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The purpose of the South Carolina Picture Project is to celebrate the beauty of the Palmetto State while preserving some of its vanishing landscapes.

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Lake Keowee

SC PICTURE PROJECT 1 Comment

SC Picture Project / Oconee County / Lake Keowee

Popular Lake Keowee is located primarily in Oconee County, but also extends into neighboring Pickens County. The lake was built in 1971 by Duke Power Company to generate hydroelectric power and to cool the reactors at the Oconee Nuclear Station near Seneca; it was created by damming the Keowee River and the Little River. Water flowing from below the dams joins the Seneca River and eventually make its way to the Savannah River. Lake Keowee measures 26 miles long, three miles wide, and includes 300 miles of shore line.

Sunset over Lake Keowee

Gary DuBose of Seneca, 2011 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

The name Keowee is a Cherokee word meaning ‘Place of the Mulberries’. Lake Keowee covers the former Keowee Town, the capital of the Lower Cherokee Nation. The Cherokee were allied with the British during the American Revolution; following the defeat of the British at present-day Fort Moultrie in 1776, the Cherokee no longer had the support of the British.

Lake Keowee Oconee County

Malini Gupta of Kolkata, India, 2016 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

As a result, the Cherokee War between the Cherokees and the South Carolina militia soon erupted. Seeking a peaceful resolution, in 1777 the Cherokees relinquished their land in the Cheroeke Lower Nation, which included Keowee Town and nearly all Cherokee land in South Carolina, to the South Carolina settlers. The negotiation is known as the Treaty of Dewitt’s Corner. When Lake Keowee was being built, archaeologists excavated the former Keowee Town site and discovered thousands of Cherokee artifacts. Many such artifacts are on display in local museums.

With its 18,000 acres of water, Lake Keowee is usually dotted with people out enjoying the water. Fishing, boating, and even sailing are beloved activities that keep Lake Keowee a vibrant part of the South Carolina Foothills.

Plan Your Trip: Lake Keowee

Where is Lake Keowee located?
Address: Stamp Creek Road, Salem, SC 29676
GPS Coordinates: 34.799483,-82.912567
What else should I see?
Old Pickens Presbyterian Church 2.6 miles
Six Mile Creek 7 miles
Newry Mill 8.3 miles
Union Church 8.3 miles
Show me more like this!
  • See other South Carolina Lakes
    Lake Keowee Map

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    1. Judy Smallwood says

      July 19, 2018 at 5:13 PM

      List of homes available for rent on Lake Kewowee.

      Reply

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