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"A Currier and Ives-like postcard portrays a peaceful West Thompson, a town once tucked away in the northeast corner of the state. The waters of the Quinebaug River sweep peacefully over a small dam and under an iron trestle bridge. Small houses and a mill line the quaint street near the bridge.I recently stood on the banks of West Thompson Lake along an abandoned road, its asphalt crumbling as the water lapped across it. In the distance, the footings of the old metal bridge can be seen in the middle of the lake. It&amp;#8217;s one of the only remnants of town that remains.Welcome to West Thompson after the storm of 1955 and the construction of the West Thompson dam in the early 1960s &amp;#8212; the fifth and final project by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to control the waters of the Quinebaug River and French River and other waterways in eastern Connecticut.The dam and lake is part of the 1,857-acre West Thompson Dam Recreation Area that is filled with miles of hiking trails along the banks of the lake and through the deep pine forests that surround it. It&amp;#8217;s also home to secret and not-so-secret fishing spots, campgrounds and even a disc golf course.The 200-acre lake with its huge earthen dam and slopes of large rocks can store up to 8.7 billion gallons &amp;#8212; the equivalent of a storm that dumps up to 9 inches of rain over a 74-square-mile area. So basically those catestrophically damaging floods of 1936, 1938 and 1955 are unlikely to happen again.The view from the top of the dam as you travel along West Thompson Road to the parking lot is spectacular with the hills of eastern Connecticut sprawled before you with a valley of blue water below.There is a fascinating informational kiosk that showcases the history of West Thompson through maps and old photos of what was once there. The kiosk includes photos of the construction of the dam and photos of the flooding caused by the great storms of the first half of the 20th century.One of my favorite stories is the plight of the Methodist Church that once stood in town. The 120-year-old church was dismantled in 1963 and moved to Belmont, Mass. becoming a chapel for Belmont High School. The 10,000 pieces, including 65-foot-long beams and granite foundation blocks were all transported to the Boston suburb and rebuilt.&amp;#8220;In its new location,&amp;#8221; read a Hartford Courant article on the move, &amp;#8220;the West Thompson church will have another distinction &amp;#8212; it will be the oldest church there.&amp;#8221;The &amp;#8220;Shoreline Trail&amp;#8221; is a four-mile loop along the banks of the lake. It begins from the parking area and loops around the entire lake, including a pair of huge drains near the dam&amp;#8217;s spillway where the water plunges out of the lake like water in a bathtub.From the parking area, the trail winds past a picturesque swamp that seems to be a favorite of those who enjoy fishing. From here the trail travels along a dusty road through a vast field populated by bobolink and eastern meadowlark. The trail connects to the banks and has wonderful views of the lake and its islands.The trail once ran around the entire lake, but a bridge along the northern portion was removed. The stone abutments can be seen, but there is no access across and hikers must go another 1.5 miles to Red Bridge Road and another nearly two miles down the eastern banks of the Quinebaug River to return to it.Visitors looking for a long hike can take the 7.5-mile Quinebaug River Trail which passes through the forested portions of the recreation area and past small ponds and huge pine stands. The trail passes through the entire northern portion of the recreation area.The eastern side of the lake is more &amp;#8220;developed&amp;#8221; and includes the campground and 18-hole disc golf course. Just north of the campground is the &amp;#8220;Lost Trail&amp;#8221; noted by blue markers. This forested trail runs in a 1.2-mile loop. Also visitors can travel along Old West Thompson Road, now a spit of land protruding into the vast lake.The names are like ghosts: Sayles Farm, Breault&amp;#8217;s Repair and Antique Shop, Lee&amp;#8217;s General Store and the Methodist Church. While West Thompson may have vanished, in its place is a splendid natural world to explore.Interstate 395 to exit for Route 12. Take a left on Riverside Drive and a right on West Thompson Road. Follow across the dam and look for the parking area on the right. Visit http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/Recreation/West-Thompson-Lake/ for a hiking map."
<https://www.courant.com/hc-news-outdoors-west-thompson-lake-20180519-story.html>