Located twenty miles from Boston, Lake Cochituate is a popular freshwater recreation area. With swimming, boating, and grounds for picnicking, Lake Cochituate State Park in Natick is a top destination during the summer. Visiting any time of the year though, the sparkling waters are a much-needed respite from the highly trafficked roads of the Mass Pike, and Routes 9 and 30. Ironically, the state park is only a stone’s throw away from the Golden Triangle of shopping plazas with the Natick Mall visible from its shore.
Lake Life–a History
The lake was formed when a dam was built beginning in 1846. It was used as a reservoir for drinking water for the city of Boston until 1951 when it was replaced with the Quabbin and Wachusett Reservoirs. The aqueduct system for water stemming from the lake can still be seen in towns, including Wellesley and Newton, with apparatus and trails above the route of the aqueduct. It ended at the Brookline Reservoir. The Cochituate Water Company also had a water tower that was built to look like a Bavarian castle erected on Fort Hill in Roxbury. The water tower was known as the Cochituate Stand Pipe.
After its use as a public water supply, the lake was best known for two things–recreation and brewing beer. Carling Brewing Company from Canada opened up a state of the art facility “on the shores of beautiful Lake Cochituate” as the radio jingle proclaimed. The brewery operation lasted from 1956 until 1976. Make sure to watch the behind the scenes tour of the Natick factory in the Youtube video below. The land and building that were brewery-owned eventually became the offices of Boston Scientific and more recently, Mathworks. Carling in Natick faded away completely two years ago in 2018 when the wrecking ball claimed the last of the original Carling facility.
Black Label beer
Carling was and is still today known for its Black Label beer. The ads with the phrase “Hey Mabel, Black Label” were extremely catchy (as can be seen with the link.) I was able to get my hands on one via my cousins arriving from Philadelphia. The taste is pretty standard for a major domestic beer. Today the brewery is owned and operated as a subsidiary of Molson Coors. It can still be found throughout Canada but is harder to find in the States.
I personally do not remember the brewery’s location but I do recall the Cloverleaf Mall. After a trip into Boston during which I’m guessing I was promised a visit to a toy store that didn’t happen, my parents pulled off the Mass Pike in Natick to search this now-razed mall for my toy. Don’t worry, I got one. As I recall, it was a Monster in My Pocket. I’m sure afterward we had dinner at Popeye’s at the Mass Pike rest stop in Framingham.
Lake Cochituate State Park
On a Saturday in late August, my wife and I met a friend at the state park. The lake is divided into three sections: south, middle, and north. I expected to possibly go for a swim or at least a walk around it. Arriving in the parking lot, I could not believe the crowd! During this period of social distancing, this was the most crowded location I had been to (not thinking it would be). Parties over 20 or 30 were gathering for the day, with setups including hammocks and grills. Swimming at the designated beach was out, but we decided to go for a walk. We skirted the edge of the lake and found a rail trail in the works.
The paved path had looked like a rail trail to me. When I got home I found out that it was the former route that trains used for the Carling Brewery and other businesses. Now it is being turned into a rail trail connecting Natick center to Saxonville in Framingham. Currently, the bridge over Route 30 is being constructed. We found a dirt trail from the path to the water. The lake temperature was warm although I didn’t swim.
Visiting the park on the “shores of beautiful Lake Cochituate,” I enjoyed walking around and exploring and learning a little bit of history at the same time. Time for a Carling!
