Named after the Gardner family who owned a large portion of the surrounding land, the 529-acre (214 ha) lake has been expanded in size with the construction of a 168-foot (51 m) earthen dam.

LeCount raised up his fully furnished house and placed it on sleds and waited until February 1895 when the lake was frozen.

For years, the house was the preserve of children who fished from it in summer and ice skated through it in the winter, but an enduring tale told by fishermen is that its piano could be heard playing on quiet nights.

The land was acquired from the estate of Carmine Belardo and returned a beach to public service that had been a private resort for 60 years.

Concerns included littering, unkempt toilets, swimmers going outside the designated zone and police arresting almost three times as many visitors from 2011.

[4] This state park designated area is primarily to provide boating and recreational access to the lake, though there is also a small beach for visitors to use.

website advises visitors to the tiny island to use a kayak to access it because the it is heavily wooded and difficult to find a spot to dock.

[6] The property was named Camp Charmarlou, an acronym from Fuller's three daughters, and contained a house and an artist's studio.

It was later renamed Hopemead, literally "Hope Meadow", by the Fuller daughters who believed it to be a sanctuary with spiritual overtones.

The area is patrolled by the Montville police and it costs the majority of annual budget, but the service was seen as beneficial to ensure the safety of boaters and enforcing the rules.