The lake was formed by building Spaulding Dam across Sugar Creek, a tributary of the Sangamon River.

It also borders Abraham Lincoln Memorial Garden, a local arboretum, and the Henson Robinson Zoo.

[3] The first historically documented settlement of the valleys of Sugar and Lick Creeks, now part of Lake Springfield, took place in the 1810s.

[4] The Edwards Trace, an ancient road between Kaskaskia and Peoria, ran along the eastern side of the valley.

[4] Also known as "Crow's Mill", the town was the site of a quarry that produced the limestone for the Old State Capitol in Springfield.

[6] Route 66 passed through the valley and the town of Cotton Hill until it was rerouted to the east to the present-day alignment of Interstate 55.

In the end, however, federal relief programs such as the Works Progress Administration paid much of the lake's $5.64 million cost.

Leander Shoup had to be "escorted from his land by the sheriff and ten deputies," according to a City Water, Light and Power history of the lake.

Some activities include skiing, wakeboarding, windsurfing, sailing, tubing, kayaking, paddle boarding.

Lincoln Memorial Gardens is located on the east side of the lake, and offers trails and other exhibits.

There are fish fries, slo-pitch softball tournaments, and other various activities that take place at the clubs located on Lake Springfield.