The area including the westernmost end of Vanderheyden Lake was part of Stone Arabia, land that around the time of the creation of the Town of Lansingburgh in 1807 was identified as Adam Yates‘ farm.

Brunswick Lake was originally a spring lake. A dam was built below its outlet, making of it a reservoir holding when full about 152,700,000 gallons. When this amount of storage proved insufficient another dam was built across the stream a little further down, forming a second lake, which reaches up to the Brunswick Lake dam; so that the two lakes are separated only by a dam. The second pond is known as Vanderheyden Lake, and hold about 58,300,000 gallons.
Raymond, William G.”Water for Troy; Proposed System in the Greater City.” Troy Daily Times. December 29, 1900. Supplement.