Silver Lake at dawn, on 140lb watercolor paper. The lake that gives the Village of Silver Lake its name is a spring-fed body of water in Summit County with a history stretching back well before European settlement. It was originally known as Wetmore's Pond, named for Judge William Wetmore, an agent for the Connecticut Land Company, who built a cabin overlooking the lake in 1808 when the area was still part of Portage County. Local lore records Wetmore's friendly and conscientious dealings with the Native Americans — likely Seneca — who inhabited a populous village between the lake and the Cuyahoga River, though the tribe eventually left the area during the War of 1812. The lake later became the centerpiece of a thriving resort destination: Cleveland businessman Ralph Hugh Lodge opened Silver Lake Amusement Park on the site in 1875, a popular regional resort accessible by rail that featured boating, swimming, a massive dance pavilion, a freshwater aquarium, an airfield, and a "Chautauqua park" with prominent speakers. At its peak, the 600-acre park drew over 10,000 visitors per day, becoming one of the biggest attractions in Ohio, before ultimately being sold in 1917 and subdivided for the residential community that was incorporated the following year. Today the lake remains at the heart of the village, lending both its name and its scenic character to the community that grew up around its shores.
