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TownTalk: History of Kerr Lake, Part 2

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(Photo courtesy R.F. Timberlake – Kerr Lake Park Watch on Facebook and Shutter Art Gallery)

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Kerr Lake covers about 50,000 acres when it’s at normal elevation, but if the lake level were to reach its maximum elevation of 320 feet above sea level, the lake would more than double in size. In short, Kerr Lake is a BIG topic. So big, in fact, that Kerr Lake, Part 2, was the subject of Thursday’s tri-weekly history program on Town Talk.

Bill Harris and Mark Pace talked about what’s around – and under – the lake, which has 850 miles of shoreline and touches six counties in North Carolina and Virginia.

A plane that crashed into the lake in Clarksville was eventually removed, but there’s still a train submerged in Nutbush Creek, Pace said.

The plane crashed in 1962 and it took almost a month to find the right equipment to extricate it. The lake is between 90 feet and 100 feet deep in the deepest channels, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers didn’t cut down all the trees in the area that soon would be submerged. The plane, as it turned out, had gotten tangled up in that submerged forest. A barge equipped with a crane had to be transported from the coast to retrieve the wreckage.

As for the train, Pace said a forest fire scorched a wooden bridge over Nutbush Creek in the early 1900’s. A group of Townsville residents went together to start up a short railroad line that ran from Manson to Townsville. “It was a barebones affair,” Pace said, with two engines, a coal car and a couple of passenger cars.

When the train pulled into Townsville, there was nowhere for it to turn around, he said, so it had to go backwards on the return trip to Manson. The bridge was about 70 or 75 feet above the water, and it held up for the passenger cars and the coal car to cross. But the engine was too heavy, and the train plunged into the water “and basically impaled itself into the mud of Nutbush Creek,” Pace said. The engineer and the fireman were killed.

There are stories of picnics and church gathering being held near the wreck site years later and whoever could swim down to the wreckage and ring the train’s bell would get a prize.

The lake has a long history of providing recreational activities like picnics and church gatherings, as well as boating and camping, but there remain residual bad feeling toward the Corps, Pace said. “Most of what they bought was farmland, and not particularly good farmland,” he said. But it was still family land and the average price was only about $75 per acre. That amount would only be between $400 and $500 an acre today.

“Now there’s a strip of land that you’re not allowed to develop around Kerr Lake,” Pace said, to adhere to Corps restrictions. Fifty years ago, however, the shoreline would not have looked at all like it does today because it had been farmland and would have taken some years to become wooded.

 

 

Perry Memorial Library

Perry Memorial Library Open, Serving Community Including Special Programs

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Calling it a branch library may be a bit of a stretch, but Perry Memorial Library Director Patty McAnally invites the public out to Fox Pond Park Saturday to celebrate the grand opening of Story Walk, which features a storybook along one of the walking trails – a page at the time.

McAnally explained the concept of Story Walk and shared more library news on Wednesday’s Town Talk.

Kelly Starling Lyons, the state’s current Piedmont Laureate, will kick off the Saturday festivities at 10 a.m. in the Farm Bureau room at the library, she told John C. Rose. Lyons writes children’s books and will discuss the importance of reading and how to get started writing.  Then, at 1 p.m., there will be a ribbon-cutting at the Fox Pond Trail, where the Story Walk stations are located.

The books will change each month, she said, and the first selection Zip, Zoom – by Kelly Starling Lyons. There’s a page at each station, McAnally said, “so as you walk along the trail, you read a page.”

There also will be participation cards that, upon completion, can be redeemed at the library for a prize.

Perry Memorial Library is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Curbside pickup is available, and there’s free wi-fi in the parking lot between Breckenridge and Winder streets.

Another service the library now offers

Patrons, whether they come in to browse for books to check out or use the curbside service should take note of a new policy that was approved last week – overdue fines are permanently abolished!

The local library is following other libraries, large and small, to do away with overdue fines. “If that’s kept you from coming in, please come back and check us out again,” McAnally said. Fines, had been suspended during the pandemic, were seen to be a barrier, she said, adding that the return rate is the same, if not better.

