Death at geist reservoir1/19/2024 Unlike Geist, it does not have public access or recreational opportunities.īenjamin Easley, coordinator of corporate and public affairs for Citizens Energy Group, said Geist Reservoir’s primary purpose continues to be as a water supply reservoir for the Indianapolis water system. The company opened Citizens Reservoir in late 2020. Both reservoirs are now owned by Citizens Energy Group.Ĭitizens Energy Group recently developed a new reservoir – Citizens Reservoir - in an old limestone quarry right next to Geist to store even more water for dry periods. That reservoir is deeper but has less surface area than Geist. later built another reservoir northwest of Noblesville called Morse Reservoir, named for the water company’s CEO Howard Morse. Development quickly bloomed and spread after that, and quite a bit of the shoreline is now developed. Hahn said a company called Shorewood started looking into the real estate market there in the 1960s, but the first housing developments weren’t constructed until the 1980s. Housing along Geist Reservoir also took time to develop. According to various Indiana fishing websites, it’s known for bass and catfish. Hahn said fish from Fall Creek populated the reservoir, and it was stocked by the Indiana Conservation Department. (Photo used with permission from Indiana Historical Society, M1400)Īround 1971, speedboats were allowed on the water. The old Roberts Mill Bridge at Geist Reservoir. “They did have a sailing club that opened in 1955, so gradually some of these restrictions began to lift,” Hahn said. Hahn said boating by permit began in 1953, but even then, people couldn’t use their own boats. They did have a couple areas for picnics, but it wasn’t the kind of recreation area or development that we see today.” There was no residential development during that time. “When they first opened it, it was restricted as far as what people could use it for - almost a wildwood area,” Hahn said. And that was pretty much its only function for many years. Hahn said the reservoir did what it was intended to do - supplement the water needs for the growing city of Indianapolis. Upon completion, it became the second-largest man-made lake in Indiana. It officially opened for business in 1943, and was named for Clarence Geist, who died before construction even began. Work on Geist Reservoir started in 1941, which included clearing land, building a dam and redirecting water from Fall Creek. That community had been established in 1834, according to its history page on the “This is Fishers” website. The company, led by owner and president Clarence Geist, started buying up what was then mostly farmland in the area surrounding Fall Creek, along with one small community called Germantown. They started looking at land that is now Geist Reservoir.” “The natural supply they were getting from the White River and Fall Creek wasn’t going to be sufficient. “At that time, they did a report looking at the future water needs of Indianapolis,” she said. She said the reservoir was developed by the Indianapolis Water Co., and planning for the large project started in the late 1920s. Suzanne Hahn is vice president of Archives and Library with the Indiana Historical Society. It was built with a very practical purpose in mind, and recreation was restricted for many decades. Geist Reservoir is a place for summer outdoor fun, with boating, fishing and swimming opportunities.
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