Every Lake
Lower Mystic Lake
The lower half of a two-lake pair split by a single causeway north of Boston.
- 9 ft · first step
- 18 ft
- 27 ft
- 36 ft
- 45 ft
- 54 ft · bottom
About Lower Mystic Lake
Lower Mystic Lake sits in Medford, Massachusetts, just south of its twin, Upper Mystic Lake, with the two separated by a narrow causeway carrying Route 16 across the water. Both lakes were shaped by the Aberjona River, which was dammed downstream near the Mystic River, raising the water level and turning what had been a smaller natural pond system into the two connected basins that exist today. The surrounding land became part of Medford, Winchester, and Arlington as those towns grew outward from Boston in the 19th century.
The lake sits close enough to Boston that it draws a mix of commuters and longtime residents in the houses along its shore, and it has long served as a rowing venue: Tufts University's crew teams train on the Mystic Lakes, launching from a boathouse on the water. Public parkland along parts of the shoreline, maintained by the state, gives area residents access for walking, fishing, and small boat launches. The lake's modest size keeps it quieter than the Charles River basin closer to downtown, favored by local clubs over large regattas.
- 90 roads engraved around the shore, 10 of them labeled
- 6 depth layers, each step engraved with its depth in feet
- Compass rose, title block with coordinates, max depth and area; keyhole hanger on the back
Turn it in your hands
Live 3D of the actual cut files — drag to orbit, pinch to zoom. Every road you see is engraved on the real thing.
Viewer not showing? Open it full screen.
Lower Mystic Lake depth chart, in wood
This is a Lower Mystic Lake depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 9 ft, 18 ft, 27 ft, 36 ft, 45 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 54 ft. The lake covers about 0.3 square miles, and 90 shore roads are engraved around it. The shape of the bottom is the real one from published soundings, so anglers recognise their drop-offs and points.
A Lower Mystic Lake map for the wall — or a gift
Most of these go to a cabin wall, a lake house entry, or a home office; a lot are gifts — the family that has been on Lower Mystic Lake for three generations, the retirement move, the first boat. The 12-inch is the desk-and-shelf size; the 24- and 30-inch boards read across a room. Add a line under the title and star your place on the shore, and it becomes the map of your Lower Mystic Lake.
Lower Mystic Lake map — the details
How big is the map?
Four sizes: 12, 17, 24 and 30 inches on the long side, from $149. Every size is cut from the same depth data of Lower Mystic Lake; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Lower Mystic Lake is cut layer by layer from published bathymetric soundings — each layer of birch is a depth contour, so the shape of the bottom is the real one, not decorative.
Can I add my own place on it?
Yes. At checkout you can add a line under the title (a family name, a cabin name, a year) and star the spot on the shore that matters to you.
How long does it take?
Made to order in Waterford, Pennsylvania and shipped in 7–10 days; shipping is free in the lower 48.
Can you make a lake that isn't listed?
Any lake in the United States — we hold depth data for 104,419 of them. Search for yours; if it isn't built yet we build it when you order.
- 6 depth layers down to 54 ft
- 0.3 square miles of water
- 90 shore roads engraved, 10 named
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
