The size of the Yadkin River and the altitude of the surrounding Uwharrie Mountains proved to be the perfect geography for the creation of a lake. Dam construction of the river was tried several times, including once for a gold mining operation in the late 1890s. World War 1 put a stop to the earliest attempts to tame the Yadkin, until in 1917, ALCOA the Aluminum Company of America, built a hydroelectric dam around the southern end of the range, at the same time creating beautiful Badin Lake.


When the lake rose behind the dam it surrounded a mountaintop range on three sides, forming a 950 acre peninsula with 14 miles of shoreline. In the beginning, the rich soil of the land was farmed, often being referred to as "3 horse" or "2 Horse" farms because of how few plow animals were needed to work the land. Over the years, the land passed through the hands of several owners who were mainly timber farmers and who used it for hunting and fishing as well.




The majestic Uwharrie mountain range is located in the central piedmont of North Carolina. Thought to be the oldest mountain range in North America, it was formed from an ancient chain of volcanoes. Mother nature smoothed the range over many years, wearing down its rocky peaks until it now appears as a strand of gently rolling hills. Uwharrie, or "rocky field" derives its name from the Native American tribe that lived among these mountains over 500 years ago. Erecting villages through the lush mountain range, the Uwharries fished and hunted along the banks of the Yadkin River, where artifacts of their presence can still be found today.

The Yadkin River found the Narrows gorge to be an agreeable pathway, gently winding through the pristine countryside. Early American settlers also found the beauty and resources of the region to be advantageous for settlements. At several places along the river were ferry crossings, a point of regional commerce and exchange. The area is steeped in folklore from those times with one humorous story about a man who rung the ferry bell in the middle of the night, woke up Mr. Stokes the ferry operator on the other side of the river, and yelled across that he didn't have any money but he needed to come across the river. Before going back to bed, Mr. Stokes yelled back that if he didn't have any money it didn't make any difference what side of the river he was on.

For a more detailed History of the Peninsula and it's Folklore Click Here

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