Completion of Lake Norman
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The lake was expected to cover around 29,000 acres of land with
roughly 300 miles of shoreline (Oberborfer, 1957). Lake Norman received its name from Norman Atwater Cocke a former retired president of the Duke Power Company ("Iredell's countryside changed," 1974). The lake started filling in 1963 and
reached full pond level of 760 feet around the middle of 1964 (Eisele, 1962). The dedication ceremony was held on September 29, 1964, Governor Terry Sanford was quoted from that day saying “… a wellspring of power for the growing Piedmont Crescent” (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). The finished lake actually covers 32,475 surface acres and is 130 feet high at the deepest point (Duke Energy Explorium, 2012). Lake Norman extends 34 miles and is in four counties including Mecklenburg, Lincoln, Iredell and Catawba ("Lake norman becomes," 1977).Lake Norman is also known as the “Inland Sea” (Duke EnergyExplorium, 2012). Lake Norman has multiple purposes including recreational activities; it is also used for providing electricity to the Piedmont Carolinas. The water of
Lake Norman is used to power the generators of the Cowans Ford Hydroelectric Station and the water is also used for cooling purposes at the McGuire Nuclear Station and Marshall Steam Station (Duke Energy Explorium, 2012). The dams control the water level in Lake Norman that prevents another major flood like
the flood of 1916 (Duke Energy Explorium, 2012). The lake is also used to provide a dependable supply of water to neighboring cities and counties including Lincoln County, Davidson, Mooresville, Charlotte Mecklenburg and Huntersville, North Carolina (Duke Energy Explorium, 2012).
After the lake was completed, the Duke Power Company owned the majority of the water front property on Lake Norman ("Lake norman region," 1965). The Duke Power Company originally leased lots of land on Lake Norman with the lease terms of one year (Mrs. Cline). In 1977, lots that had been leased and improved
by the leasers were given the opportunity to purchase the lot. But if they decided against purchasing, they could continue to lease the lot ("Lake norman becomes," 1977). Later the Duke Power Company decided to put 2,500 lots on indefinite lease ("Lake norman region," 1965). Sometime later the company started selling lots of land on Lake Norman, they hired men to stand on N.C. 16 to garner interest in buying lots on Lake Norman for $1,000 (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). One newspaper article from 1965 said a “mild building boom is in the area” ("Lake norman region," 1965). Duke Power put restrictions of the types of dwellings that were allowed to be on Lake Norman. They forbid bus bodies, shanties and trailers on Lake Norman lots ("Lake norman region," 1965). Duke Power also put building restrictions on the deeds of the lots, requiring a specific minimum square footage for homes (Jones, 1965). Most of the lots that were sold, the owners would pay off the land before building a home. There were not a lot of home being built for several years after Lake Norman was completed.
("Lake norman region," 1965). In 1965 there were about one thousand homes that were built on the shore of Lake Norman ("Lake norman region," 1965). Ten percent of people that owned homes on Lake Norman were permanent residents ("Lake norman region," 1965).
People were flocking to the area to snatch up a water front property lining Lake Norman’s 520 miles of shoreline. It was estimated that in 1965 2,000,000 people were living within close proximity to the lake ("Lake norman region," 1965). The lake brought residences and businesses from Eastern coast. Some people vacationed on the lake, while others permanently lived on Lake Norman. With the construction of I-77 commuters found it easier to travel to Charlotte ("Lake norman becomes," 1977).
Bill Allen’s Investment Land Sales had sold between 800 and 900 lots on Lake Norman from 1963 to 1965 (Jones, 1965). His firm had nineteen developments and there multiple homes under construction at each of the developments (Jones, 1965). In the year of 1965 alone, his firm had sold a total of 240 lots on Lake Norman (Jones, 1965). The economy was booming, cities around the lake were feeling distinct financial advantages of lake construction ("Lake norman region," 1965). Lots that were sold in 1962 for $2,995 were worth $4,995, doubling in value ("Lake norman region," 1965).