Now, a book will be automatically renewed after it’s been out three weeks, she said. DVDs can stay out two weeks.

After 30 days, the book or other item will be marked “lost” until it is returned. “If you bring it back, we’re all good,” she said.

The library receives most of its funding from the city and the county, for which McAnally is grateful and appreciative. But other programs come about through grant funding, and McAnally mentioned a couple that the library has received in addition to the Story Walk project.

One grant, from the state library system, resulted in Story Cubes, which McAnally describes as “a little machine that spits out a 1- to 3-minutes story or poem – pre-programmed stories” for library patrons. Right now, there’s a Story Cube at the library – dressed up for Halloween – that will spit out a spooky story or poem for patrons.

Our local library is the first public library in North Carolina to have Story Cubes, she said, and there are plans to travel to schools and other locations to share stories. Now, the stories and poems are already-published works, but McAnally said she would like to have contests that would feature local writers’ works.

The most recent grant will help the library partner with NASA to provide STEM education. Perry Memorial is one of only two libraries in North Carolina to be awarded one of 60 grants. Although in preliminary stages of implementation, McAnally said she is excited to be working with NASA, which will result in tapping into NASA experts’ knowledge with topics like earth science and oceanography.

For more information about the library, call 252.438.3316.

 

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TownTalk: VGCC Offers 8-Week Terms To Adapt, Respond To Students’ Needs

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Whether they come to learn job skills or start their journey toward earning a college degree, students at Vance-Granville Community College have some interesting options when it comes to the length of time they take to complete a class.

It’s called “compressed learning,” and VGCC director of Advising & College Success Amy O’Geary discussed some of the options available for VGCC students with John C. Rose on Tuesday’s Town Talk.

A traditional college semester is 16 weeks long, but O’Geary said that, as students’ needs change – maybe they hold a full-time job while going to school – and the environment changes – think virtual learning because of the COVID-19 pandemic – the way school is organized needs to change, too.

“It’s hard for people to predict what they’re going to be doing for 16 weeks,” she said, adding that the shorter terms can more easily accommodate schedules and commitments.

The first 8-week term began in August, and registration is underway now for the second term, which begins Oct. 13. And then on Nov. 1, registration for Spring 2022 begins.

O’Geary said the shorter terms are designed to give students more valuable assignments for their learning – it’s not a matter of cramming more information into a shorter time-frame. Another benefit of offering two shorter terms, she said, is to keep students motivated.

“A lot of times, when students come to us, they’re ready,” O’Geary said, with emphasis on “ready.” They’re ready to get started right then, she said. “When they have to wait until January, sometimes they can lose their momentum.”

She said a lot of the major programs at VGCC have gone to the 8-week format, and even more will be offered for Spring 2022 and beyond.

Some of the classes O’Geary highlighted are keyboarding, intro to computers and public speaking, all of which provide essential skills for employees in today’s workplace.

Computers are used everywhere, and knowing how to properly use a keyboard, as well as the various software programs, are valuable to today’s workers.

But public speaking?

“A lot of people shy away from public speaking,” she said. “There aren’t many jobs that don’t require public speaking. (And) the more you do it, the better you get.”

Whether it’s a question of brushing up on computer skills or learning something entirely new, VGCC encourages students to start whenever they can and then just keep moving forward.

And for some, working in eight-week bursts instead of the traditional semester, may be a better option to keep moving forward.

Visit www.vgcc.edu to learn more.

 

For complete details and audio click play.

 

TownTalk: The Barefoot Movement Presses Onward

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Noah Wall apologized for her scratchy-sounding voice. “I sang all weekend,” Wall told Town Talk host Bill Harris Monday. “I’m exhausted – in the best way.”

Wall, lead singer and fiddle player for The Barefoot Movement, is just back from performing at MerleFest, a popular bluegrass-and-more festival in western North Carolina.

