Lake Shelby was built in 1949, and is located within the city limits of Shelbyville, Kentucky.  It is owned by the City of Shelbyville and operated by Shelbyville/Shelby Co. Parks and Recreation and Kentucky Dept of Fish and Wildlife.  The original lake was never dug out.  When the dam was built, trees were cut along a low lying field area which was then flooded to form Lake Shelby. In 1970 the Shelbyville – Shelby County Park and Recreation Board was formed, and the city turned Lake Shelby over to the parks department to operate.

The park offers canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and birding, bald eagles are frequently spotted.