Lakewood Fairgrounds Lake

From the air

Today's 7.6-acre pond is the southeast corner of a roughly 30-acre lake that filled the old speedway oval in 1940. It was drained by 1972 and came back much smaller.

First seen

In 1940 it is already a large lake, about 30 acres, filling the oval track and running northwest to southeast.

Dam in the lidar

Lidar shows a broad embankment under the south curve of the old track, with road fill just south. The track crest is about 890 feet, roughly 39 feet above the ground below (about 46 feet to the road fill). It merges with the track and road, so the height is medium confidence. No breach or spillway is visible.

Low water and drawdowns

• By 1968 possibly: The northwest third of the lake was dry, showing muddy bed, marsh patches and a channel. Roughly 60 to 65 percent of the 1955 water area remained. The cause is not visible.
• 1972: No standing water at all. The basin is a pale, smooth flat with a dark line at the old shoreline and small stream channels winding across the northwest. A small pond upstream, north of the track, was already dry in 1968.

Read from aerial photos taken between 1940 and 2026 and from USGS 3DEP lidar, then checked by a second reading. How the photos were read.

History

The lake began in 1875 as the reservoir of Atlanta's first public waterworks, made by damming a creek the Atlanta History Center calls Poole's Creek, about three miles south of downtown. After the city moved to a Chattahoochee River system in 1893, the site became Lakewood Park, reached by trolley from 1895. The Southeastern Fair used the grounds from 1915 or 1916 until 1975, and a speedway circled the lake. A 2005 racing article, as quoted by Wikipedia, says most of the lake has since been filled; the National Inventory of Dams lists 15 acres, USGS mapping about 7.4. Film studios lease 30 acres of the fairgrounds. 1234567

Who built it

In 1874 the city bought 375 acres from Stephen Terry, adding to 22 acres it had bought earlier from John Farrar (NRHP). By 1875 the reservoir existed, made by damming the creek about three miles south of town. The Atlanta History Center finding aid names Poole's Creek, a South River headwater, at today's Lakewood Park site. The city's history site gives a 350-foot dam. The pumping works were reported as drawing from the South River. Voters had approved a waterworks on December 7, 1870, and pumping began with a celebration on September 11, 1875. A local blog (lead only, no citations) gives the dam as 35 feet high with 25 feet of water by June 1875. 1829105

Timeline

1. 1870 (Dec. 7)Atlanta voters approve a public waterworks, 1,928 to 499. A $436,000 bid chosen two days later was superseded; in 1871 the commissioners contracted with Holly for pumping engines and Gaylord for pipe. 10
2. 1874The city buys 375 acres from Stephen Terry, adding to 22 acres it had bought earlier from John Farrar, for the waterworks site south of town. 25
3. 1875The reservoir is built by damming Poole's Creek (per the Atlanta History Center) about three miles south of the city; the dam is given as 350 feet long. Pumping from the South River site begins with a celebration on September 11. 18210
4. 1893The Hemphill Avenue plant on the Chattahoochee River is completed and the South River site is abandoned; the NRHP text says the waterworks was retired that year. One waterworks history dates the new plant to 1892. 1821011
5. 1893 or mid-1890sLakewood Park opens as a pleasure resort with picnic areas, harness races and a dance pavilion. Atlanta History Center photo records give 1893; the NRHP text says the mid-1890s. Likely 21213
6. 1895The Atlanta Electric Railway Company, formed that year, builds the Lakewood trolley line to the old reservoir; the NRHP text calls the trolley the real impetus for suburban development, spawning Lakewood Heights. 25
7. 1915The Southeastern Fair Association forms and leases Lakewood from the city as Atlanta's new fairgrounds; exhibition buildings are constructed. 514
8. 1916First Southeastern Fair held, according to the NRHP text and the Atlanta 100; Atlanta History Center photo records say the fair ran from 1915. Sources differ by a year. Likely 21215165
9. 1916 to July 4, 1917Wikipedia says a one-mile horse track was built around the lake in 1916 and opened July 4, 1917 before 23,000 people. The Atlanta History Center dates the speedway to 1938 and another Wikipedia page to the 1940s; dates conflict. Uncertain 1234
10. 1938 to 1979Atlanta History Center records date Lakewood Speedway to 1938 and say stock car racing ended in 1979; Wikipedia adds that by 1938 boat races were held in the infield lake, and gives the last race as September 3, 1979. Likely 124
11. October 1958A Cortlandt Luce photograph shows women swimming in the lake during the Southeastern Fair. 15
12. 1975The Southeastern Fair is discontinued, per Atlanta History Center records; the Atlanta 100 says it ran 'until the 1970s'. 121516
13. 1984Darlene Roth's photograph shows part of the lake; the record adds that in the 1980s the site became home to a motion picture complex, an antique flea market and an amphitheater. 121317
14. 2005A December 16, 2005 Speedway Media article by Allen Madding, as quoted by Wikipedia, says most of the lake has been filled. Wikipedia adds that by 2008 the amphitheatre's back parking lot covered turns three and four. Likely 4
15. 2010Atlanta City Council votes unanimously (May 17, 2010, per Wikipedia) to lease 30 acres to EUE/Screen Gems for studios at the fairgrounds. Likely 316
16. September 2023Cinespace Studios acquires the Atlanta studio facilities from EUE/Screen Gems, per Wikipedia (not independently confirmed). Likely 3

Names

Lakewood Reservoir / Atlanta waterworks reservoir on Poole's Creek

Name for the lake in its 1875-1893 role as the city's first water-supply reservoir. The Atlanta History Center finding aid places the first supply on 'Poole's Creek, a headwater of South River and the present site of Lakewood Park'; the NRHP text calls the feeder 'Poole's Branch'. The city's system overview calls the plant the South River plant. 12511

