The Macoupin County History book published by the Historical Society in 1979 reads: "Beavers built a dam across the stream flowing westward towards the Macoupin Crrek and created a small shallow lake. In the early 1890's, eighteen influential men from Carlinville leased the grounds from the owner, Henry Brayford, and formed the Beaver Dam Lake Club. They spent $2600 to build an earthen dam on each end of the lake, raising the water level to form a larger lake. Henry Brayford owned 711 acres and was a coal miner by trade. In 1899, he began the task of digging a shaft and, at a depth of 144 feet, found a vein of coal six feet deep. Before he could open the mine, he died in December 1900. One of his daughters was Mrs. Sarah Rhoads, wife of Frank Rhoads. In 1901, Mr. & Mrs. Frank Rhoads took over the property and operated a small 16 room hotel and resort. The hotel was a two-story building. Fishing was $1 per day, and lodging was advertised at $2 per night when the lodge opened in 1901. Outdoor camping was allowed, but Mrs. Rhoads would not allow women campers. Guests arriving by train were met by a large horse-drawn coach at Maocupin Station and taken to the hotel. With the advent of the automobile, the transit business disappeared and the hotel was later closed. In 1947, the property consisting of 425 acres north of the hard road was sold to the State of Illinois and made into a State Park. The top floor of the hotel was removed, and the building was converted into a ranger's residence. The State rebuilt, raising the dams at each end of the lake, and developed a lake of 59 acres. In 1955, add'tl land purchased to the west of the park increased the total park acreage to 737 acres." Jim Frank has prepared an eight page history of Beaver Dam State Park and is going to provide me with a copy, which I will mail to Gloria Shipp Frazier for incorporation on the home page, if she so desires. Jim is presenting a program to the Home Extension tomorrow at Carlinville, and is assisting the Division of Natural Resources in an article which will be published in Outdoor Illinois in April. Jim states he has a listing of the Greenwalts that were buried at Beaver Dam Park that were inadvertently left out of the Tombstone Revelations Book published by the Historical Society.