 In 1910, when the state park was created, the residents were notified that they would have to leave their homes; there was an attempt to resist through political channels, but in 1939 the last residents were ordered to leave.By 1942, the lake was completed using workers from the Civilian Conservation Corps that was building the park.The new lake was named in honor of William A. Welch the first chairman of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission that built Harriman.