Baron Lake, Grand Mesa, Colorado Mesa Colorado USA According to oral history interviewee Leon Reed, the lake got its name from Old Man Peterson. Peterson claimed that once when they were ice fishing, a bear crossed the lake, and the lake took the name Bear On Lake. People began calling it Baron Lake. It is possible that this account is historically inaccurate. More probably, the lake might be named for English aristocrat William Radcliffe, who owned several lakes and fisheries, including Alexander Lake. yes yes