In the late 1800’s Needham Norris had a grist mill at the lake.
In 1892 John Mills bought the property and named the lake Mills Pond
Of the original lake, people recall an old country store on its banks in the early 1900’s where people could relax and the porch and where it was $.50 to fish
The old grist mill collapsed during a May 1949 storm
Harry Cornell purchased the lake in the early 1950’s and renamed it Bass Lake, reflecting his love of nature and wildlife
In 1996 during Hurricane Fran the dam burst and the lake drained dry
In 1999 the Town of Holly Springs acquired the property and began an ambitious lake restoration project
The restoration was completed and the lake open to the public in 2004
People can once again relax on the porch or they can fish for free
It has been a favorite spot for fishing, family picnics and baptisms for over 150 years