Milford Lake

Milford Lake is the largest man-made lake in Kansas.  The construction of Milford Lake was authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1954 to provide flood control, water supply, water quality, navigation and recreation.  Construction of the Milford Dam began July 13, 1962 as a project owned and operated by the United States Army Corp of Engineers.  Many contractors were involved with the project during the construction phase.  Contractors built new roads and altered existing roadways and relocated railroad facilities, electrical, telephone, gas lines and cemeteries.  They also built recreation areas and cleared structures from within the reservoir flood pool.  The towns of Alida and Broughton ceased to exist, with houses either moved to other locations, razed, burned or buried.  Portions of the towns of Wakefield and Milford were relocated to higher ground.  Milford Lake’s dedication ceremony was held in May 1968.  President Lyndon Johnson was scheduled to appear but did not come.  De Hart Plumbing, serving Manhattan Kansas, Junction City Kansas and Wamego Kansas.