by Erin Feith, Research Assistant
August 6, 2024
Named for its distinctive topography, Rock Ridge Lake in Denville was a top destination spot in Morris County during the 20th century. Initially an inhospitable swampy expanse owned by the Cook family, the present lake was formed following the construction of a wooden dam on the property in the early 1900s. Attracting many with its picturesque landscape, Rock Ridge Lake became a thriving lakeside community that through the efforts of its residents retained its natural beauty.
Rock Ridge Lake was sold to Charles Tuttle and Charles H. Flatt as a part of a 500-acre tract in 1907. Intending to develop the land, the men immediately subdivided the property into lots for summer bungalows which were then sold with the understanding that use of the lake was included. To protect this access, the Rock Ridge Country Club was created to hold ownership over a portion of the land and the lake itself. Under an agreement, the club would then release ownership to the similarly named Rock Ridge Community Club, enabling local residents to have a voice in the lake’s development.
As the population along Rock Ridge Lake grew, seasonal and year-round residents alike came together and addressed the fledging community’s needs. Neighbors offered their financial and often physical support toward a range of projects from the construction of a clubhouse in 1924 to the donation of chairs, cotton screens, and a piano to be used at clubhouse gatherings. They even hand-carried several loads of sand to the lake to create a bathing beach along the shoreline.
Growing in number in 1935 when much of its remaining property was subdivided and sold, residents continued their tradition of banding together for the betterment of the community, including tending to the bridges and dam and planting hundreds of trees along the water’s edge. Still in existence today, the Rock Ridge Community Club has grown alongside its residential population while prioritizing care for the area’s natural landscape. Through such efforts begun over a century ago, the lake continues to be enjoyed by new generations, en-shoring its place in Morris County’s history.
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