most of the land was still pasture
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  The three people most responsible for createing the book"Life at The Lake."
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  A home made wooden boat"The Blue Goose" built by Thomas Arcolano and launched by him and his son Frank at Osterhout's, photo courtesy of Willard Osterhout
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  Will Osterhout and his daughters in the Blue Goose,photo courtesy of Willard Osterhout
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  Ebb Osterhout in his wheel chair aboard the"Baby Huey" a pontoon boat owned by Howard Kinnicut, photo courtesy of Willard Osterhout
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  Ebb enjoying the ride while Blossom Marchand does the driving,photo courtesy of Willard Osterhout
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  Bonnie Kinnicut, Blossom Marchand and Jerri Osterhout, photo courtesy of Willard Osterhout
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  Looking towards the east shore, courtesy of Willard Osterhout
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  The old wooden dam in 1921 covered with ice
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  Post card showing a boy with a big fish, courtesy of Willard Osterhout
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  Girls from camp pinnacle having a picnic on the lake shore,courtesy of Willard Osterhout
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  A Northern Pike caught by Jim Wilson on July 5, 1954, photo courtesy of Nancy Johnson
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  late 50s or early 60s spring runoff going over the old dam, photo courtesy of Darwin Bruce
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  Will Osterhout and his daughter Stacy Loucks with their catch on the lake in 2015
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  7 1/2# Largemouth Bass caught by Will Osterhout in the early 70s
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  5 1/2# Largemouth Bass caught by Will Osterhout in the early 70s
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  Marshall family's little Red boat
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  Cousins Patrick Hufnagel(Virginia) and Kyle Anderson(Berne) enjoying a Polar Plunge in Warner Lake on Dec 26, 2015
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  Willard Osterhout fishing on Warner Lake
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  Ice out dates as kept by Robert Warner
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  Ice out dates as kept by Robert Warner
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  Ice out dates as kept by Robert Warner
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  Road to Warner Lake postcard
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  Road to Warner Lake back
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  Zwicklebaur's restaurant interior
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  Post card of Warner's Lake, NY
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  Lake scene
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  Lake scene
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  Lake scene

Sources

External Links

• Warner's Lake Improvement Association