A Maplewood resident asked 40 South how the lake in Brentwood between Cecelia Avenue and Salem Road came to be. Brentwood Historical Society contributor and Brentwood chief of police, Dan Fitzgerald had the answer:
In the early 1800s the Bompart family bought 1,100 acres in what is now Brentwood. There were several sinkholes on the property, one of which was where the present-day lake is between Cecelia Avenue and Salem Road.
According to lore, Bompart’s hogs used to congregate in that sinkhole. Evidently, overnight, the lake appeared. The belief is that the hogs had somehow rooted deep enough to allow the underground spring to fill the hole.
A sinkhole has a hole that must be plugged to hold water. Using pigs to seal a pond is a technique that is hundreds of years old. The pigs hooves pack down the ground so effectively as they congregate, wallow and walk that they effectively seal the hole in the sinkhole. Water from rain or springs can then fill the hole. Here is a link to an article on the phenomenon: http://www.makeitmissoula.com/2012/07/paul-wheaton-can-pigs-build-ponds/
Awesome story, just goes to show how sometimes the old ways are still the best ways for the environment. Great job reporting on the past!
That’s a great story, I’m sure the Bomparts had something to do with the naming of the road Bompart in Webster Groves…I love all these connections
The road directly across from Lawn Care on Manchester road is also Bompart. It doesn’t go anywhere now, but I’m sure it used to tie in to Bompart in Webster years ago.