The band will perform at AmericanaFest in Nashville next, then come back to North Carolina for gigs in Holly Springs on Oct. 8 and then at the Kirby Theater in Roxboro on Oct. 9.

Visit Thebarefootmovementofficial.com to learn more.

The Barefoot Movement may have had a heavy bluegrass influence when it first formed more than a decade ago, but today it’s considered to have an “Americana” sound.

That label can include many types of music, from Celtic to Jimi Hendrix, and everything in between. Wall said she likes to think of Americana as any kind of music that incorporates roots music in the sound it produces.

Their new album is called “Pressing Onward,” and music fans may recognize the names of its producers – Chuck Plotkin and Hank Linderman – from their work with such groups as Chicago, The Eagles, Bob Dylan and The Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen.

The new album is the third full-length album that The Barefoot Movement has released. Their sound has evolved, Wall noted, since their first album, which was released a decade ago. Listeners will detect the addition of drums on the new album. And there are no instrumentals as there have been on previous albums.

Wall, the group’s primary songwriter, is joined by husband Tommy Norris on mandolin and Katie Blomarz on stand-up bass. “I’m very proud of the sound we got on ‘Pressing Onward,’ she said.

“When I put together the album sequence, it kind of gave me chills,” she said. Although the songs were pre-COVID-19, the coincidence of releasing the album amid the pandemic was not lost on her. “It is so pertinent,” Wall said, because a lot of the songs just tell the story of how to press onward, despite challenges.

Working with legendary producers like Plotkin and Linderman was special and Wall said one of her takeaways was an oft-used phrase of Plotkin, with regard to choosing songs for the album: If the answer to the question “Does it bear repeated listening?” is yes, then we’d done something right, she recalled.

Wall and Norris recently moved back to Granville County to be near family; Blomarz is still in Nashville, where she and her fiancé (also a bass player) are “livin’ the Nashville thing” and playing their music with a lot of different people. Just as so many other professions have done in the past 18 months or so, they have adjusted the way they practice and share music and, so far, it’s working. They will either arrive at a venue a day or so early to practice together, or Blomarz will fly to North Carolina and hop in the van to travel with Wall and Norris to the next performance.

The band is trying out different guitarists and drummers for the next little bit while they continue to produce and perform music across the country. Concert bookings have been sporadic, coming in fits and starts. But that’s ok, Wall said.

There’s a new music video set for filming, which will feature some Oxford images, she added.

And there are songs to write.

For complete details and audio click play.

 

TownTalk: Night Out Against Crime Event Coming To Downtown Henderson

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Like many other areas around the state and nation, Henderson and Vance County is no stranger to crime. Crime happens and law enforcement agencies need help to solve these crimes. That’s where Crime Stoppers comes in. They provide tips that can solve or even prevent crimes.

Cash rewards of up to $2000 are available if a tip results in an arrest and conviction. In order to make those rewards possible fundraisers need to happen.

The Night Out Against Crime here locally will take place on Breckenridge St. from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 21.

Tonya Moore and Lorraine Watkins of Henderson-Vance Crime Stoppers told WIZS’s Trey Snide on TownTalk there is important information to pass along to residents who attend the free event but plenty of fun and entertainment is to be had as well.  Event organizers are expecting around 500 people to attend on Tuesday and will be treated to performances by the Vance County High School Cheerleaders, the Clearview Church Praise Team, the High Grass Bluegrass Band and the gospel choir Work in Progress. At the end of the program a drawing will be held for a big screen TV.

One of the focuses of the event is to reach young people “We really, really need to get in touch with young people to get them pointed in the right direction,” Watkins said. “Not a day goes by without a shooting or a robbery,” Watkins continued.

Watkins also addressed the need for the community to step up and provide local law enforcement with the information they need to help solve or prevent crimes but pointed out that people are afraid to talk or give information to law enforcement agencies.  Crime Stoppers uses the P3 app for cell phones to make tips completely anonymous. With the app users can supply pictures, video and other information to police departments or sheriff’s offices and the use is completely anonymous. A code is used as calls and texts are routed across the country before arriving back in Henderson so the tips can be investigated. Watkins said that if someone sees a crime about to happen the P3 app can be used and law enforcement agencies will be able to intervene before the crime ever happens. “Proactive is better than retroactive everyday,” Watkins said.

