32 September 2023
e lure of the lake
Fall brings a transformation at Hope Mills Lake as seasonal colors and quiet reflection
make it a gathering place for a close-knit community.
BY LISA CARTER WARING
T
here are few things more beautiful as fall approaches
than watching the transformation at Hope Mills Lake.
e 88-acre lake is in the heart of downtown Hope
Mills. In autumn, the pointed green needles of the old
bald cypress trees that skirt the entirety of its shores
begin to change, gradually transforming into a brilliant orange-red
prior to falling to the ground with the coming of winter.
People in kayaks and canoes steadily paddle their way to the
seldom seen "backside" of the lake to take in the vibrant colors at the
peak of fall.
Autumn's bright blue skies reflect on the lake to make the water
appear a more vivid blue. As the bustle of summer activities slows
down and the days grow a little quieter, the lake becomes a place for
peace and thoughtful reflection.
For nearly two centuries, all these natural changes at the lake have
served as signals to the Hope Mills community that fall is just around
the corner. Many years ago, the late former Mayor Al Brafford told me
that the trees that circle the lake form what he thought looked like a
"ring of fire" each fall. Aer that, I never looked at the seasonal foliage
around the lake without thinking about what he said.
Fort Liberty soldiers Jacob Little and Spencer Money visit Hope Mills Lake for the first time after hearing
of others' success fishing there. Photo by Tony Wooten
FEATURE
