Shelton's Lake

Shelton's Lake was a popular swimming lake in Pfafftown, Forsyth County, North Carolina. The lake was one of a series of four lakes aligned from north to south, each separated by a dam. It was in operation from 1951-1971. The lakes still exist as a part of the Shelton Lake Estates, a residential community, located just off Olivet Church Road, near its intersection with Yadkinville Road.

Shelton's Lake location on Google Maps

Shelton's Lake was once owned by Doctor Ivor Hughes Shelton (1899–1982) and Ila Tucker Shelton who had a small farm nearby. In 1950 or 1951, Doc Shelton began operating the property during the summers as a commercial swimming lake and picnic/amusement area. 

The northernmost of the four lakes is the smallest. Back in the day, when the property was in commercial operation, the second lake was used for fishing and had a covered pavilion for family cookouts and gatherings. The third lake was the swimming lake. The fourth lake was stocked with bass, fishing rights were granted to surrounding residents, and a daily fishing pass could be purchased.

The swimming lake hosted family reunions and picnics, church baptisms, and Wake Forest University parties. Doc Sheldon was heavily involved in Ardmore Methodist Church Boy Scout Troop 749 and often let the scouts camp there. 

The swimming lake was surrounded by a sandy beach. It had a wooden structure with a diving board at one end and a wooden platform in the center of the lake that still exists today.

There was a building next to the lake that had a concession stand with hot dogs, ice cream, fountain drinks (like Cherry Cokes), and frozen candy bars. There was a video game area and a jukebox for shag dancers; the music would blast out over the beach from loudspeakers. It had a locker room downstairs and a place where you could rent tubes to float on.

In 1967, while the commercial property was still in operation, Forsyth County enacted a zoning ordinance covering this area of the county. The lake property was zoned for large-lot residential development, which permitted recreational facilities but not commercial amusements. The ordinance provided that existing nonconforming uses could continue, but that once the use was voluntarily abandoned, with intent not to reestablish, it could not thereafter be reestablished.

In 1971, Doc Shelton suffered a stroke and ceased operating the lake property. In 1973, he leased it to the local YMCA, which used it through the summer of 1977. Between 1977 and 1982, the lake property was not leased or otherwise open to the public as a commercial amusement facility, it was only used by family and friends. 

In 1982, the Shelton family (Ivor’s son William H. Shelton and his wife Carolyn Shelton and William T. Shelton and his wife Lisa Shelton), acquired the property with plans to refurbish the buildings and the lake and reopen it to paying customers. The county zoning office advised the family that the commercial operation of the lake property was a nonconforming use but the family went ahead with their plans to reopen. 

In 1983, the county filed suit to enjoin the use of the lake property as a commercial amusement. A jury trial followed, focusing on the issue of voluntary abandonment before 1982. The jury found for the county and a judgment was entered on 14 May 1982 restraining the operation of the lake property as a commercial amusement. The judgment was appealed and upheld. The property was later developed and formed Shelton Lake Estates, a residential community.

As a teenager, I went to Shelton's Lake many times with friends to swim and hang out.