What’s beneath the surface of Lake Norman?

If you’ve just driven by or spent an afternoon on a boat on the pristine waters of Lake Norman, chances are you didn’t think much about what’s below the surface. The man-made lake, just to the north of Charlotte, features 520 miles of shoreline that are more than enough to keep your attention above the waterline.

But what is beneath the water offers plenty of its own stories. The lake was created in 1963 when Duke Energy flooded hundreds of acres with water from the Catawba River—and many of those acres had previously held homes, businesses, and even cemeteries.

One of the most notable homes was Elm Wood Estate, a Georgian-style plantation house built by a Revolutionary War General in the 1820s. Part of the home had been dismantled in an attempt to move it, but that project was abandoned and today much of the plantation house is beneath the waters of the lake.

Two cotton mills, which were both owned by Duke Power, had been closed for several years before the lake was formed. The mills were both large, employing more than 100 people each, and were surrounded by mill villages. Today, many of the village homes, as well as the mills—and even some of the large machinery in the mills—still rest below the lake’s surface.

Duke Power was very careful about removing one thing though. Every grave that was in the path of the lake’s formation was carefully moved to dry land, resulting in at least seven family cemeteries being moved out of the lake’s path.

Visit Ramsey Creek Park

WHAT: Lake Norman’s public beach

WHERE: 18441 Nantz Rd. Cornelius

COST:

Vehicles Monday-Thursday: County resident pays $5 per vehicle, non-county resident pays $10 per vehicle

Vehicles Friday-Sunday and County observed holidays: County resident pays $10 per vehicle, non-county resident pays $15 per vehicle

PRO TIP: Sure, you won’t be able to spy the treasures beneath the surface of the lake from this picturesque park and beach, but it’s a nice spot to spend an afternoon imagining what lies beneath.

This story comes from Sarah Crosland’s book “Secret Charlotte: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure,” which you can buy on Amazon here or at local shops like Park Road Books and Paper Skyscraper. It’s a great read for anyone who loves Charlotte — and we’re not just saying that because she’s our boss.

Photo: Diedra Laird/Charlotte Observer

This story was originally published June 20, 2017 at 1:00 AM with the headline "What’s beneath the surface of Lake Norman?."