According to Moore, those interested in finding out more about Crime Stoppers should follow them on Facebook. Crime Stoppers is composed of volunteers and Moore and Watkins say it’s all about making Henderson and Vance County a better place.

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TownTalk: FGV Ducky Derby Takes To Garnett Street Sept. 18

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If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like to have 2,000 rubber duckies float down Garnett Street, then come out Saturday, Sept. 18 for the 12th annual Ducky Derby to benefit Franklin-Granville-Vance Smart Start.

Garry Daeke, FGV development coordinator, said he is looking forward to another successful fundraiser, despite some necessary adjustments because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sponsors have really stepped up to support the event, Daeke said. “Sponsorships have been off the charts,” he told John C. Rose on Wednesday’s Town Talk. With the promise of good weather and generous sponsors, Daeke said the event is shaping up to be the best yet.

The public is invited to come out for the noon event, he said. This year, however, all the ducks will have the name of a child care employee, whose names were submitted by more than 100 child care providers in the three-county service area.

The first prize winner gets $1,000, second prize is $500 and the last-place finisher gets $100.

Child care workers and providers have suffered financial hardships during the pandemic, and Daeke said FGV is pleased to honor these essential workers at the Derby.

“They’ve had a tough, tough year,” Daeke said. This is one way to “bring a little light into how much we depend on them to take care of our children and so parents can go back to work.”

All proceeds go back into program services.

The race starts at Garnett Street and Breckenridge Street and ends a couple of blocks away at the corner of Garnett and Orange. Spectators should expect to wear a mask and maintain social distancing safety protocols.

The FGV Smart Start provides services for families who may be looking for child care, as well as a wide range of services for child care providers.

“If we can get our children prepared and ready for school…that’s a key element in their success after school,” Daeke said.

The FGV helps to fund literacy programs that increase young children’s accessibility to books and reading. Having a caring support system around you, no matter what your resources are, helps children achieve their potential, he said.

Visit www.fgvsmartstart.org. to learn more.

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TownTalk: ACTS Makes a Joyful Noise with Benefit Concert

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Imagine hosting the biggest Thanksgiving meal ever, providing all the food for the biggest family imaginable. Every day. There’s the food preparation, then serving, then the cleanup. That’s how Lee Anne Peoples describes the operation at ACTS – the executive director said it takes dozens of volunteers to provide the hot meals five days a week for area residents.

It takes volunteers – and money – to feed sometimes as many as 200 people each day, Peoples told John C. Rose Tuesday on Town Talk.

Area Christians Together in Service is sponsoring a fundraiser on Sept. 25 at McGregor Hall that Peoples said will serve the dual purposes of raising money for ACTS as well as providing entertainment for the community.

“Make a Joyful Noise Unto the Lord” is set for Saturday, Sept. 25 at McGregor Hall and will feature local talent for an evening of inspirational entertainment for the whole family.

The doors open at 6 p.m. and the performance begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 and children 12 years and under get in free.

Tickets are available from any ACTS board member or from the ACTS office at 201 S. William St. Tickets also are available at the door.

Anyone interested in performing for the concert can contact Peoples for details at  252.492.8231 or lapeoples@actsofhenderson.org.

There are several sponsorship levels that businesses or individuals can purchase, she said, adding that the community has long been supportive of ACTS and the work it does to feed hungry people. Sponsor levels are platinum ($1,000), gold ($500) and silver ($250) and include ads in the concert program.

In 2020, Peoples said ACTS served 25,527 meals. She’s done the math for 2021 and if the numbers continue as they are now, 2021 will top 30,000. In a city with a population of about 15,000, that’s a lot of meals, she noted. “I’m surprised at how the numbers have jumped up” in the past couple of years, Peoples said.

