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Nobody
Knows Lake Norman Like Ellie
Lake
Norman was created in 1963 when Duke Power Co. dammed the
Catawba River to fuel its hydroelectric power plants. The
lake was named for Norman Cocke, former Duke Power president.
Lake Norman covers 32,500 surface miles with 520 miles of
shoreline touching the 4 counties of Mecklenburg, Iredell,
Lincoln and Catawba. This area is located in the gently
rolling Piedmont Plateau in the south-central portion of
North Carolina. It sits halfway between the mountains and
the coast - an easy drive for a short, or long, get-away.
The
four-season climate is moderate, with average temperatures
ranging from 30° to 90°. Average annual precipitation totals
approximately 43 inches. Snow is infrequent with little
or no accumulation. The primary weather-makers for the Carolinas
are warm moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic
Ocean and the cool, dry air that moves down the North American
continent. Weather forecasters say that the elevation rise
from Charlotte (737 feet) to the foothills (1500), and the
resulting temperature decrease, makes storm predictions
an iffy science. A degree or two mean the difference between
snow, sleet, freezing rain or just cold rain.
The
past two decades have seen a development explosion including
luxury resort homes. The lifestyle reflects the region's
prosperity. Residents move here to enjoy boating, water
skiing, swimming, and other outdoor activities.
The
closer you get to the lake, the more elaborate the houses
become. Homes often feature home theaters, extra kitchens,
elegant balconies, terraces, patios and porches that capitalize
on the waterfront views. The Peninsula, in Cornelius, features
a golf course designed by pro golfer Greg Norman.
While
the areas around the water are modern and new, it seems
all the small towns just beyond that have managed to retain
that small, older, charming feel. The historic towns of
Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, Mooresville, Denver and
Sherrill’s Ford and Troutman believe in preserving Main
Street districts with storefront windows and wide sidewalks.
The higher population has also attracted more stores, restaurants,
and hotels.
Charlotte
, just 20 miles to the south, is the largest city in the
Carolinas. It is the second largest banking center in the
U.S. with the headquarters for Bank of America and Wachovia.
Charlotte
is a major distribution point in the southeast for freight
trains, trucking, and air cargo. Other contributors to the
area's economy include construction, insurance, real estate,
textiles, transportation, utilities, printing, educational,
and medical employment and the wholesale, retail, and service
industries.
Charlotte
is home for many professional sports teams including the
NFL Panthers and NBA Bobcats. Also, there's the Charlotte
Checkers minor-league hockey team and the Charlotte Knights
minor-league baseball team.
If you
enjoy college basketball, you couldn't be in a better place,
and if you're a golfer, there are over 25 courses to choose
from in the counties surrounding the lake.
Among
the area's recreational attractions are:
- Paramount
's Carowinds Theme Park
- Discovery
Place, a hands-on educational museum that also features
the Kelly Space Voyager Planetarium and OMNIMAX Theater
- Carolina
Raptor Center
- University
of North Carolina Botanical & Sculpture Gardens.
Hospitals
in the area include:
- Carolina
Medical Center
- University
Hospital
- Presbyterian
Hospital
- Lake
Norman Regional Medical Center
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