Made in USA, this is our magnificently detailed Map of Fontana Lake in Graham and Swain Counties in North Carolina!
Surface Elevation: 1,703 Feet
Area: 15.98 Sq Miles
Length: 16.78 Miles
Fontana Lake is a reservoir impounded by Fontana Dam on the little Tennessee River localized in Graham and Swain counties in N.C. The lake forms part of the southern border of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the northern border of part of the Nantahala National Forest!
The eastern end is the Tuckasegee River near Bryson City. The lake has many inlets into coves and several islands formed from former mountain peaks, especially near the eastern end!
Each year thousands of gallons of water are drained from Fontana Lake in order to perform routine maintenance on the dam. Adventurers can glimpse remnants of the towns flooded with the creation of the lake, discover shells and drift wood, and witness nature’s rapid exertion reclaiming the fertile soil!
Many towns were submerged shortly after the creation of Fontana Lake. Short of a multi-day hike, Fontana Lake provides the only access into the most remote expanse of the National Park!
The lake is the largest in Western North Carolina with the tallest dam east of the Rockies. Beneath the lake rests the remains of the once-bustling town of Judson! Judson had a population around six hundred inhabitants with a simple array of shops in town, including a sawmill and a post office! Then, in the 1930s, Swain County sold Judson and other lands to the government in order to create both Fontana Lake and Great Smoky Mountains National Park!
The dam was built to produce hydroelectric power—mainly for the Aluminum Company of America which produced ships, aircraft, and munitions during World War II! The gain for the war effort became the downfall for the people of Judson, whose town was submerged! 🌅🏘