In addition to the hot meals, ACTS provides food boxes, dozens of Backpack Buddies (weekend bags of food for schoolchildren) and Mobile Meals for people who can’t make it to the ACTS location.

All these ongoing projects get done largely through the work of about 45 loyal volunteers who come on a regular basis. “There is absolutely no way we could do what we do without volunteers,” Peoples said. And there is always a need for more help, especially in the afternoons. Many of the volunteers leave at noon or shortly thereafter, but there are still things that need to be done in the afternoons. “Even if you just have a few minutes between 12 and 2, it would be a big help.”

Just like that gigantic Thanksgiving dinner – the food has to be put away, the kitchen cleaned up and ready for the next day.

For complete details and audio click play.

 

Town Talk: Kerr-Tar Loan Programs Help Homeowners With Repairs

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Homeowners in the five-county area that the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments serves can apply for a couple of loan programs for repairs or improvements to their residences.

The deadline to submit applications is early November, and Kerr-Tar finance assistant Katie Connor said the loans are completely forgivable, provided the home remains the property of the homeowner for the life of the loan.

That’s free money, folks.

Kerr-Tar serves Vance, Granville, Warren, Franklin and Person counties and the Urgent Repair Loan Program that it is offering provides up to $10,000 over five years – $2,000 a year, Connor told John C. Rose on Thursday’s Town Talk. Applications are due in the Kerr-Tar office by 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 5.

As the name indicates, the repairs do need to be of an urgent nature – a leaky roof,  unsafe floors, ramp installation for the disabled, and HVAC repairs are just a few of the examples of acceptable repairs.

“There’s definitely some flexibility in the (type of) repair that can be done,” Connor said, “but they must be urgent.” The main goal of this loan program is to keep people in their homes, she added.

Visit kerrtarcog.org to see program criteria. There’s money for up to 20 houses in the five-county area, Connor said. This loan is considered an unsecured loan.

In general, homeowners need to be older than 62, and the home must be a stick-built structure – mobile homes and manufactured homes do not qualify. Veterans, disabled persons and families of five or more also would qualify, Connor said. Household income must be less than 50 percent of the median income in North Carolina, she added.

The other loan program is currently available for homeowners in Warren County. The Essential Single-Family Rehabilitation program offers $30,000 for repairs. This is a secured loan, Connor said, which means that qualified applicants would have a deed of trust placed on their property for the duration of the six-year loan. This also is a forgivable loan, which means that no money has to be repaid, provided the homeowner doesn’t sell the property during the life of the loan.

The criteria for both loan programs are very similar, but Connor said household income for ESFR program applicants must be 80 percent of the median income for the state.

Because of the larger amount of the loan, Connor said projects would have to be substantial enough to bring a home up to acceptable standards. “We can’t just do one thing for this house.” There is money for five houses, she said.

The deadline to submit applications for the ESFR program is Monday, Nov. 1 at 5 p.m. All applications should be submitted to the Kerr-Tar office, located at 1724 Graham Ave., Henderson.

The applications and related information are available at kerrtarcog.org. Connor said applications also can be mailed to interested applicants. Simply call 252.436.2040 ext. 6071 and leave your name and mailing address and Connor said she will put the paperwork in the mail. They also are available at area Senior Centers as well as county government offices.

As is often the case, demand usually exceeds the amount of money available, Connor said. And the Kerr-Tar COG must apply each year to receive the funds.

Click Play for complete details and audio.

 

Town Talk: Hot Sauce Contest And Other Events Provide Entertainment For All

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Fall is still a few weeks away, but this weekend kicks off a bevy of events in Granville County designed to bring guests from near and far to enjoy everything from classic cars to beautiful glass pumpkins.

It all starts with Saturday’s Hot Sauce Contest, and Granville Tourism Director Angela Allen said the 15th annual event is sure to please. She listed numerous events that will be going on throughout September and October on Tuesday’s TownTalk program with host John C. Rose.

