Welcome to Rainbow Lake

Rainbow Lake and the surrounding area were developed in the 1930s and 1940s by Willie Winthrop, a developer who envisioned a string of lakes and summer homes here in Ridgefield. Three lakes were created: Wataba Lake, Fox Hill Lake, and the lake running along south of Lakeside Drive. Many of us now know Wataba Lake as Rainbow Lake; however, most town and state maps refer to it as Wataba.

Most of Rainbow Lake's original homes remain, along with some of more recent construction. Stone foundations and chimneys are a mark of the original cottages and can still be seen, although many have undergone considerable renovation.

After passing through several owners, the lake was purchased in 1985 by the Ridgefield Lakes Association. The Association was chartered in 1943 and has assumed stewardship of the lake and surrounding roads for several decades. Membership in the Association is open to all families who reside with the Association's boundaries. While many families have discovered the beauty of the lake in recent years, some have enjoyed "Ridgefield's best kept secret" long enough to have second and third generation swimmers, boaters and fisherman.

Rainbow Lake in the Forties

The image below shows what the area used to look like in the 1940s when it was still a part of Outpost Farm.

Copyright Rainbow Lake 2003. All rights reserved.