Lake Norman continues to attract residents and businesses to the area. Lake Norman offers a multitude of activities, including fishing, boating, swimming, and sailing. The construction of Lake Norman forever changed the area geographically, economically, and personally on many levels. The Duke Brothers interest in hydroelectricity dramatically changed the future for the Catawba River area and surrounding counties.
roughly 300 miles of shoreline (Oberborfer, 1957). Lake Norman received its name from Norman Atwater Cocke a former retired president of the Duke Power Company ("Iredell's countryside changed," 1974). The lake started filling in 1963 and
reached full pond level of 760 feet around the middle of 1964 (Eisele, 1962). The dedication ceremony was held on September 29, 1964, Governor Terry Sanford was quoted from that day saying “… a wellspring of power for the growing Piedmont Crescent” (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). The finished lake actually covers 32,475 surface acres and is 130 feet high at the deepest point (Duke Energy Explorium, 2012). Lake Norman extends 34 miles and is in four counties including Mecklenburg, Lincoln, Iredell and Catawba ("Lake norman becomes," 1977).Lake Norman is also known as the “Inland Sea” (Duke EnergyExplorium, 2012). Lake Norman has multiple purposes including recreational activities; it is also used for providing electricity to the Piedmont Carolinas. The water of
Lake Norman is used to power the generators of the Cowans Ford Hydroelectric Station and the water is also used for cooling purposes at the McGuire Nuclear Station and Marshall Steam Station (Duke Energy Explorium, 2012). The dams control the water level in Lake Norman that prevents another major flood like
the flood of 1916 (Duke Energy Explorium, 2012). The lake is also used to provide a dependable supply of water to neighboring cities and counties including Lincoln County, Davidson, Mooresville, Charlotte Mecklenburg and Huntersville, North Carolina (Duke Energy Explorium, 2012).
After the lake was completed, the Duke Power Company owned the majority of the water front property on Lake Norman ("Lake norman region," 1965). The Duke Power Company originally leased lots of land on Lake Norman with the lease terms of one year (Mrs. Cline). In 1977, lots that had been leased and improved
by the leasers were given the opportunity to purchase the lot. But if they decided against purchasing, they could continue to lease the lot ("Lake norman becomes," 1977). Later the Duke Power Company decided to put 2,500 lots on indefinite lease ("Lake norman region," 1965). Sometime later the company started selling lots of land on Lake Norman, they hired men to stand on N.C. 16 to garner interest in buying lots on Lake Norman for $1,000 (Gleasner & Gleasner, 1986). One newspaper article from 1965 said a “mild building boom is in the area” ("Lake norman region," 1965). Duke Power put restrictions of the types of dwellings that were allowed to be on Lake Norman. They forbid bus bodies, shanties and trailers on Lake Norman lots ("Lake norman region," 1965). Duke Power also put building restrictions on the deeds of the lots, requiring a specific minimum square footage for homes (Jones, 1965). Most of the lots that were sold, the owners would pay off the land before building a home. There were not a lot of home being built for several years after Lake Norman was completed.
("Lake norman region," 1965). In 1965 there were about one thousand homes that were built on the shore of Lake Norman ("Lake norman region," 1965). Ten percent of people that owned homes on Lake Norman were permanent residents ("Lake norman region," 1965).
People were flocking to the area to snatch up a water front property lining Lake Norman’s 520 miles of shoreline. It was estimated that in 1965 2,000,000 people were living within close proximity to the lake ("Lake norman region," 1965). The lake brought residences and businesses from Eastern coast. Some people vacationed on the lake, while others permanently lived on Lake Norman. With the construction of I-77 commuters found it easier to travel to Charlotte ("Lake norman becomes," 1977).
Bill Allen’s Investment Land Sales had sold between 800 and 900 lots on Lake Norman from 1963 to 1965 (Jones, 1965). His firm had nineteen developments and there multiple homes under construction at each of the developments (Jones, 1965). In the year of 1965 alone, his firm had sold a total of 240 lots on Lake Norman (Jones, 1965). The economy was booming, cities around the lake were feeling distinct financial advantages of lake construction ("Lake norman region," 1965). Lots that were sold in 1962 for $2,995 were worth $4,995, doubling in value ("Lake norman region," 1965).
Lake Norman continues to attract residents and businesses to the area. Lake Norman offers a multitude of activities, including fishing, boating, swimming, and sailing. The construction of Lake Norman forever changed the area geographically, economically, and personally on many levels. The Duke Brothers interest in hydroelectricity dramatically changed the future for the Catawba River area and surrounding counties.