Snow Lake Shores

History

The first Anglo settlers in the area were John M. Ferrell and his wife, who moved from Tennessee to a site west of present-day Snow Lake Shores in 1839. One of their ten children, Emaline, married an Englishman – Joe Shone. They built a house two miles east of the Ferrell homestead that became known as Shone's Pond. The area around Shone's Pond consisted mostly of marsh and cypress swamps. The names Shone's Mill and Shone's Mill Pond were sometimes applied to the area in its early years. In 1947, New Yorker Walter Utley moved to neighboring Marshall County with plans to build a resort-style development in the area. Big Snow Creek with its three forks looked to be a good prospect. Around 1956, a partnership of three men – including Utley – organized to develop a residential subdivision that became known as Snow Lake Shores. In 1957, Big Snow Lake was created by building a dam on a local stream. Snow Lake Shores was established in 1958 as a private, restricted resort community. It was marketed as a safe, family-friendly place for people to both vacation and live year-round. A volunteer fire department was created in 1974. Incorporation meant that the town would be eligible to receive grants for paving roads and installing a new water system. Although the permanent resident population of Snow Lake Shores stands at around 300, that figure can grow to over 900 during the summer months as seasonal residents and vacationers come to the community.

Geography

Snow Lake Shores is located along Mississippi Highway 4 in west-central Benton County, approximately west of Ashland and northeast of Holly Springs. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 24.13%, is water. The town consists of homes built around Snow Lake, an impoundment on Big Snow Creek, a tributary of the Tippah River and ultimately the Tallahatchie River.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• ASHLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
  Elementary · Ashland · 274 students · 12.5:1 ratio
• ASHLAND MIDDLE-HIGH SCHOOL
  High · Ashland · 222 students · 15.9:1 ratio
• BENTON CO REGIONAL VOCATIONAL CEN
  High · Ashland