History of Lake Norman

History of Lake Norman

Lake Norman in North Carolina is the largest man-made lake in NC, and is located in the northern part of Mecklenburg County, just 18 miles northwest of Charlotte. It is sometimes called an “Inland Sea,” with over 520 miles of beautiful shoreline. The Lake Norman area actually consists of several small towns and communities surrounding the lake and Lake Norman State Park. It is now one of the most rapidly growing and popular areas in North Carolina. Everyone loves Lake Norman - families, retirees, or couples looking for a romantic weekend retreat. The lake and State Park offer everything you’d expect and more, from power boating and sailing to camping and fishing. There is a large number and variety of accommodations for travelers in Lake Norman, and also many fine restaurants, some of them with gorgeous dockside views. And if you want a change of pace from lakeside activities, there is shopping and entertainment, historical sites, art exhibits and museums to explore in the nearby small towns and Charlotte. All of this combines to make Lake Norman a sparkling jewel in the middle of a fun-filled, adventure packed area, and the perfect vacation destination!





Short Historical Facts about Lake Norman

Lake Norman's deepest point is over 100 feet and the average depth is 25 feet.

• Lake Norman holds approximately 3,200,000,000 gallons of water, having a weight of approximately 13,600,000 tons.





• Lake Norman's shoreline measures approximately 520 miles, more than the coastlines of North and South Carolina combined.





• Lake Norman is bordered by four counties: Mecklenburg was named for the home province of King George III's wife, Queen Charlotte; Catawba named for the Catawba Indians, who actually called themselves Eswataroa (meaning "great river"); Lincoln named for Benjamin Lincoln, not Abraham Lincoln; and Iredell named for James Iredell, who never saw the county!.





• During the Revolutionary War, a battle was fought on February 1, 1781 at almost the exact spot where Cowan's Ford Dam now sits. Militia General William Lee Davidson, for whom Davidson College is named, was killed in the battle.





• There have been several unusual sightings around Lake Norman, including a mysterious cat-like creature known as a wampus, UFO's, man-sized catfish, an alligator or two, and, of course, the famous Lake Norman Monster (our very own version of the Loch Ness Monster).





• The groundbreaking for Cowan's Ford dam was held September 28, 1959. Governor Terry Sanford was the denote speaker at the dedication of the completed dam five years later on September 29, 1964.





• The first metal bridge to span the Catawba River in this area was built by James W. Brown & B.A. Troutman of Mooresville and completed in 1911. it was located about 1/2 mile downstream from the present N.C. Hwy. 150 bridge.





• Talk about planning ahead, James B. duke's associates began purchasing Catawba Valley bottomland in 1901 to prepare for future power generation.





• Had Lake Norman not been in place, there probably would have been flooding of the Catawba River Valley in 1970. Severe flooding did occur in 1916 and 1940.
  





• The Catawba River froze solid enough for horse-drawn wagons to cross on! For an illustrated history of the construction of Lake Norman, click here.