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As the largest body of fresh water in North Carolina, Duke Power created Lake Norman, in 1963. It is often referred to as "The Great Inland Sea". Lake Norman has over 520 miles of shoreline, and is located just twenty miles north of Charlotte, North Carolina. Four North Carolina counties border the lake and meet in the middle - Catawba, Iredell, Lincoln and Mecklenburg. The most popular towns and cities that reach to the shorelines of Lake Norman are Cornelius, Davidson, Denver NC, Huntersville and Mooresville.
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Enjoy Lake Norman, NC sunsets!
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Lake Norman is a popular location for primary residences, and has seen some growth in the second home market. Family homes, weekend getaways, condos and townhomes offer many choices in which to enjoy lake living. Lake Norman offers something for everyone - luxury homes, waterfront and lakefront homes, waterview, waterfront communities, golf course homes - all with a small town atmosphere. |
Each of the counties surrounding the lake has invested in public parks. Some of these parks offer boat launches, but only Duke Power State Park, on the northern shores, has campsites and a public swimming area.
Lake Norman's history is both exciting and relevant . . .
| The Catawba River was named for the people who lived by its shores, the Catawba Indians. Settlers began moving to the shores of the river to farm its fertile soil. The settlers along with General William Lee Davidson were able to slow the advance of General Cornwallis and the British crown. General Davidson who died early in the battle is honored by a monument located near the site of Cowans Ford Dam. The exact location of his demise is under the waters of Lake Norman. |
Mallard pairs can be seen year round.
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After the Civil War, "Buck" Duke and his brother Ben saw a future in textiles in the area, powered by the water of the Catawba River. They teamed up with Dr. W. Gill Wylie of the Catawba Power Company. He had already experimented with hydroelectric power and was working with William S. Lee, an engineer who was designing the Catawba Power Company's dams and power plants. Wylie needed funding, and Duke needed power, so along with Lee, the Southern Power Company was formed. They were the visionaries, believing that the electricity would attract businesses and textiles to the area.
In 1927, the Southern Power Company then became Duke Power Company and by 1928, ten dams with a dozen powerhouses, were complete. The Catawba River became "the world's most electrified river". Lee's grandson, Bill Lee, III, designed and completed the final dam. The groundbreaking was on September 28, 1959. It took four years to finish the dam and another two years to fill the lake. It was the largest undertaking of all, and created not only the largest lake in the Duke Power system, but also the largest lake in the Carolinas - Lake Norman, named after retired Duke President, Norman Atwater Cocke.
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Since its completion,
Lake Norman residents
("lake dwellers") enjoy
a host of watersports - some year round!
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Homes, family farms and the entire towns would end up under water. Some landowners refused to sell their land, instead, trading it for land along the future lake. Lake Norman is 34 miles long and eight miles across at its widest point. It is 760 feet above sea level and 140 feet at its deepest point.
There are three generating plants on Lake Norman: Cowans Ford, the original power station; Marshall Steam Station, a coal-burning steam-electric generating station on NC Highway 150; and the William B. McGuire Nuclear Station near the east abutment of Cowans Ford Dam. |
Those who call Lake Norman the biggest thing to happen on the river since the flood of 1916 appreciate its contribution to flood control! The cities of Charlotte and Mooresville rely on Lake Norman for their dependable water supply. Duke's Lake Management manages planting new trees, stocking the lake with fish and even controls the mosquito population. Duke Power provided 10 public access areas around the lake as well as 1,300 acres for Duke Power State Park. |