Visit https://visitgranvillenc.com/ to find out about events in the county.

Several bands are scheduled to perform throughout the daylong event, and there will be plenty of food and beverage vendors sprinkled along the streets of downtown Oxford, she said.

Of course, one of the main events is the pepper-eating contest, which will take place from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Winners of the hot sauce contest will be announced at 11:30 a.m. at the Overton Main Stage. Then, Allen said, there will be a special memorial to mark the 20th anniversary of 9/11. American flags are posted along the streets in Oxford already, she said, and after a moment of silence is observed to remember all those whose lives were lost in the terror attacks, local singer Jonathan Abbott will sing The Star-Spangled Banner.

“The cool part about the hot sauce festival,” Allen said, “is that there’s something for everyone.”

The classic car show will be on Little John Street between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., featuring vintage vehicles and souped-up, tricked out cars and trucks, she said. Children’s games and activities can be found along Williamsboro Street between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Vendors also will be selling their own hot sauces, and Allen said that she considers that to be one of the event’s biggest draws. “It’s just a really good foodie event,” she said. “People love that hot sauce.”

Check out all the details at nchotsaucecontest.com.

But Granville County events don’t stop with the Hot Sauce Contest, Allen said.

The Cedar Creek Gallery in Creedmoor has opened its pumpkin patch, she said. But these pumpkins aren’t grown on vines – they are made of glass and there are hundreds of them ready for purchase at the local art and pottery gallery.

Allen said there’s something for everyone, from traditional orange to beautiful blues and reds – a kaleidoscope of colors. Beginning on Oct. 1, about 100 limited-edition pumpkins will be available for purchase at the gallery or online. Glass blower Lisa Oakley, owner of the gallery, will sign, date and number each work.

Cedar Creek is open every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The pumpkin patch will be open through Nov. 7. And the gallery’s fall festival returns this year for the first two weekends in October, featuring live glass blowing and pottery demonstrations.

Events are planned for outside, she said, adding that face coverings and social distancing protocols will be observed inside the gallery.

“This is a really neat time to be surrounded by art and see how it’s made,” Allen said.

Visit cedarcreekgallery.com to learn more.

A short distance from Creedmoor is Butner and the annual Harvest Show, hosted by the Lord Granville Agricultural Harvest Association, will take place on Oct. 1 and 2 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This event will be held at the corner of 12th and G streets in Butner and will feature displays of antique farm equipment, a working blacksmith and farm shop, and something Allen called “tractor games.”

Daily admission is $5 or $8 for a two day pass.

Back in the northern part of the county, the 6th annual military history show at the Henderson-Oxford Airport will be held on Saturday, Oct. 23. Proceeds go to the local Veterans Affairs committee, which provides advocacy, resources and services to local military veterans.

In addition to various military displays of uniforms, equipment and vehicles, Allen said there will be helicopter rides and reenactors, in period gear representing soldiers from various wars that the U.S. has been involved in.

And if you’re not too tuckered out from all the activity, this year’s edition of the Granville Haunt Farm is a destination that is a must-see – or a must drive-through.

Grey Blackwell said this year’s theme conjures up images from horror movies. “You’ll get to drive through their version of a gigantic movie screen,” Allen said, “as it comes to life on the other side.”

It’s a total drive-through event again this year, and there will be timed ticketing as well, eliminating long lines and traffic jams during the times that the haunt farm is in operation.

Beginning Friday, Oct. 1, the haunt farm will be open each Friday and Saturday in October.

Visit Granvillehauntfarm.com to learn more.

 

 

TownTalk: History of Kerr Lake

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(Photo courtesy R.F. Timberlake – Kerr Lake Park Watch on Facebook and Shutter Art Gallery)

It was the flood of 1940 that finally set in motion the creation of the reservoir and dam that we here in North Carolina call Kerr Lake, but our neighbors to the north in Virginia insist on calling Buggs Island Lake.

