Buckeye Lake is located in central Ohio about 15 miles east of Columbus and is shared by Fairfield County, Licking County and Perry County. The nearly 3,200-acre lake is the anchor for Buckeye State Park. Attractions at the lake include Buckeye Lake Park which is an amusement park featuring roller coaster and other rides.
The lake was created in 1826 as part of the canal system being built at the time. The water was needed to keep the canal's depth a constant four feet. Licking Summit Reservoir was the first large reservoir in America and spurred the creation of Ohio's first state park. The name was changed to its current form in 1894 when railroads made the canals outdated.
The lake is dotted with islands as a result of the impoundment not quite covering the hilltops that existed within its boundaries. Other islands are actually large mats of sphagnum moss which floated to the surface as the lake filled.