SATTERWHITE POINT, N.C. – Welcome to Kerr Lake, one of the largest reservoirs in the southeast.
“It’s about 850 miles of shoreline if you count all around the lake,” said park Superintendent Keith Nealson.
In fact the lake is so big, it is in two states.
“The lake is in both North Carolina and Virginia,” explained Nealson.
This can lead to some interesting situations, such as the Virginians having a different name for the lake.
In Virginia, theoretically it’s Kerr Lake, but they like to call it Buggs Island. The folks in Virginia were not happy that the lake was being named after someone from North Carolina when half the lake is in Virginia.
The dam is also in Virginia, and it’s a marvel of engineering.
The dam is on the Roanoke River, in Mecklenburg County Virginia, just a few miles north of the border with North Carolina. It was built between 1947 and 1952 by the US Army Corps of Engineers.
“Lots of campsites, we have over 600 between our different areas. A lot of people come to go fishing. There’s one designated swim area,” said Nealson, who explained that safety should always be a top priority.
“We don’t necessarily say come up here for swimming purposes, but people do, and we don’t tell them they can’t, we just tell them ‘hey be careful,'” Nealson said. “There’s no lifeguards. Make sure that you are safe.”
For those looking to escape their busy lifestyles for a relaxing day on the water, Kerr Lake is definitely the place for you.