When South Carolina and Duke Power formed a partnership to create hydroelectric power nearly 50 years ago, the end result was unquestionably the most beautiful, pristine body of water in the state: Lake Jocassee. But there were tradeoffs that affected thousands who lived in the Jocassee Valley – namely, folks were forced to leave. Now there is an abandoned town under Lake Jocassee.
Many of the homes and the town that was to be in the way of the lake's rising waters were demolished (or simply moved).
Today, it's widely known that a cemetery lies at the bottom of the lake, complete with headstones you can still read to this day.
But few people realize that a mostly intact lodge was recently found at a depth of 300 feet beneath the lake's surface, near where the Whitewater River flows into Lake Jocassee on the northwestern shores.
Believed to have been built in 1898, Attakulla Lodge was originally a ten-room home that opened its doors to traveling families and served as a bed and breakfast.
It soon expanded and was sold in the 1920s to the lodge's second owners who would retain the lodge through the flooding of the lake in 1973. The lodge, however, closed to the public in 1960 but continued to host family and friends of the owners.
Not too long ago, divers in Lake Jocassee had been exploring the area near where the Whitewater River flows into the lake. Upon reaching the bottom at approximately 300 feet below the surface they made a discovery.
The Attakulla Lodge was still largely intact and sitting in its dark and frigid grave on the bottom of the lake.
One section of the old home had been picked up and turned completely on its side... but again, largely intact. A discovery of this sort is almost never heard of. And if it wasn't for the frigid temperatures at the bottom of the lake, the lodge would probably have been largely taken by time at this point.
Divers continue to diligently explore the ruins of Attakulla Lodge. Even the old fence that surrounded the horse paddock by the house (pictured) still stands.
See it here, more than 50 years ago, before Lake Jocassee was filled with water.
See more of the dive down to Attakulla Lodge by watching this video from YouTube user South Carolina Scuba Diving:
Learn about the clearest lake in South Carolina with 300 miles of shoreline.
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