The Origin of Danbury’s 70-Year-Old Hidden Gem Lake Waubeeka

Tucked away in the quiet woodlands just off Route 7 between Danbury and Ridgefield is the gated community of Lake Waubeeka, which turned 70-years-old this year and has an extraordinary meaning the iconic singer/songwriter Carole King.

Calling themselves the 'Eternal Light Society,' the Jewish members of the New York City Fire Department began searching for a summer camp experience for their children. They organized a Camp Committee to scout locations where they could arrange an economic group "deal" for the children of their members, according to the website lakewaubeeka.org. 

During the tail end of 1949, Sid Klein, the committee chairman, began scouting out several camps and discovered that they could be built rather inexpensively. After completing his research, he gathered everyone together and informed them that if enough members chipped in, they might be able to buy their own property and create their own camp.

On May 10, 1950, more than 100 members of the committee told Klein they were 'in,' but instead of a camp just for their kids, they decided to search for a summer vacation community for entire families, and that's when the serious land search began.

Get our free mobile app

Real estate broker Donald Joseph contacted Sid Klein. He told him of a property owned by the Hiram Kellogg estate in Danbury that was up for sale and consisted of 606 beautiful acres along with a 50-acre pristine lake. The deal was done, and the Lake Waubeeka Community was born.

It took roughly 10 years to clear the land and build 200 homes, but when it was completed, it became a "beautifully thriving summer community." Then, in 1954, after the roads were finally completed, the Board of Directors decided to name the streets after some of the residents' children.

The first street to be named was after founding father Sid Klein's daughter Carol, who spent her summers with the family at Lake Waubeeka while growing up.  Carol eventually changed her name to Carole King. Yes, that Carole King.