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Thirty years ago, Lake Norman – 25 miles to the north of Charlotte – was primarily a weekend retreat, its shores dotted with tin-roofed boathouses, mobile homes and fishing cabins. That began to change, however, with the completion of Interstate 77 in 1976. Suddenly it was possible to live like you were on vacation all year round only a quick 20-minute drive from work, shopping and entertainment in the big city.
Lake Norman, like Lake Wylie, its sister lake to the south, is a “working” lake, created by Duke Energy for the generation of hydroelectric power. Both are part of the Catawba River system. Norman is the larger of the two lakes though, with 520 miles of shoreline in four counties - Mecklenburg, Iredell, Lincoln and Catawba. At nearly 34 miles long and 8 miles across at its widest point, it is larger than the Sea of Galilee and often referred to as “The Inland Sea.”
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Lake Norman - The Point Education
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UNIVERSITIES & COLLEGES
- UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHARLOTTE (Full-time enrollment: 13,706)
- CENTRAL PIEDMONT COMMUNITY COLLEGE (FT enrollment: 7,967)
- ROWAN-CABARRUS COMMUNITY COLLEGE (FT enrollment: 2,499)
- GASTON COLLEGE (FT enrollment: 2,473)
- CATAWBA VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE (FT enrollment: 2,052)
- WINTHROP UNIVERSITY (FT enrollment: 4,976)
- YORK TECHNICAL COLLEGE (FT enrollment: 2,221)
PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS
- MOORESVILLE SENIOR HIGH (Students: 1,207; Location: 659 E CENTER AVE; Grades: 09 - 12)
- NF WOODS ADV TECH/ARTS CENTER
PUBLIC PRIMARY & MIDDLE SCHOOLS
- MOORESVILLE INTERMEDIATE (Students: 1,073)
- LAKE NORMAN ELEMENTARY (Students: 1,007)
- BRAWLEY MIDDLE (Students: 759)
- MOORESVILLE MIDDLE (Students: 654)
- SOUTH ELEMENTARY (Students: 647)
- PARK VIEW ELEMENTARY (Students: 579)
- LAKESHORE ELEMENTARY (Students: 546)
- MOUNT MOURNE ELEMENTARY (Students: 522)
- LAKESHORE MIDDLE (Students: 416)
- SHEPHERD ELEMENTARY (Students: 371)
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Lake Norman - The Point History
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Lake Norman, created between 1959 and 1964 as part of the construction of the Cowans Ford Dam by Duke Power, is the largest manmade body of fresh water in North Carolina. It is fed by the Catawba River. It was named after former Duke Power president Norman Cocke. Lake Norman is sometimes referred to as the "inland sea"; it offers 520 miles of shoreline and a surface area of more than 50 square miles. Full pond elevation at Lake Norman is 760 feet.
Lake Norman provides electricity to the Piedmont region of the Carolinas. It powers the generators at the hydroelectric station at Cowans Ford and is used by Marshall Steam Station and McGuire Nuclear Station to cool the steam that drives their turbines. The lake supplies water to Lincoln County, Mooresville, Charlotte (and other towns in Mecklenburg County, particularly Davidson and Huntersville.)
Duke Power partnered with the state of North Carolina to establish Lake Norman State Park. It has also built two bank fishing areas and eight public boating access areas along the shoreline. One site is leased to Mecklenburg County and one to Iredell County. Popular game fish in Lake Norman include catfish, crappie, bluegill and yellow perch, as well as striped, largemouth, and white bass. Lake Norman is also home to "Normie" the Lake Norman Monster, with many reported sightings.
Lake Norman has done much to contribute to the area's economy; many communities have sprung up on the lake's shores, with vacation and primary residences bringing many people into the area. Many farming communities have turned to chic residential neighborhoods, including, on the south end of the lake, the upper-reaches of the Charlotte suburban zone.
Lake Norman is also the location for one of the International Jet Sport Boats Association (IJSBA) tour stops. Team Tweek, a race team headquartered in Mooresville, helps promote and coordinate the annual event.
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Lake Norman - The Point News
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Search for "Mooresville NC" - Doggett finishes 7th in Dirt Late Model Sportsman - The Caroline Progress
| Team Full Throttle has a growing number of late model racers in its program, and while Virginia's Taylor Doggett technically is a late model racer, he represents a different side of the division - dirt-track ... |
- Residents near N.C. 3 attend workshop concerning widening project - Salisbury Post
| North Carolina Department of Transportation officials heard concerns from residents living near N.C. 3 at a workshop Tuesday night at the Kannapolis Train Station. |
- Kepley Construction Company moves brick house from Salisbury to China Grove - Salisbury Post
| Time for a change: The housemovers change a tire underneath the platform the house is resting on. |
- Obituaries for July 22, 2008 - The Times
| Frances "Maxine" George, 77, Mooresville, died at 6:20 p.m. July 20, 2008, in Mooresville. |
- Truex Heads to Indianapolis with Extra Incentive - The Frontstretch
| MOORESVILLE , N.C. - ' After the six week suspension of his crew chief and car chief by NASCAR , Martin Truex Jr. |
- Opinion - Letters to the editor - Monday - Salisbury Post
| Nation is grounded in its farmlandI am comforted to know that the beautiful and historic Knox farm will be forever preserved but remain unclear how the eight-generation farm family can be vilified for being ... |
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Lake Norman - The Point Recreation
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Lake Norman residents already enjoy two top-notch county parks in Cornelius – the 105-acre Jetton Park with lake access, tennis, bike rentals, walking trails, picnic shelters, playground and a beach; and Ramsey Creek Park, a 43-acre waterfront park with two large picnic shelters, a playground, volleyball courts, picnic facilities, fishing and boat slips. The brand-new, 18-acre, town-owned Torrence Chapel Park features ball fields, tennis courts, jogging trails, basketball and picnic shelters.
Many neighborhoods offer private golf facilities and amenities such as a residents’ club or country club that offers swimming, tennis and dining facilities. These include The Peninsula Club in Cornelius, River Run Country Club in Davidson, and NorthStone Club in Huntersville.
There are nearly a dozen marinas that offer wet or dry boat storage starting at $1,000 annually. If you’re putting your own boat into the water, public access ramps are available at Jetton Park, Blythe Landing and Ramsey Creek Park in the Cornelius/Huntersville area. Iredell County public access areas include Hager Creek Access at Exit 33 and McCrary Creek Access, Pinnacle Access and Stumpy Creek Access off N.C. 150. In the Denver area on Lake Norman’s west shore, head to Little Creek Access Area on Webb’s Chapel Road or the Beatties Ford Access Area on Unity Church Road. Catawba County boaters can choose from several marinas on lower Lake Norman south of the N.C. 150 bridge or Long Island Marina on Burton Drive.
Unless you’re on a boat or have access to private land, 1,600-acre Lake Norman State Park in Troutman is the only place swimming is allowed from Lake Norman shores. The park also offers boat ramps, picnic shelters, campsites, mountain biking and hiking trails.
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Lake Norman - The Point Weather
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