Anyone who's been around Clarkdale for awhile, might remember when Peck's Lake was the centerpiece of weekends---a parklike atmosphere with swans, a golf course, boat races and families enjoying picnics. It seems difficult for newcomers to visualize what a vibrant place the lake area once was.
The lake was built out of a large meander in the Verde River. The shallow lake, for much of its existence, pulled most of its water from the Verde River through a tunnel on the northwest corner of the property downstream from the slag pile.
The lake was built to provide water for the smelter and recreation for the smelter community. It included a nine-hole golf course, a dance hall, and a clubhouse. Until 2003, the town of Clarkdale leased the lake and surrounding property from Phelps Dodge and made it available to the public for fishing and other forms of recreation. After the lease expired, Phelps Dodge, which was acquired by Freeport-McMoran in 2007, closed the property to the public.
In 1864 Ed. G. Peck secured the first hay contract to provide 300 tons of hay at $30 a ton, to be cut with hoes, to be taken to Ft. Whipple. In addition to the hay contract, Peck and his associates are credited with building the first wagon road into the Verde Valley from Ft. Whipple. In 1868, the Verde River was full of beaver dams and was confined to an even channel, as it is now. In 1870, the lake was about 1.2 miles long and some 300 yards in width which hosted cranes, ducks, geese, mud-hens and other waterfowl. Deer and antelope were plentiful. In 1875, M. A. "Andy" Ruffner was the first to claim land near Peck's Lake. Later that year the family of William Hawkins arrived and bought "improvements" and squatter's rights from Mr. Ruffner. Staking mineral claims in the Black Hills, Hawkins "Eureka" and "Wade Hampton" became part of the United Verde Copper Company. The water from the Verde River which had been diverted through a dam is currently not in use since it was severely damaged by floodwaters in early 2018. 
Photo shows a large crowd at Peck's Lake. Notice the Clark Mansion in the distance.
Peck’s Lake was often the destination for U. S. Army scouts and soldiers from 1865-1891, from Ft. Verde, originally named Camp Lincoln in honor of Abraham Lincoln, recently assassinated. One of the fort’s surgeons, Edgar Mearns and his wife Ella (on white horse) and Mearns (left to her in photo) frequently visited the lake to collect both plants and animals for study. He was an American surgeon, ornithologist, and field naturalist. He prepared specimens of birds which were given to the Smithsonian Institution founded in 1846. From 1882 to 1899 he served in the military as a surgeon and a medical officer in several army posts. The quality of Army doctors varied, some had almost no formal training, others were medical school graduates, such as Edgar Mearns. With few medicines and being isolated, their job was a difficult one. Among the most notable were Dr. Edward Palmer, Dr. Elliot Coues, and Edgar Mearns. By 1882, the Post became less important. It was abandoned in 1891 to the Department of the Interior which sold it at a public auction. The park was established in 1970 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.
photo from the CHSM collection
update contributed by Cindy Emmett
contact info@clarkdalemuseum.org with questions or comments