Many of you might recall the new FictionWriters website when it debuted June 30, 2006. Its opening page featured the above photo of Lake Marion as the background picture -- other similar scenes were also used to depict the various seasons throughout our opening year -- some of them shown here.



The current home page features a photo taken recently from Stumphole Landing depicting typical results of the severe drought that South Carolina and most southeastern states have been experiencing. Water has reached its lowest level recorded since the 1950s and recently peaked at eleven foot below normal.

Whether you put environmental change high on your list of priority issues or not, one cannot doubt the apparent validity of such possibilities by observing what many consider first-hand evidence, even though the current condition isn't the only time it has happened.

The story behind the lake is both interesting and a large part of American history. If you have a moment, please take time to read a small bit about its importance.



SOUTH CAROLINA AND ITS LAKES . . .

South Carolina is somewhat unique considering its geographical contour which varies widely across the state. The Blue Ridge Mountains border the west near Greenville and Spartanburg; the Midlands' covering the middle from its northern to southern lines being relatively flat, and the Lowlands' generally comprising the areas around Beaufort and Hilton Head Island.

As an aside, located on the twelfth hole of The Country Club of Hilton Head a plaque indicates the point to be the highest point above sea level on the Island at 28.24 inches.

The state abounds with fresh water lakes -- many of the larger ones being manmade by controlling the flows of the Wateree, Congaree, Santee, and Cooper Rivers with diversion dams and canals.


LAKE MARION AND LAKE MOULTRIE . . .

As part of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's economic recovery following his election, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) was created to put citizens back to work. During this period South Carolina established the Santee Cooper project which was to create a large body of water to provide it as a source to produce hydroelectricity to a vast number of residents previously without service. This project, primarily under the auspices of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, employed as many as 12,500 WPA workers who lived basically in work camps built in a number of areas around the 450 plus miles of anticipated shoreline.

The project began around 1938 and became the largest endeavor in moving masses of land east of the Mississippi, affecting approximately 170,000 acres and seven counties. The plan being to create two massive lakes separated by a earthen dam and diversion canal to link Marion to Moultrie. The southern end of Lake Moultrie connects to the Inland Waterway via a locked' canal.

To achieve the goal, some 6,000 families required relocation; buildings, churches, and various structures being moved, and at least 3,000 graves transferred to new cemetery sites. Even then, many structures remained in tact and eventually submerged when the Marion and Moultrie lands were flooded.

With the advent of World War II, a decision was made to terminate the excavation and prematurely fill the lake areas ---- the reasoning being at least two-fold. The demand for military enlistment and factory workers becoming critical, as did a need for additional electricity to supply the Charleston area, an already important commercial seaport let alone being one of the major U.S. Naval Bases on the east coast.

The early flooding left many tree stumps and huge logs lying on the bottom of Lake Marion, more so as one moves northward on the water. The lower portions of Lake Marion and practically all of Lake Moultrie are basically clear as compared to the northern areas.





Return to Previous Page