Lakes of the “Golden Corner”
By: Julie Gifford
Oconee County is officially “The Golden Corner” of South Carolina.
Lake Keowee is one of the cleanest, most pristine lakes in South Carolina and has approximately 300 miles of shoreline. A “power lake”, Keowee helps produce over 2.5 million kilowatts of electricity. It extends from Lake Hartwell northerly to the mountainous Lake Jocassee. Dams separate Keowee from Hartwell and Jocassee; there is no waterway access between them. The lake supports about 18,5002 surface acres and is very popular for sailing, fishing, and other nautical activities such as scuba diving. Keowee’s terrain ranges from rolling “foothills” to rugged mountain slopes on the north end. On the north end, which is also in Pickens County, many residents and boaters enjoy the distant views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. There is one commercial marina (located in Seneca) and 8 public access areas. Keowee is accessed by Highways 123, 130, 188, and Foothill Scenic Highway 11. Property values have been well protected on Keowee with strict building and environmental requirements. These are enforced in part by Oconee County’s Duke Power Plant. Duke’s “World of Energy” Visitor Center number for tours and additional Keowee information is:1-800-777-1004.
Lake Hartwell, a much larger lake, is one of the top 3 most visited of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lakes in the Nation. It’s appeal is due in part to the moderate temperatures and varied terrain: from gentle piedmont slopes to rugged foothills. Hartwell extends from the western corner of South Carolina to northeastern Georgia. Boasting 962 miles of shoreline, the lake’s surface is almost 56,0002 acres for superb recreational activity. Hartwell is a man-made lake which was completed in 1963, and is very popular for fishing and water sports activities with just over 75 public boat ramps and 5 commercial marinas (between the 2 states), numerous swimming beaches, and campgrounds. The tree-lined shores are evidence of the Corps’ stringent erosion control and help provide privacy to the waterfront homes and public recreation areas. Another convenience is the accessibility of Lake Hartwell; it is bi-sected by Interstate I-85. For lake level information and guided tours of the Hartwell Dam & Powerplant in Georgia (U.S. Highway 29) and other details are available by calling: (706) 376-4788.
Both lakes offer communities with golf course, tennis, private marinas, swimming pools, and condominium living. There are several public golf courses in the area: Oconee Country Club in Seneca, Chickasaw Point on Lake Hartwell in Westminster, Falcon’s Lair in Walhalla, the Walker Course on Hartwell at Clemson University, and Boscobel in Anderson. There are several private Golf courses such as: Keowee Key on Lake Keowee, Cross Creek Plantation (a P.B. Dye course), and The Cliffs. Many sports buffs enjoy spectating at nearby Clemson University football, soccer, baseball, row crew teams, and basketball (to name a few of the nationally ranked athletics) in Clemson, SC. The University at Clemson hosts many events at their Agricultural Arena and Performing Arts Center. Clemson is in Pickens County, which is just to the east of “The Golden Corner” county of Oconee. Other colleges in the area include: Furman University, Anderson College, Southern Wesleyan University, Tri-County Technical College, Greenville Tech, and Bob Jones University.
Seneca, the largest city in Oconee County, has a 160-bed Oconee Memorial Hospital with a new patient tower, Medi-Urgent Care Center, and a new Cancer Centers of the Carolinas facility. An urgent care center is located in Clemson. Clemson offers historical homes like the Hanover House and the Fort Hill House (which housed the statesman John C. Calhoun) and a Botanical Garden. The town of Pendleton in nearby Anderson County offers many historical landmarks, as well.
The cleanest lake in the state of S.C is Lake Jocassee, which is fed by the streams of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Duke Power is not currently developing the tracts they own around Jocassee at this time. Other small mountain lakes in the Golden Corner (with APPROXIMATE surface water acres) include: Lake Cherokee (220), Fiddler’s Cove (35), Lake Cheohee (60), Whitewater Lake (75), Chatooga (42), Beaver Lake , Mountain Rest Lake (45), Crystal Lake (100), and Lake Becky (92).
Seneca, SC’s Distance to Major Metropolitan Cities
Atlanta, GA 125 miles
Anderson, SC 26 miles
Asheville, NC 90 miles
Charlotte, NC 140 miles
Clemson, SC 8 miles
Columbia, SC 139 miles
Greenville, SC 38 miles
|