The Roanoke River has had 17 major floods since Europeans first arrived in this part of the world, said Mark Pace, local historian and North Carolina Room specialist at the Richard Thornton Library in Oxford. The 1940 flood put the Roanoke River a full 42 feet above its regular level, Pace said. If that type of flooding had occurred in downtown Henderson, for example, the only building that would not have been completely and utterly inundated would be the Vance Furniture Company building.

There had been a lot of talk about establishing some sort of flood control along the Roanoke River system for many years leading up to that devastating flood eight decades ago, but the talk turned to action after that event.

Pace and Bill Harris discussed the story behind the lake with two names, its economic impact and its future on the tri-weekly history segment of Town Talk Thursday.

Money to create the reservoir and dam was appropriated in the 1944 Federal Flood Act. Pace said the period between 1935 and 1975 saw the construction of many massive dams in the U.S. During that time, there was “a certain mentality that humans could control nature and use it to our own benefit,” Pace said.

Construction of the lake and dam began in 1947. Albert S. Bugg sold the land where the dam was to be built, a strategic location where the Roanoke River was quite narrow. It took 2,100 workers four and a half years of around-the-clock work to complete the project, Pace noted. That’s three shifts, day and night, 365 days of the year. The $5 million price tag then would be about $975 million in today’s dollars.

Workers excavated all the way to bedrock, placed concrete pillars and created what amounts to an earthen dam. There’s very little concrete in the dam, save the area around the hydroelectric plant, he added.

Longtime U.S. Congressman John H. Kerr from Warren County flipped the switch on Oct. 3, 1952 to officially open the dam and reservoir.

In an upset, Kerr lost his seat to newcomer politician L.H. Fountain in 1952. In a nod to his tireless efforts on the dam and reservoir project, Congress decided to name the reservoir and dam after Kerr.

Folks in Virginia had no problem naming the dam for the North Carolina politician, but they did have a problem naming the reservoir for him, considering three-quarters of the lake lies in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In fact, Pace said, 95 percent of the water in the lake comes from Virginia. “It’s their water,” he said.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers claims the land under the water, the land around the lake shoreline and the flood plain, which totals about 110,000 acres. The Corps owns to the 320 mark – that’s 320 feet above sea level – all around the lake, and lake property owners must refrain from disturbing any Corps-owned property.

“It’s one of the truly significant things that’s happened in our area – the creation of the lake,” Pace said. The lake and dam provide flood control, its original purpose, as well as hydroelectric power. Dominion Energy buys about 58 percent of the electricity the dam generates for its Virginia customers; Progress Energy gets the balance for its North Carolina customers.

And recreation is what Pace called an unintended consequence of the lake. Boating, fishing and camping are popular activities all around Kerr Lake, which boosts the local economy.

But not everyone was initially in favor of building the lake, Pace said. Henderson officials originally were on record in opposition of the lake. Agriculture was king in Vance County back in those days and it was not appealing to think that 10,000 acres of good farmland would become a lake bottom.

“People did not envision what the lake could be,” Pace said. “They didn’t want to lose their homes and their land.”

Almost 400 families lost their homes to the lake. And more than 1,000 graves had to be removed and re-interred in nearby cemeteries.

The lake also took Occoneechee Island, which was located near Clarksville, Va. Pace said the Smithsonian Institution conducted an archaeological survey there before the land was swallowed up by the lake. “That island was probably the most significant Native American archaeological site from Richmond to Raleigh,” he said. In addition to a Native American fort that figured prominently in Bacon’s Rebellion, the trading path passed through that area, too.

The United States doesn’t build dams any more – they’re too expensive. The $100 million price tag for Kerr Lake in the early ‘50s would easily be $1.2 billion today. The life span of a hydroelectric dam like the Kerr Dam is between 100 and 150 years, Pace said. After that, equipment fails, cracks form in the dam, and then it becomes a question of whether it’s cost-effective to repair and replace.

Kerr Dam will celebrate its 69th anniversary next month.

TownTalk: History of Kerr Lake – Click Play