Lake-town

Lake-town stands out in the water of the Long Lake near the point where the Forest River comes in from Mirkwood, with the River Running leaving to the south and Erebor visible on clear days to the north. It is set on timber piles driven into the lake bed and joined to the shore by one long wooden bridge, which could be cut in an emergency.

The town lived on trade. Barrels of wine from Dorwinion went up the Forest River to Thranduil's halls, and empty barrels came back down. That traffic is how Bilbo got the dwarves out of the Elvenking's cellars and into the town's own docks.

The Master of Lake-town welcomed Thorin as King under the Mountain, partly out of calculation, while old men muttered about waking the dragon. When Smaug came, the people cut the bridge and shot at him from boats. Bard, standing in the last defended tower, learned from a thrush where the bare patch was and killed the dragon with the black arrow of his fathers.

Smaug's fall crushed the burning town. The Master took the gold meant for relief and fled into the waste, where he died. A new town was built further up the shore under a better leader, and Bard went north to raise Dale again.

Events at this place

1. TA 2941 · The Hobbit

   The dwarves arrive by barrel

   Thorin's company floated down the Forest River in barrels and were welcomed in Lake-town as the returning King under the Mountain.

2. TA 2941 · The Hobbit

   Smaug burns the town

   The dragon attacked at night. The bridge was cut and the houses burned as the people fought from boats.

3. TA 2941 · The Hobbit

   Bard kills Smaug

   Told by a thrush of the bare patch in Smaug's armor, Bard shot the black arrow and the dragon fell dead into the lake.

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