Early Days: The Occoneechee Indians (aka Occaneechi) were Native Americans who once lived in the Kerr Lake area until they were dispersed by Nathaniel Bacon in 1676. They were Siouan-speaking, and thus related to the Saponi, Tutelo, Eno, and other Southeastern Siouan-language peoples living in the Piedmont region of present-day North Carolina and Virginia. The small tribe was attacked by European settlers and decimated; a few survived and joined the Sapani, Tutelo, and Saponi. In 2002,the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation were formerly recognized by the State of North Carolina (approximately 700 tribe members live in NC).
Until 1676, the Roanoke River was the main transportation and supply route for both Native Americans and early settlers. Constant, regular flooding of the river provided rich and productive farmland that sustained the area for generations.
There is a small island near letter "G" that we have found arrowheads along the shoreline; maybe they were left behind by an Occoneechee hunter or fisherman.
The Building of the Lake: The development of homesteads, villages, towns, and cities along the river and the increased demand for flood control and electricity led to the construction of the John H. Kerr Reservoir, named after the North Carolina congressman instrumental in the reservoir's development. North Carolinians know the lake as Kerr Lake (pronounced Karr or Car). Virginians know it as Buggs Island Lake. The lake has over 850 miles of shoreline and covers approximately 50,000 acres; this makes it one of the largest reservoirs in the Southeastern United States. The dam was completed in 1953 and is owned by the US Army Corps of Engineers. The lake area is located in parts of Vance, Granville, and Warren counties in North Carolina, and Mecklenburg, Charlotte, and Halifax counties in Virginia.
Recreation: Large-mouth bass fishing, striped bass, crappie, catfish, and bream are abundant in the lake. Camping, swimming, boating, and sailing regattas are popular on the lake throughout the year.
Local Folklore: In the days before Kerr Lake, there was a towering 80 foot railroad trestle that crossed Nutbush Creek in Vance County. A forest fire scorched the bridge but it appeared to be safe. However, on March 27, 1918 Engine Number 2 chugged across and fell through the bridge into the creek. The Engine, its tender, and three cars were impaled into the mud. Two brothers operating the train were killed. When the lake was built, the entire train was left in place at Nutbush Creek and is still burried there in 50 feet of water beneath the Kerr Lake water. Local folks use to give prizes to anyone who could swim down and ring the bell. A few years ago, some divers (Dick & Patrick) probed the water and could see the remains of the engine and one car. This long forgotten train wreck still ripples with intrigue today because the train was never recovered.
