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Miami Herald
20-06-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Relics found as water drastically drops in beloved NC mountain lake. See photos
Water has dropped to its lowest level in a century at North Carolina's Lake Lure, revealing relics long hidden in the mud, photos show. Among the oddities: a 32-foot 'water taxi' and vehicle believed to be a Ford Model T. They have emerged as the 800-acre lake continues shrinking due to damaged caused in September by Hurricane Helene. Many of the finds have been documented on social media by the Lake Lure Dock Company, which calls them 'a haunting look into the past.' 'This is the first time the lake has been this low since it was first filled nearly a century ago,' company owner Jake Mohl told Fox News. 'We've worked on this lake for decades, and we're seeing things no one's laid eyes on in generations.' In some instances, he has been baffled by the discoveries, such as 'the forgotten set of concrete steps.' The set appeared in June, and a photo shows it was far from being accessible to people on the bank of the lake. 'Fully intact and leading to ... nowhere,' the company wrote in a June 17 post. 'These steps likely once belonged to a building or residence — a quiet reminder of what once stood before the water came.' In the case of a 32-foot wooden boat found in the mud, Mohl theorized it was intended to be a water taxi in the 1950s, Fox News reports. 'Complete with what appears to be an old 4-cylinder Ford flathead engine,' the company wrote of the boat. 'No telling how long it's been down there or what story it carried with it to the bottom, but it's a hauntingly beautiful reminder of the lake's hidden history.' The 'chilling' remains of a Ford Model T were found around the same time, after being frozen in place for a nearly century. The vehicles were introduced to the market in 1908 and remained in production until May 1927, Ford says. 'It doesn't seem to have simply rolled into the water. The way it lies — tipped on its side, parts stripped away — suggests it may have broken down long ago, and was salvaged and abandoned, left for the lake to eventually claim,' the dock company wrote. 'Now, nearly 100 years later, it resurfaces — a silent reminder of life, labor, and machinery from a bygone era.' Long-time residents of the area expect more to show up, based on folklore. 'There are a couple of old bridges on the lake bottom too,' Clint Calhoun wrote on Facebook. 'One is in Tryon Bay not far off shore from the Lodge on Lake Lure if I recall. It's mostly intact.' 'They flooded the town to create the lake,' Julee Bee posted. 'There are still houses, churches, graves, etc down there. People had to leave everything behind.' The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is lowering the water level by 30 feet to scrape out 376,000 tons of silt and sediment pushed into the lake by Hurricane Helene, the town said in a June 17 news release. 'The Lake is currently lower than it has ever been since it was built in the mid 1920's,' the town. 'This is an important step in the recovery process for Lake Lure. We are unable to specify the length of the drawdown period as this is dependent upon the sedimentation and debris removal process being overseen by the US Army Corps of Engineers.'
New York Post
19-06-2025
- Climate
- New York Post
‘Remarkable' discovery surfaces in North Carolina after lake drained during Helene recovery
An extensive post-storm cleanup effort at Lake Lure in western North Carolina has uncovered remarkable pieces of local history that had long been hidden beneath the surface of the man-made lake. The town of Lake Lure, in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and private contractors, launched a large-scale restoration project aimed at clearing sediment and debris left behind by Hurricane Helene in September 2024. As part of the effort, officials drained much of the nearly 800-acre reservoir, exposing parts of the lakebed not seen since the area was first inundated in the 1920s. Among the most surprising discoveries: a 1920s-era Model T-style truck and a 32-foot wooden boat originally intended to serve as a water taxi during the region's early development. 'This is the first time the lake has been this low since it was first filled nearly a century ago,' said Jake Mohl, owner of Lake Lure Dock Company, whose team is currently handling many of the dock and boathouse repairs around the lake. 'We've worked on this lake for decades, and we're seeing things no one's laid eyes on in generations.' 4 The town launched a restoration project aimed at clearing sediment and debris left behind by Hurricane Helene. Lake Lure Dock Company Mohl, who has shared photos of the finds with FOX Weather, said his crew has encountered everything from sunken rowboats and large tree trunks to vehicle parts. 'The boat likely broke free during a storm and sank sometime after the Great Depression,' Mohl explained. Still visible on the side of the vessel is the name 'Pooh Bear,' which belonged to the Tanner family – one of the region's original developers. 