Lakewood Park lake

Name used after the waterworks closed, when the site became the Lakewood Park resort (Atlanta History Center photo records say it opened in 1893; the NRHP text says the mid-1890s). 21213

Lakewood Fairgrounds Lake / the lake at the Southeastern Fair

Used during the fair era (1915 or 1916 to 1975). It is also the name in the National Inventory of Dams (NID) record, which lists the stream as 'Unknown', and the GNIS name on the USGS hydrography polygon. 15367

Speedway infield lake

Wikipedia says the Lakewood Speedway track ran around the lake, so most of the infield was water. 4

The dam

The NID lists the dam as Local Government-owned, completed 1950, 23 ft high, 15 surface acres, 90 acre-feet normal storage, Low hazard, condition Not Rated, primary use Recreation, stream 'Unknown'. The 1950 date does not match the 1875 reservoir, so it is probably a later rebuild, a re-record, or a guess; no rebuild record was found. The city's Making History page gives the original 1875 dam as 350 feet long. An uncited blog puts it at about 35 ft high; treat that as unverified. USGS hydrography shows a polygon of about 7.4 acres. No Georgia EPD Safe Dams file, contract number, drawdown or spillway record was found. 8967

Year in the inventory

1950

Dam height

23 ft

Surface

15 acres

Average depth

about 6 ft

Owner type

Local Government

Figures from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ National Inventory of Dams. Its “year” is often a rebuild or survey date, and average depth is storage divided by area.

Around the lake

Water

Poole's Creek (also written Poole Creek or Poole's Branch), a South River headwater, fed the 1875 reservoir; the waterworks was also called the South River plant.

Segregation

The NRHP nomination says Lakewood Heights was primarily developed to attract working-class white workers and their families. No source was found on segregated days or facilities at the park, fair or lake itself.

Before 1861

The 1874 city purchase came from Stephen Terry (375 acres), added to 22 acres bought earlier from John Farrar; the reservoir was the city's first public supply, upstream of the later Chattahoochee system.

Visiting

Getting there

City-owned (NID owner type Local Government; Wikipedia lists the neighboring Lakewood Amphitheatre as City of Atlanta-owned and Live Nation-operated). Film studios lease 30 acres of the fairgrounds. Public access to the lake shore was not confirmed from any city or operator page, and current 2026 access was not verified.

What you can see

USGS mapping shows a waterbody named Lakewood Fairgrounds Lake of about 7.4 acres, roughly half the NID's 15 acres, on the fairgrounds. No dam markers, spillway or interpretive signs were found in the record.

Look, don’t dig. Parks, cemeteries and preserves are off limits to digging and collecting, and private land needs the owner’s permission to enter.

Open questions

• Which stream does the lake sit on? The NID says 'Unknown' while the Atlanta History Center names Poole's Creek.
• What year was the current dam built or rebuilt? NID says 1950, but the reservoir dates to 1875 and no rebuild record was found.
• How much of the lake was filled, and when? Wikipedia's 2005 source says most of it; NID says 15 acres; USGS shows about 7.4.
• Did the fairgrounds, park or lake have segregated days or facilities? No source was found; a fair-era newspaper search is needed.
• Which dates are right: park opening (1893 or mid-1890s), first fair (1915 or 1916), speedway (1917, 1938 or 1940s)?
• Is the shoreline open to the public today, and who manages the lake?

Know something? Write to hello@historyunderfoot.org. Family papers, photos and deeds often settle these.

Where to look next

• Atlanta Water Works photographs (finding aid) covering the 1875 waterworks (Atlanta History Center, Kenan Research Center)
• Lakewood Park and Lakewood Fairgrounds photographs, including the Luce 1958 series and Darlene Roth 1984 series (Atlanta History Center, via Digital Library of Georgia)
• Historic aerial photographs of Atlanta (Georgia State University collections, coverage dates to be confirmed) to see the lake and speedway before later fill (Georgia State University Library)
• USGS topographic maps covering Lakewood (likely Atlanta South), earlier and later editions, to compare lake shape (USGS TopoView)
• Atlanta Constitution and Atlanta Journal coverage of Lakewood Park (1890s) and the Southeastern Fair, plus city council records for the 1915 lease and 2010 studio lease (Georgia Historic Newspapers; Atlanta municipal archives; Legistar)

Sources

1. Atlanta Water Works photographs (finding aid) Atlanta History Center, Kenan Research Center
2. Lakewood Heights Historic District (NRHP nomination text) LivingPlaces (NRHP text)
3. Lakewood Fairgrounds Wikipedia
4. Lakewood Speedway Wikipedia
5. Lakewood Heights Historic District (NRHP nomination) National Park Service
6. National Inventory of Dams (record supplied with the lake unit, data updated 2026-09-23) USACE
7. USGS 3D Hydrography Program waterbodies (Lakewood Fairgrounds Lake polygon) USGS
8. Making History City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management
9. Lakewood Fairgrounds ATLhistory (blog)
10. Atlanta Georgia Waterworks waterworkshistory.us
11. Atlanta water system overview (CEIP) City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management
12. Lakewood Park (aerial photograph record) Digital Library of Georgia / Atlanta History Center
13. Lakewood Fairgrounds, lake photograph, 1984 Digital Library of Georgia / Atlanta History Center
14. Atlanta Parks and Recreation History timeline City of Atlanta
15. Southeastern Fair, October 1958 (Luce photograph) Digital Library of Georgia / Atlanta History Center
16. Lakewood Fairgrounds The Atlanta 100
17. Lakewood Fairgrounds, entrance photograph, 1984 Digital Library of Georgia / Atlanta History Center