Lake Lure, North Carolina

Lake Lure is a town in Rutherford County, North Carolina, United States. In 2010 the town population was 1,192. Lake Lure was incorporated in 1927, and acquired the lake after which it is named in 1965.

History

In 1902, Dr. Lucius B. Morse and his brothers Hiram and Asahel purchased 64 acres (0.26 km²) around Chimney Rock (within present-day Chimney Rock State Park) for $5,000. They later acquired enough land in the area to bring the total to 8,000 acres (32 km²). Lucius Morse's wife Elizabeth is credited with naming the lake (and the town).

In 1925, the Morse family created Carolina Mountain Power Company and funded the construction of a dam on the Broad River (through a mortgage) which produced the lake after which the town is named. The full impoundment of Lake Lure was completed in 1927. At ordinary water levels, Lake Lure covers approximately 720 acres (2.9 km²) and has a shoreline of approximately 27 miles (43 km). The dam's power plant began operations in 1928 with the sale of electricity under a 10-year contract to Blue Ridge Power Co., a local predecessor of Duke Power.