JACKSON TWP. – Tom Gibbins never gets tired of looking out his front door at Lake Cable, a “scenic paradise” where he’s lived and worked for decades.
The lake community is celebrating a milestone this year by reaching the century mark.
Gibbins, who served as lake manager from 1981 to 2020, said some official records appear a little murky from the early days, but most agree construction kicked off in 1923 and likely ran until 1926.
“2026 has seemed like a good time to celebrate 100 years,” said Gibbons, who called the waterway one of the gems in Stark County. “It’s special around here.”
Lake Cable, a 150-acre man-made waterway and residential neighborhood, was built by land excavators and brothers Dueber and Austin Cable, according to the Lake Cable Recreation Association’s website. The association was formed not long after the lake was constructed.
The Cable brothers used one steam shovel and horse-drawn plows to dig out the lake. The property had been mostly farmland they had purchased.
The private membership lake today is a popular spot for fishing, pontoon boating and swimming, as well as kayaking and paddle boarding.
Working and living at Lake Cable for nearly five decades has been an honor and pleasure, said Gibbins, who — with a smile — referred to his former management role as occasionally time consuming.
“It would be a 24-7 job, and I lived it that way,” Gibbins, 75, said from his Overlook Circle NW home. He recalled knocks on the door during late hours alerting him about nonmembers fishing on the shoreline or kids being on the water after dark.
“I never got tired of it. It was never hard to help out good people and friends,” he added.
Lake Cable: ‘It’s just nice here and friendly with good people.’
John Sweany, a 1965 graduate of Timken High School who grew up in Canton, said he used to “sneak onto the lake” with friends as a kid to go fishing. For the past few years, he’s lived at the lake on Lake Cable Avenue.
“It’s just nice here and friendly with good people,” said Sweany, a local architect. “I have family in the area. So it’s worth staying around for the fishing and activities.”
Lake Cable has a beach available to its members, as well as the public for a daily per-person rate. There’s a lake clubhouse used for social gatherings, such as graduation parties, anniversaries, craft shows, wedding receptions and live music. The community also features one of Stark County’s oldest shopping centers, built in 1945 and 1951.
A monumental lake project that Gibbins oversaw was the 1995 dredging effort. He said the hydraulic operation cost about $2.1 million and assessed about $4,000 to the properties of each member. The project was the first at the lake and hasn’t been done since.
Water is fed into Lake Cable by a series of natural springs, according to the lake’s website. It was originally created as a recreational and summer getaway and cooling-off spot. Today, there are around 500 members. The region has more than 700 homes that span 400 acres.
Lifetime Lake Cable member recalls father’s roles as lake manager, patrolman, fish club member
Marlene Bolea moved to the lake with her parents, Chuck and Nadine, in 1956. Her father served on the fishing committee for several years and later as lake manager in the 1960s.
She recalled a unique process done to raise fish, as eggs were placed in tall glass jars and stirred with a feather. After hatching, the fish would rise to the lip of the jar and be flowed into larger jars to grow. Once reaching the right age, fish would be placed in a small hatchery pond along Pinedrive Circle NW and later be netted and transferred into the main waterway.
Bolea’s sister, Darlene, worked in the lake office during the summertime when their father was manager. He oftentimes doubled as the lake patrolman.
“Lake Cable has changed a lot from those early days,” said Bolea, a retired schoolteacher from Jackson Local Schools. “Larger homes have gone up, traffic has increased, but the members still try to keep the friendly kindship that was there when my parents moved us here in 1956.”
Bolea said she’s encouraged by the recent return of the annual boat parade, and the scheduling of more activities like picnics and dances.
“I’m hopeful the lake will stay a vital part of the community it serves,” she added.
Multiple events under the banner of “100 years of community, memories and fun” were open to members and their visitors to help celebrate the century mark on July 11. The family-friendly event — organized by Emily McMullin and Jim Barkett — included a free lunch, games, food trucks, a water ski show and live music.
Lake Cable trustee lauds 100 years, notes future additions to facilities
Kurt Leibensperger, a Lake Cable board trustee, said the 100-year anniversary shows the success of the lake.
“A century of doing anything is worth celebrating,” said Leibensperger, who’s resided at the lake since 2019. “This is a wonderful community and beautiful place to be a part of.”
Looking ahead, Leibensperger said lake members will see upgrades to the clubhouse, including a new roof and interior improvements. A new Chloe’s Diner with a patio down the road at the old gas station building along Fulton Drive NW are also in the works.
“People love what’s here now, and there’s a lot more to look forward to,” he said.
Reach Steven Grazier at steven.grazier@indeonline.com. On X (formerly Twitter): @sgrazierINDE
This article originally appeared on The Independent: Lake Cable celebrates 100th anniversary. What’s the history behind this ‘scenic paradise?’
Reporting by Steven M. Grazier, Massillon Independent / The Independent
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Steven M. Grazier, Massillon Independent | USA TODAY Network
