The History of Lake Murray

Lake Murray Facts:

1. Lake Murray was named after William S. Murray who was an engineer involved in the design of the dam.

2. The dam was created to generate electricity for Lexington Water Power Company (now Dominion Energy)

3.To make room for the lake, nearly a dozen communities had to be abandoned, including Derrick, Pine Ridge, Selwood, Wessinger, Cantsville, Leaphart, Savilla, Boyleston, Lorena, Holly’s Ferry and Lorick’s Ferry.

4. 100 acres were purchased to create the lake.

5. This section of land included three churches, six schools, and 193 graveyards that contained 2,323 graves.

6. Some of the graves were NOT relocated.

7. There is 650 miles of shoreline.

8.Bass tournaments are frequently held on Lake Murray, as are huge flotilla concerts like Reggaetronic and Drift Jam, which draw thousands of people and their boats for a day of music from reggae, rock, and country act.

9. The largest section of the lake is located in Lexington county but also includes Saluda, Newberry, and Richland counties.

10. Remnants of towns abandoned during the reservoir’s construction still stand in the depths of Lake Murray, including a bridge, a graveyard and a stone house.

11.The military conducted B-25 Mitchell plane training exercises near Lake Murray during World War II. In April 1943, one such plane crashed in Lake Murray, and after about seven minutes in the water, the craft began its descent into the lake. It settled at a depth of 150 feet, too deep for the Air Force to recover it.

12.The Wyse Ferry Bridge still exists under the water. Divers discovered names of the construction workers who built the bridge in 1911 written on the concrete.

13.Five towers along the Lake Murray dam use water from the bottom of the lake to control the hydroelectric plant.

14.In 2002, construction began on a backup dam to alleviate pressure from high levels of water – and with more shallow coves, remnants of the old towns, such as grave sites and crosses, were exposed to visitors.

15.Lake Murray was built in the 1920’s – and at the time, was the largest (50,000 acres) man-made lake in the country.