Believe it or not, it is a natural sink. According to the Government Land Office Survey designated it as Alkali Lake. It was still referred to as such as late as 1889. In 1875, Benjamin H. Leavitt constructed a small reservoir at that location. In 1889, the reservoir was enlarged. When construction was underway, Victor E. Perry, Leavitt’s son-in-law, worked on the dam. Perry planted a gold nugget there and when it was discovered it caused great excitement with the other workers. Leavitt informed the construction workers that they could keep whatever gold they might find, as long as it did not interfere with the construction. With that incentive, the men worked twice as fast to build the reservoir, in hopes of locating more gold.
Good story. It was a pretty clever move. My wife , Harriet Chappuis Pace, is a descendant of Benjamin Leavitt as are our 4 children and 8 of our grand children and 1 great grand children.