Round Lake (Images of America)

In 1867, “The Little Village in the Grove” began as the Round Lake Camp Meeting Association. Forty acres of land adjacent to a beautiful lake were purchased by the Troy Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church to hold revivals. Round Lake Village emerged from a camp meeting site, attracting as many as 20,000 revivalists on summer weekends to become a center for education and culture.In 1884, camp meeting trustees planned and constructed a 2,000-seat indoor meeting space called Round Lake Auditorium, which has remained the village’s social center. Full streets of Victorian-style homes were built. Hotels, a science museum, and centers for education along with resident halls were constructed, which sadly have not survived. Today, the village’s long, narrow streets of beautiful historic homes with distinctive porches remain from the early days of the village.Ron Kase is a sociologist residing in New Jersey. He is a retired professor of social science and senior academic administrator. He discovered Round Lake while visiting the area and understood the untold story of a magical place should be shared with everyone. Scott Rigney is Round Lake’s village historian. Rigney and his extended family have been residents of the village since 1966. He is president of the Association to Preserve/Protect/Plan Round Lake and is actively involved with every endeavor related to the village’s future.  Read more