Bygone Hudson Valley

Modena Lake, also referred to as Cole’s Pond, or “the Old Hasbrouck Pond,” was a popular destination in the town of Plattekill, as evidenced by the many postcards and images that capture scenes around the lake. (Later newspapers would often refer to it as Lembo Lake, confusing it with the nearby lake on the Lembo property.) Modena Lake was once part of the extensive tract of land owned by John Cole and later J.E. Hasbrouck. It was a well-loved site for fishing and local conservation groups would stock the pond each year. Swimming, boating and ice-skating drew crowds to the lake as well, with one local newspaper columnist cautioning the young men of the town to stop skinny-dipping there, as it was “too close to the turnpike for such activity.”

Bungalows were built around the lake in the 1920s and 1930s for use as summer residences and a Y.W.C.A. camp operated there for several years. The lake also played an important role in daily Modena life, as ice was harvested each winter and stored in J.E. Hasbrouck’s icehouses and a water tower was constructed to help with fire suppression along the nearby railroad line. Civic groups such as the Modena 4-H and the Plattekill Ladies Aid would plan outings to the lake and would hold their meetings in the bungalows during the winter months. Over time, the property around the lake was sold off and developed, the “turnpike” road crossing it widened and improved to become today’s Route 44-55, and the water quality altered due to pollution and increased human activity, bringing the days of Modena Lake as a community center to an end. Today, the last reminders of that earlier time can be seen in the anglers who still fish the lake from the road, diners at John Fazio’s BBQ enjoying views of the lake in summer months and in some of the remaining Modena Lake bungalows that are private homes today.