Lake Greenwood

About Lake Greenwood

Lake Greenwood, located in Greenwood and Laurens counties (Newberry), South Carolina, USA, is one of the largest lakes in the United States of America and the second largest lake in North Carolina. Lake Greenwood stretches for 212 miles along the coast and houses more than 2,000 people and over 1,500 boats. Leisure activities include fishing, boating, kayaking, swimming, canoeing and other leisure activities.

Lake Greenwood was created by the seizure of the Saluda River and was built between 1935 and 1940 by the Greenwood County Electrification Commission. In 1966, Greenwood County decided to sell the transmission lines for the steam power plant to Duke Power Company, then the largest power company in the United States. The county has also leased the power plants to the Duke Power Company for 40 years.

In 2006, the lease expired and control of the dam was returned to Greenwood County. In 2006, Duke Power worked with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to renew the permit to include protected areas and improved public access to the plant.

Lake Greenwood State Recreation Area is one of 16 state parks in South Carolina built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression and spread across a series of peninsulas around Lake Greenwood. Besides camping, boat trips and picnics, it is also open for fishing and has become a popular destination for kayaking, canoeing and other recreational activities. Even without a Seeheim, visitors can enjoy the picturesque view of the lake and its many lakes, rivers, streams and lake parks.

Near Lake Greenwood is the Musgrove Mill State Historic Site, where visitors can fish for perch, bream, perch, catfish and stripper.

To fish in Lake Greenwood, a valid fishing license from South Carolina is required.

The Musgrove Mill, which is registered as a site of the Revolutionary War, organises several events throughout the year, such as the Living History Day, which recreates the Battle of Musgroves Mill.

The 500-hectare headquarters has a 9-hectare garden that includes an outdoor amphitheatre, picnic area and a large garden with a variety of plants. Visitors to Lake Greenwood who enjoy a walk through the garden might want to visit the nearby Park Seed Company. Each year, the Park Seed Company participates in a three-week flower festival, including the annual Spring Festival of Flowers, an annual celebration of the flowers of South Carolina's most popular flowers.

Lake Greenwood is not a busy place when visiting nearby attractions, but take the time to relax by the lake and enjoy all that it has to offer.