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This small pond was created in 1908 when Big Hunting Creek was dammed to power electric generators for Thurmont. In 1955, it was dedicated to Frank Bentz Sr., the public relations director for the Game and Inland Fish Commission, who was a key figure in the original restoration of the pond. Sadly, the pond is slowly filling up with silt and will eventually become unfishable without dredging. In 2011, Thurmont approved a plan to conduct a second restoration that would stabilize the pond for at least another 50 years.
Given the pond’s small size and location in a residential community bordering a well-established, large trailer park, this pond sees more than its fair share of pressure. As a result of the siltation, the pond is shallow with the deepest area near the water outtake at the southeast corner of the lake. The bank is reachable where it borders the parking area on the south and from a short patch of grass adjacent to the trailer park on the north. The remainder of the shoreline is packed with dense brush.
Getting There: From Frederick, MD head north on US 15. Exit onto MD 77W and follow it to the Pond.
Access Point: Parking off of MD 77 (39.620895,-77.424469)
Secrets Revealed? No. This is a very public location that is documented in Maryland DNR website.
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Unless stated otherwise, this article was authored by Steve Moore