WHERE'S THE LAKE? Lake Avenue and Submarine Inventor Simon Lake
By John Lauria
Ever wonder where's the lake on Lake Avenue? Perhaps you thought it referred to nearby Canoe Brook Lake. Well, during a conversation with Mickey Sciortino, he mentioned that it was named for Simon Lake (1866- 1945), who invented the commercially practical submarine that was manufactured at his plant on Seaview Avenue in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and notnamed after Canoe Brook Lake. Mickey also informed me that Simon owned and operated a farm near the intersection of what is now Lake and Madison Avenues. (The photograph is one of Simon's "Argonaut" submarines, on display in Milford, Connecticut.)
Trumbull Historical Society member Lois Levine did some land deed research and found that Simon Lake did indeed own three large parcels of land around the area at the top of Lake Avenue between 1916 and 1930. At that time Lake Avenue was known as "The Crossroad" and Madison Avenue and was called "Tashua Road." I was able to contact Simon's great-grandson, Jefferey Lake, through the Simon Lake Project and he informed me that Simon Lake had a land venture called "Top 0' Tashua Farm." He still has some cancelled checks from that account and graciously has donated one to the Trumbull Historical Society. I have scanned a copy of the 1920 "Top O' Tashua" check and included it here for all those interested to see. Simon Lake's signature is on the bottom right side of the check.
Trumbull Historical Society member Lois Levine did some land deed research and found that Simon Lake did indeed own three large parcels of land around the area at the top of Lake Avenue between 1916 and 1930. At that time Lake Avenue was known as "The Crossroad" and Madison Avenue and was called "Tashua Road." I was able to contact Simon's great-grandson, Jefferey Lake, through the Simon Lake Project and he informed me that Simon Lake had a land venture called "Top 0' Tashua Farm." He still has some cancelled checks from that account and graciously has donated one to the Trumbull Historical Society. I have scanned a copy of the 1920 "Top O' Tashua" check and included it here for all those interested to see. Simon Lake's signature is on the bottom right side of the check.
