LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) — Now compared to "a third world country," the Lake Dreamland neighborhood was once the summer destination for Louisville's elite.
A place for the rich to escape city life and enjoy their summers, Lake Dreamland was the brainchild of Ed Hartlage, known to all as Uncle Ed.
The second youngest of 14 children, Hartlage was born and raised in Southwest Louisville in what is now the Lake Dreamland neighborhood at the turn of the 20th century. He dreamed of converting the tired farmland into something special, a kind of summer retreat for the best and brightest in town.
When Hartlage finally grew into the land, he brought his dreams to fruition.
With the aid of a mule and a slip scraper, Hartlage dug a man-made lake into the riverfront property. He added summer cottages, a boat ramp and even restaurants. By 1931, Lake Dreamland was officially on the map.
“Come out to beautiful Lake Dreamland for your retreat to get out of the city,” Hartlage's advertisements said.
And people came.
Lake Dreamland thrived throughout the '30s and '40s, with many considering it the top summer destination in town.
"Lake Dreamland was iconic," historian Tom Owen said.
A converted dairy farm, Lake Dreamland's dance hall, Club El Rancho, was one of the most talked about places in the city. Patrons could drink, dine and dance away their Saturday night for just 65 cents.
“That was a really hopping place," Earl Hartlage, Uncle Ed's great-nephew, said. "That was the night club in the city of Louisville.”
But nothing great lasts forever.
Lake Dreamland: Current and archival photos
In 1967, El Rancho burned to the ground after it fell into the hands of a motorcycle gang. Socialites stopped spending their summers at Lake Dreamland, and Rubbertown workers began moving in.
Summer cottages were expanded and winterized as year-round residents moved into the neighborhood. But the appeal of Lake Dreamland as a summer resort did not carry into its appeal as a functioning neighborhood.
"People loved the isolation, loved the beauty, loved being kind of out of the way," Owen said, "but out of the way, also meant for a government standpoint, out of mind."
Hartlage retained ownership of the entire site, renting out properties and making improvements, but because the neighborhood was not owned by the county, streets were never repaved, sewers were not in place and running water was scarce.
Residents who had the means to leave Lake Dreamland did just that, leaving behind those who were either dedicated to living in this once utopian community or could not afford another option.
Hartlage's dream was drowning.
After his death in 1980, Hartlage's land was sold back to county government. While Lake Dreamland may not be the elite resort community he once dreamed of, it still holds a community dedicated to making the now drug-ridden riverfront property their little slice of heaven.
Join WHAS11 Monday at 11 p.m. as we look into Lake Dreamland's past, present and future.