Beekman Park is a small local park in the census-designated place of Amenia, part of Dutchess County, New York. It is located on U.S. Route 44 and is visible off New York State Route 22 and New York State Route 343. In 1974, the land upon which the park is located was sold to the Town of Amenia by Walter Beekman for the sum of $1. The park was officially opened in 1983. Before the park existed, it was the site of Lake Amenia, formed in the 1920s by a freshwater dam over a sawmill pond at the intersection of Lake Amenia Road and West Lake Amenia Road. The dam's original use was to power a nearby saw mill where, with the new lake in place, people now had the opportunity to swim. During the 1920s, the lake became surrounded by cottages, pavilions, docks, and some railings. Lake Amenia remained intact for another 30 years, however, in 1955, Hurricane Diane struck the area and eradicated any trace of the lake. The storm's heavy rains caused the lake's water gates to fail. The resulting flood drained the lake. This area is now part of the New York State Wetlands. In 1974, the land that makes up the park, including the remains of the lake, now the wetlands, were sold to the Town of Amenia for a single dollar, by Walter Beekman. Groups of volunteers began construction on the park, which included ball fields. The park officially opened in 1983, with the first Little League games being played on one of their fields, with two more fields soon after. The park remains in active use to this date. History of Lake Amenia On the site of Beekman Park was the former Lake Amenia, a shallow, one and a half acre-wide freshwater lake in the center of Amenia. The lake first originated as a millpond for a local corn and grain mill in the area. Eventually, the mill changed over to a sawmill, and during the 1920s, a dam was built in the millpond, creating Lake Amenia. The lake had two streams that flowed water in and out of the body. One ran near the local pizzeria and one ran near the current-day tennis courts. The freshwater lake became an instant tourist destination two hours north of New York City. People took advantage of the lake, including Beekman and Beekman Inc., a tourist