At the turn of the century, Squam was quite different from the scene we enjoy today. The surrounding mountains were cleared by logging, sawdust several feet thick had settled in many of the coves, driftwood made navigation hazardous, and refuse including tires, mattresses and dead animals, had been dumped in the lakes.

In 1904, the Squam Lakes Improvement Association was formed by a group of concerned landowners. In 1905, the association was legally incorporated as a non-profit conservation organization and renamed Squam Lakes Association (SLA).  The Squam Lakes Association is dedicated to conserving for public benefit the natural beauty, peaceful character, and resources of the watershed. In collaboration with local and state partners the SLA promotes the protection, careful use, and shared enjoyment of the lakes, mountains, forests, open spaces, and wildlife of the Squam Lakes region.