Given the abundance and diversity of local water resources, including the St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario, the Indian River, and the Indian River chain of lakes, it’s no surprise that the town of Theresa became a focal point of settlement in the region. The first recorded use of the land dates back as far as 841 B.C. when a group of indigenous peoples called the Meadowood Phase used this area for hunting and gathering. Later, it would be used by the Iroquois for hunting and fishing until European settlement in the early 1800s. Europeans utilized the many streams within the region, especially the Indian River, for the transport of goods and trade. In 1800, 220,000 acres of land were purchased by David Nelson LeRay which was divided and used to help stimulate further settlement. This included the construction of a gristmill and the introduction of cattle to graze the land. In 1816, the U.S. military constructed a road, known today as Route 37, which connected the surrounding areas and provided families with easy access to the region. With easy access and the established mills, the area continued to grow as more families purchased land parcels. By the 1820s, merchants and tradespeople of all kinds had established themselves, spurring the development of a school, church, and even an official mail route. The area was officially declared the town of Theresa, named after the original land owner’s daughter, Theresa LeRay, and separated from the neighboring Town of Alexandria in 1841. As the surrounding areas simultaneously developed, Theresa became easily accessible by road or rail.

The first house constructed on Hyde Lake was built by David Foster in 1947. The Foster house was constructed along the ledge of Hyde Lake and the surrounding land was cleared for farming. Continuing into the early 1900s, settlement and farming grew in the town, with milk and cheese being the main products of production.

The recreation potential of the area was slowly being discovered, drawing in a new wave of people who used the land to partake in various aquatic recreation activities including fishing, swimming, and boating. By the 1920s there were two cottages constructed along the northern end of Hyde Lake, followed by an additional three during the 1930s. One of the cottage owners, Arthur Eddy, took advantage of the increased recreation interest and utilized his location to rent out boats to fishermen. As time continued, so did the development of the land surrounding Hyde Lake.

In the 1960s Clark’s Campground was established at the northern end of the lake, followed by Wilson’s Campground on the lower east side. Starting in the late 20th century, utilization of the lake shoreline for buildings, primarily new construction of year-round homes and some summer camps or cottages, was noted by members of the lake community. In the 1970s dairy and beef farming decreased to only two farms, and part of the Hyde Lake watershed was included in the Perch River Wildlife Management Area.

In the 1980s the NYSDEC began the stocking of Tiger Muskellunge; the public NYSDEC fishing access was opened at the northern end of the lake with a 10 hp motor limit. Public access to the lake resulted in some lake user conflicts during the first years after the construction of the fishing access.