4 Officials drained much of the nearly 800-acre reservoir, exposing parts of the lakebed not seen since the area was first inundated in the 1920s. Lake Lure Dock Company The boat was originally purchased in the 1950s to be used as a water taxi, but plans for its commercial use were abandoned. Nearby, crews also located what appears to be the Model T-style truck, likely left behind when the lake was created in the 1920s. Local residents suggested the vehicle became stuck in the mud or broke down and was simply left to be consumed by the rising waters when a nearby dam was completed in 1926 and the lake filled a year later. 4 'The boat likely broke free during a storm and sank sometime after the Great Depression,' Mohl explained. Lake Lure Dock Company The discoveries come as contractors, like the Lake Lure Dock Company, shift from immediate recovery work to reconstruction of docks and other structures around the lake. Many homes around the waterway appeared to be spared during Hurricane Helene, but boathouses and docks took the brunt of the damage. 'It's a roll of the dice out here,' Mohl said. 'Some properties were completely wiped out.' 4 Crews also located what appears to be the Model T-style truck, likely left behind when the lake was created in the 1920s. Lake Lure Dock Company Treasure hunters hoping to explore the lakebed for themselves may be disappointed, as the area remains off-limits to the public due to safety concerns. Large construction equipment has been spotted along the shoreline, where crews have already removed an estimated 376,000 tons of silt and approximately 46,744 cubic yards of storm debris from the lake. Town officials have not yet released a firm timeline for when the project will be completed or how long it will take the lake to refill, but locals are hopeful that Lake Lure will be restored to its former beauty by the summer of 2026.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Treasured discoveries surface as North Carolina lake is drained during Helene revitalization
RUTHERFORD COUNTY, N.C. – An extensive post-storm cleanup effort at Lake Lure in western North Carolina has uncovered remarkable pieces of local history that had long been hidden beneath the surface of the man-made lake. The town of Lake Lure, in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and private contractors, launched a large-scale restoration project aimed at clearing sediment and debris left behind by Hurricane Helene in September 2024. As part of the effort, officials drained much of the nearly 800-acre reservoir, exposing parts of the lakebed not seen since the area was first inundated in the 1920s. Among the most surprising discoveries: a 1920s-era Model T-style truck and a 32-foot wooden boat originally intended to serve as a water taxi during the region's early development. "This is the first time the lake has been this low since it was first filled nearly a century ago," said Jake Mohl, owner of Lake Lure Dock Company, whose team is currently handling many of the dock and boathouse repairs around the lake. "We've worked on this lake for decades, and we're seeing things no one's laid eyes on in generations." Record-setting Shipwreck Accidentally Discovered Off Coast Of France Mohl, who has shared photos of the finds with FOX Weather, said his crew has encountered everything from sunken rowboats and large tree trunks to vehicle parts. "The boat likely broke free during a storm and sank sometime after the Great Depression," Mohl explained. Still visible on the side of the vessel is the name "Pooh Bear," which belonged to the Tanner family - one of the region's original developers. The boat was originally purchased in the 1950s to be used as a water taxi, but plans for its commercial use were abandoned. Nearby, crews also located what appears to be the Model T-style truck, likely left behind when the lake was created in the 1920s. Local residents suggested the vehicle became stuck in the mud or broke down and was simply left to be consumed by the rising waters when a nearby dam was completed in 1926 and the lake filled a year later. The discoveries come as contractors, like the Lake Lure Dock Company, shift from immediate recovery work to reconstruction of docks and other structures around the lake. Many homes around the waterway appeared to be spared during Hurricane Helene, but boathouses and docks took the brunt of the damage. "It's a roll of the dice out here," Mohl said. "Some properties were completely wiped out." Chimney Rock, North Carolina, Recovery Shows Progress Post-helene Treasure hunters hoping to explore the lakebed for themselves may be disappointed, as the area remains off-limits to the public due to safety concerns. Large construction equipment has been spotted along the shoreline, where crews have already removed an estimated 376,000 tons of silt and approximately 46,744 cubic yards of storm debris from the lake. Town officials have not yet released a firm timeline for when the project will be completed or how long it will take the lake to refill, but locals are hopeful that Lake Lure will be restored to its former beauty by the summer of article source: Treasured discoveries surface as North Carolina lake is drained during Helene revitalization
