photo courtesy of Project Manager Audrey Wendolowski On July 13, 2001, the 76 acre lake - known for many years as "Parvin's Pond" after its former owners - now known as Rainbow Lake was purchased by the Green Acres Program. Located in Pittsgrove Township, Salem County, it was originally created as a source of power for a saw mill or a grist mill by damming off the Muddy Run, a tributary to the Maurice River, as it flows on its way to Union Lake. A mill was located on the east downstream side, but was almost completely gone by the 1960's. On the west side near a house that is also part of this acquisition, the remains of an ice storage building can still be found. During the first half of the 20th century, the lake served as a source of recreation for vacationers from Philadelphia and New York. People would arrive by train to the towns of Rosenhayn or Norma and stay at the numerous boarding houses and inn within two or three miles of the lake. The inns provided rooms, meals, tennis courts, golf and shuffleboard for their guests. But mainly the vacationers would walk or ride down to the lake to enjoy swimming, boating or fishing. On the east side of the lake stood a roller skating pavilion that jutted over the lake by forty or fifty feet. This was destroyed in a fire in January 1951. Looking Southeast at the Ruins of the Roller Skating Rink, January 1951 During the 50's, 60's, and 70's, the inns and boarding homes closed down as people chose to vacation along the New Jersey coast rather than at the southern New Jersey lakes. Only local folks swam in the lake until eventually the backyard pool replaced that as well. The Rainbow Lake Hotel and the Richard Farm west of the lake were the last places patronized by vacationers in the 60's and early 70's. The hotel is gone, replaced by a furniture store, and Richards Farm was sold. For the past 25 years, Rainbow Lake has been essentially inaccessible to all but those who live along the lake. Fortunately, the State's acquisition of this South Jersey gem will provide a place for the public to enjoy boating and fishing once again as Rainbow Lake Wildlife Management Area. Thanks to Lee Widjeskog, Division of Fish & Wildlife, for his personal recollections of Rainbow Lake.