The True Story Behind the Myths and Mysteries of Searsville Lake

Bay Curious

KQED

History, Society & Culture, Places & Travel

4.9 • 999 Ratings

🗓️ 20 May 2021

⏱️ 12 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Bay Curious listener David Mattea grew up in foggy Daly City. He remembers his family driving down the Peninsula to get some sun at a man-made beach on the Stanford campus. He wants to know what happened to it? Well, Searsville Lake is no longer open to the public, but rumors about the place are plentiful, including one about Leland Stanford flooding a town to create it, Additional Reading: The Real History Behind The Myths and Mysteries of Stanford's Searsville Lake Why Can't You Swim In Most Bay Area Lakes? Vote for what we should cover next! Reported by Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Suzie Racho and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Erika Aguilar, Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Paul Lancour, Carly Severn, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez.

Transcript

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0:00.0	From K-Q-QED.
0:03.0	Before my family moved to the Bay Area, I lived in Maryland where summers are hot.
0:09.0	I spent almost every day, all day at our local pool.
0:13.0	And even though I love the Bay Area, it just doesn't feel like summer without those lazy days
0:18.4	of sunbathing, vending machine treats, and hours in the water.
0:23.3	So I was intrigued when Bay Curious listener David Mataya said in the 1970s his family used to drive a half
0:29.5	hour south from their home in Foggy Daily City for some fun in the sun at a place
0:34.2	called Searsville Lake. David now lives in Rona Park but he wants to know
0:39.0	whatever became of Searsville lake on the peninsula.
0:42.8	Today on the show, we're diving into local swimming lore,
0:45.9	complete with man-made beaches and Swedish high divers.
0:49.7	Plus, did Leland-Stamford really flood a town to make this lake? I'm Katrina Schwartz and this is Bay Curious.
1:00.0	Support for Bay Curious is brought to you by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company,
1:06.7	still family owned, operated, and argued over.
1:10.0	Explore their brews wherever fine beverages are sold and taste how trailblazing runs in the family.
1:16.5	Visit Sierra Nevada.com to find your new favorite beer today.
1:21.0	Mention the peninsula and you know we have to call in our resident Peninsula maven, Rachel Myro.
1:28.0	Hey Katrina.
1:29.0	When I think of the lakes on the peninsula Rachel I think of those pretty blue
1:33.4	lakes you see west of 280 between like Sam Bruno and Redwood City. As it happens
1:39.3	Katrina those two reservoirs the Crystal reservoirs, were built by the same outfit that built the
1:46.2	Searsville Dam back in the late 19th century.
	...

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