One of the most popular lakes in Georgia for recreational activities is Lake Lanier. This 58-square mile lake is just outside of Atlanta and is a popular spot for outdoor fun, particularly in the summer. But what many tourists don’t know is that the lake has a terrible history that leads many to believe it could be haunted. It goes without saying that throughout American history, there have been horrific incidents of mistreatment of African-Americans, particularly in the South. Georgia history is filled with incidents of racism, from slavery to lynchings to segregation. The creation of Lake Lanier back in 1956 was arguably the culmination of decades of such mistreatment and many people who enjoy the lake today don’t know of its terrible history.
Lake Sidney Lanier is a massive reservoir along the Chattahoochee River in North Georgia. It’s one of the biggest lakes in the state and is an immensely popular spot for boating, swimming, and water sports.
Elle Jaye Dee/Flickr
What many people don’t realize, though, is that this place represents the culmination of a dark and terrible period in Georgia history.
Storeyland/Flickr
In the early 1900s, Forsyth County had over 1,000 Black residents, with some of them owning property, a rarity in the South at the time.
Jack Delano/Wikimedia Commons
In 1912, a White Forsyth County woman was raped and assaulted, and later died from her injuries. The suspect was a Black man, which caused the county to erupt into violence.
Thomson200/Wikimedia Commons White “night riders” rode through Forsyth County, lighting property on fire and threatening lynchings. Nearly all of the African-Americans in Forsyth County ended up fleeing the area in terror from the threats. Many of the families had to leave suddenly with little advanced notice, and much of their land was simply taken over by White residents, even though the land had been in the family for generations and no official sale had occurred.
The creation of the Buford Dam that would make Lake Lanier was approved in 1949. The area that was to become the lake had once been an African-American farming town known as Oscarville. Due to the violence of race riots prior, Oscarville was mostly a ghost town by this point.
Ashleylouisewilliams3408/Wikimedia Commons The U.S. government claimed eminent domain and began buying up over 56,000 acres of land in preparation for the project. Some families had to be forcibly removed. The entire town of Oscarville was buried in the lake, with years of history lost.
Several cemeteries lie underneath the lake today, and many believe the lake to be haunted.
Thomson200/Wikimedia Commons Some people believe the site of the once-thriving Black community was chosen for the lake intentionally, to cover up the history of this place.
It seems like there are accidents and drownings at Lake Lanier just about every year, and locals often refer to the spot as cursed. What are your thoughts on the subject: is Lake Lanier haunted? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Elle Jaye Dee/Flickr
Storeyland/Flickr
Jack Delano/Wikimedia Commons
Thomson200/Wikimedia Commons
White “night riders” rode through Forsyth County, lighting property on fire and threatening lynchings. Nearly all of the African-Americans in Forsyth County ended up fleeing the area in terror from the threats. Many of the families had to leave suddenly with little advanced notice, and much of their land was simply taken over by White residents, even though the land had been in the family for generations and no official sale had occurred.
Ashleylouisewilliams3408/Wikimedia Commons
The U.S. government claimed eminent domain and began buying up over 56,000 acres of land in preparation for the project. Some families had to be forcibly removed. The entire town of Oscarville was buried in the lake, with years of history lost.
Some people believe the site of the once-thriving Black community was chosen for the lake intentionally, to cover up the history of this place.
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Address: Lake Lanier, Georgia, USA
