Lake Tillery
Encyclopedia
Lake Tillery is a reservoir
between Badin Lake
and Blewett Falls Lake
in the Uwharrie Lakes Region
of North Carolina
. It is entirely within Stanly County
and Montgomery County, NC. The lake was created by impounding the Pee Dee River
, which is created by the confluence of the Yadkin River
and the Uwharrie River
several miles to the north. Norwood, NC in neighboring Stanly County uses as its town motto "Gateway to Lake Tillery".
across the river and Lake Tillery from Stanly County to Montgomery County. Swift Island Bridge, the water's old crossing parallels the newer four-lane bridge which accompanies it; the older bridge is a narrow two-lane concrete arch bridge built in 1922.
In the 1920s when it was discovered that the 5000 acres (20 km²) lake to be impounded behind the Norwood Dam would cover the original reinforced concrete and steel bridge, Carolina Power & Light Company (now Progress Energy Inc
), owner of the new dam, turned it over to the U.S. military for training purposes.
First, engineers were unable to collapse the bridge by over loading it with dead weight. Next, the Army Air Corp dropped bombs on it. Later, an artillery division targeted it with cannon fire.
It finally took a ton of TNT to bring the bridge down. A clearly embarrassed U.S. War Department saved face by saying that it had obtained "valuable military data" from the experience.
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
between Badin Lake
Badin Lake
Badin Lake is one of a series of lakes created by the damming of the Yadkin-Pee Dee River in the Uwharrie Lakes Region of the United States. It was created in 1917 by the Aluminum Company of America. It is contained by Narrows Dam at the town of Badin, North Carolina. Sitting within a valley, the...
and Blewett Falls Lake
Blewett Falls Lake
Blewett Falls Lake is a reservoir located in Anson County and Richmond County in North Carolina. No bridges span the lake. It is a major lake in the Uwharrie Lakes Region and the southernmost and widest body in this chain of lakes...
in the Uwharrie Lakes Region
Uwharrie Lakes Region
The Uwharrie Lakes Region of North Carolina in the United States refers to the lakes created by the damming of the Yadkin and Pee Dee rivers along the western slopes of the ancient Uwharrie Mountains....
of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. It is entirely within Stanly County
Stanly County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 60,585 people. In 2000 there were 22,223 households, and 16,156 families residing in the county. The population density was 147 people per square mile . There were 24,582 housing units at an average density of 62 per square mile...
and Montgomery County, NC. The lake was created by impounding the Pee Dee River
Pee Dee River
The Pee Dee River, also known as the Great Pee Dee River, is a river in North Carolina and South Carolina. It originates in the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina, where its upper course above the mouth of the Uwharrie River is known as the Yadkin River. It is extensively dammed for flood...
, which is created by the confluence of the Yadkin River
Yadkin River
The Yadkin River is one of the longest rivers in North Carolina, flowing . It rises in the northwestern portion of the state near the Blue Ridge Parkway's Thunder Hill Overlook. Several parts of the river are impounded by dams for water, power, and flood control. The river becomes the Pee Dee...
and the Uwharrie River
Uwharrie River
The Uwharrie River is a river, about 60 mi long, in the Piedmont region of central North Carolina in the United States. It is a tributary of the Pee Dee River, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean.- Course :...
several miles to the north. Norwood, NC in neighboring Stanly County uses as its town motto "Gateway to Lake Tillery".
Lake Tillery Bridge
The Lake Tillery Bridge is the only crossing of the Pee-Dee-Yadkin River between Badin Lake and Norwood. The bridge carries traffic on North Carolina Highway 24/27/73North Carolina Highway 73
NC 73 is a state highway that extends for through south-central North Carolina in the United States. Most of the route is a two-lane highway that passes through both rural scenic areas; however, it also serves several small and moderate-sized cities in the state, including Concord and Albemarle...
across the river and Lake Tillery from Stanly County to Montgomery County. Swift Island Bridge, the water's old crossing parallels the newer four-lane bridge which accompanies it; the older bridge is a narrow two-lane concrete arch bridge built in 1922.
In the 1920s when it was discovered that the 5000 acres (20 km²) lake to be impounded behind the Norwood Dam would cover the original reinforced concrete and steel bridge, Carolina Power & Light Company (now Progress Energy Inc
Progress Energy Inc
Progress Energy , headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., is a Fortune 500 energy company with more than 21,000 megawatts of generation capacity and $9 billion in annual revenues. Progress Energy includes two major electric utilities that serve approximately 3.1 million customers in the Carolinas and...
), owner of the new dam, turned it over to the U.S. military for training purposes.
First, engineers were unable to collapse the bridge by over loading it with dead weight. Next, the Army Air Corp dropped bombs on it. Later, an artillery division targeted it with cannon fire.
It finally took a ton of TNT to bring the bridge down. A clearly embarrassed U.S. War Department saved face by saying that it had obtained "valuable military data" from the experience.