It was created in 1955 by impounding the South Fork of Grassy Creek in order to supply the community with water as the existing reservoir, now the centerpiece of nearby JB Miller Park was unable to keep up with demand.

With more than 365 surface acres of water including seasonable accessible tributaries, just over 7 miles from end to end and 28 miles of shoreline, the lake has attracted well over 300 summer cottages and year-round homes which line nearly every originally available plot on the lake.

The city is the only entity legally allowed to remove and sell water from the lake to surrounding communities.

There are two main boat ramps available for launch: The Williamstown Marina is a public access point with a modest launch fee which has fuel, a small convenience store, Dockside Pizza and Pub (seasonal) restaurant and another now known as Lemons Landing (formerly Ruby's Boat Dock) which is subscription based with no public parking.

Restrictions imposed by Williamstown City Council in 2021 due to heavy recreational use of the lake are as follows: [1][2]