Records indicate that by the early 1600s [Grand Lake] was inhabited by Maliseet and Mi’kmaq peoples.

[2] Commercial barges of forest products were towed across the lake from a large sawmill in Chipman to a pulp mill in Saint John until the late 1990s.

Other commercial activities included New Brunswick's largest coal mining area with extensive strip mines in the Newcastle Creek valley.

Today, the lake is popular for recreational activities for both locals and visitors, with several beaches, cottages, and campgrounds along its shores.

This large body of water acts as a heat sink, moderating local temperatures and creating the warmest climate in the province which extends the growing season.