Before Lake Norman existed, the Catawba River shaped daily life across the Carolina Piedmont. Farms, mill villages, churches, and family communities lined the riverbanks for generations.

But in the early twentieth century, that relationship began to change.

In this episode of Made in Carolina, we explore the early creation of Lake Norman and the growing influence of Duke Power along the Catawba River. Through oral histories and historical context, we trace how industrial expansion, the Great Flood of 1916, and hydroelectric development reshaped both the landscape and the lives of the people who called the river home.

Featuring the voices of historians and community members, this episode examines how communities experienced these changes differently—through opportunity, displacement, loss, and memory.

This is the story of when the river began to change.

Featured Voices

• Michael Connor – Family history and community memory
• Richard Eller – Mill villages and labor history
• Chuck McShane – Regional history of Lake Norman and Duke Power
• Katie Dickinson – Childhood memories of watching the lake form in Huntersville

🌊 In This Episode

• The Great Flood of 1916
• The rise of Duke Power along the Catawba River
• Hydroelectric expansion across the Carolinas
• Mill villages, farming communities, and displacement
• Watching Lake Norman take shape in real time
• Community memory and land loss

🎶 Credits

Created, produced, and hosted by Lolita Rowe

Original music by Sister Sai

Additional audio:

• “steady rain_wind gust 158.wav” by leo153 — Freesound.org (CC0)
• “Long Way” by Rexlambo — Creative Commons Attribution 3.0

🌐 Resources & Further Reading

• A History of Lake Norman: Fish Camps to Ferraris by Chuck McShane
• North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources — Flood of 1916
• Duke Energy Illumination: “From Great Flood, New Life for Catawba River” by Akeem Flavors
• French Broad Adventures — “Remembering the Flood of 1916”

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If this episode resonated with you, consider supporting Made in Carolina by sharing the show, leaving a review, or buying me a coffee.

Every bit of support helps sustain independent storytelling, oral history, and community memory projects like this one.

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🌐 madeincarolinapodcast.com 📧 madeincarolina2022@gmail.com

Before it became Lake Norman, this landscape was home to farms, mill villages, and generations of families who built their lives along the Catawba River.

In this episode of Made in Carolina, we explore what life looked like before the water rose. Through oral histories and historical context, we hear from those who experienced the region firsthand—and from those who have studied its past.

From family farms near Caldwell Station to the rise of textile mill communities, this episode traces the rhythms of daily life in the Carolina Piedmont—where land, labor, and community were deeply connected. It also examines how systems like mill villages and company stores shaped everyday experiences, and how broader forces like industrialization and segregation influenced opportunity and survival.

This is the world that existed before Lake Norman. And it is the story of what stood to be lost.

Featured Voices

• Michael Connor — Community member sharing family and farm life memories
• Richard Eller — Historian, Catawba County
• Chuck McShane — Historian of the Lake Norman region

Sound Credits

Original Music Music by Sister Sai

Sound Effects & Ambient Audio

• Gentle Waves – Sand Point Beach at Sunrise (6-20-24) by Ambient-X https://freesound.org/s/743340/ License: Attribution 4.0
• Queen Street Mill, automatic loom starts and runs.wav by phonoflora https://freesound.org/s/201176/ License: Attribution 4.0
• Queen Street Mill, loom running then stops.wav by phonoflora https://freesound.org/s/201181/ License: Attribution 4.0
• Crickets, Grasshoppers, Birds.wav by editor_adp https://freesound.org/s/144457/ License: Creative Commons 0
• Restless Cattle Mooing by NickTayloe https://freesound.org/s/813363/ License: Creative Commons 0
• Factory whistle / train whistle by kentspublicdomain https://freesound.org/s/477827/ License: Creative Commons 0
• Baseball Hit and Crowd Cheer by AmishRob https://freesound.org/s/214989/ License: Attribution 4.0

Additional Music

• “Long Way” by Rexlambo Source: SoundCloud License: Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 (CC BY 3.0) Free Download / Stream: https://audiolibrary.com.co/rexlambo/long-way Listen: https://soundcloud.com/rexlambo/rexlambo-long-way Promoted by Audio Library: https://youtu.be/EVvMLfDoJwQ

Image Credit: North Carolina Route 1006 Bridge, Catawba River, Catawba County, NC. Library of Congress (HAER NC,18-STOPT.V,1–4). No known restrictions.

Before Lake Norman, there was a river. A river that shaped the lives of the Catawba Nation and the communities that lived along its banks.

In this bonus episode of Made in Carolina, we explore the early vision that transformed the Catawba River into a hydroelectric system—and set the stage for the creation of Lake Norman.

This episode is a reflection on change, memory, and the landscapes that exist just beneath the surface.

Resources & Credits

🎧 Audio & Music Credits

• Original Music – Sister Sai Used with permission
• “Long Way” – Rexlambo Source: SoundCloud License: Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 (CC BY 3.0) Free Download / Stream: https://audiolibrary.com.co/rexlambo/long-way Stream: https://soundcloud.com/rexlambo/rexlambo-long-way Promoted by Audio Library: https://youtu.be/EVvMLfDoJwQ
• “reenactment3.aif” – alienistcog Source: Freesound License: CC0 (Public Domain)
• “small lake waves.wav” – Mick_ Source: https://freesound.org/s/705035/ License: CC0 (Public Domain)
• “NATIVE DRUM LOOP B 16BARS 100BPM.wav” – sandyrb Source: https://freesound.org/s/86653/ License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)

📚 Research & Historical Sources

• Lake Wylie History https://lakewyliecarolinas.com/history/
• About the Catawba Nation https://www.catawba.com/about-the-nation
• History of Cornelius, North Carolina Provided by the Cornelius Jaycees https://www.lakeandvillage.com/blog/history-cornelius-nc/

🎙️ Podcast Credits

Created, produced, and hosted by Lolita Rowe 🎧 Made in Carolina Podcast 🌐 https://www.madeincarolinapodcast.com/

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