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| Lake James Golf Course |
Built over a seven-year period beginning in 1916, Lake James required the construction of three dams to contain the flowing mountain waters of the Catawba River, the North Fork of the Catawba River and the Linville River. Lake James has a surface area of approximately 6,800 acres with 150 miles of shoreline. Full pond is considered to be 1200 feet elevation above mean sea level. Magnificent views of the surrounding mountains such as Shortoff, Table Rock, and Hawksbill give Lake James a uniqueness found only in the higher elevations. Its pristine nature and virtually undeveloped shoreline made Lake James the ideal setting for such motion pictures as "The Last of the Mochians" and "The Hunt for Red October". Lake James is the first of a series of Catawba River lakes throughout North and South Carolina that produce hydroelectric power for Duke Energy Corporation.
Pristine Location
Straddling the McDowell and Burke County line in the beautiful foothills of western North Carolina, Lake James is conveniently located near the towns of Marion and Morganton. Just 35 minutes east of Asheville, NC, and just 40 minutes west of Hickory, NC, the lake is easily accessible by Interstate 40. Major airports are available in Asheville, with Charlotte International Airport a little more than an hour away. Small jets and other general aviation aircraft can use the Rutherford Airport about 20 minutes away. Marion, the closest town to Lake James, is a friendly progressive city of about 5,500 people. Recently selected as a "Main Street" city by the NC Department of Commerce, Marion continues to promote its small town charm with festivals, downtown entertainment and several quaint shops. It also is the county seat of McDowell County- a county of about 45,000 residents.
Lake James State Park
Lake James State Park in McDowell County offers swimming, canoeing, fishing, picnicking, tent camping, as well as trails and over looks for enjoying views of the lake and mountains. Recently, the state of North Carolina announced the purchase of approximately 3,900 acres of property on the north side of the lake for a new larger State Park that will greatly increase recreational opportunities available to the general public as well as help preserve this pristine natural resource. Citizens groups including Lake James Environmental Association, Lake James Task Force and Citizens to Save Lake James have been instrumental in acquiring over 4,000 acres of pristine shoreline tracts that will now be preserved, protected and made available to the general public. About 2,000 of those acres will be carefully developed into the brand-new Lake James State Park. The first pair of wild American Bald Eagles seen in the area in over 40 years chose Lake James as home. They have fledged several chicks and all are doing well. Several public access areas and three marinas are available for the convenience of water sports enthusiasts. Fishing, skiing, boating, and sailing are just a few of the activities enjoyed by residents and visitors alike.
Lake James Golf
In 1926, the first and only golf course was constructed on Lake James. Marion Lake Club originally was built and financed by local businessmen on leased land as a 9 hole layout with sand greens. The course was built using teams of horses, drag pans and hard physical work. Over the years more property was purchased so an 18 hole course could be enjoyed by both the membership and the general public. Today, Marion Lake Club is an 18 hole par 70 semi-private facility complete with pro shop, vintage club house, swimming pool, tennis courts and a members marina of about 40 boat slips. Full family memberships are available for under $900 per year that allow usage of all amenities as well as the superbly conditioned course of bent grass greens and bermuda fairways and tees. Private carts for stock holding members are allowed for additional fees and walking is always permissible. Marion Lake Club¢¥s signature holes are the par 3 17th and the long par 4 18th. These two great holes feature incredible views of Shortoff Mountain, Linville Gorge and Lake James.
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| Home on Lake James |
Real Estate at Lake James
Prior to 1988 there were only three small subdivisions on Lake James; Holiday Shores, Lake View Hills and Forest Lake Heights in McDowell County. In 1988 Marion Lake Club was able to purchase 3 acres of water front property from Crescent Resources at the same time the State of North Carolina purchased the property for the existing State Park. Combining this 3 acres of water front property with 8 acres of existing property that had once been a weekend RV area, Marion Lake Club subdivided this acreage into 11 lots and sold all the property by auction. The area now is called Lake View Estates and contains some of the most beautiful waterfront and golf course view homes in the county. Since that time more residential subdivisions have materialized. Crescent Resources has been the primary developer of waterfront property during this time. Soon available were home sites in Lake View Point, Lake View Shores, Waterglyn, East Shores, Mallard Pointe, Plantation Point, South Point and The Arbor. Black Bear, Bear Cliff and Black Forest are the most recent additions. Old Wildlife and 1780 are now selling, with memberships in Camp Lake James available to purchasers in these communities.
Environmental concerns over preserving the pristine quality of Lake James have encouraged county governments, along with the citizens' groups mentioned above, to create regulations intended to protect the watershed and viewshed areas in all new subdivisions. The Lake James Protection Ordinance was adopted in 1998 and has recently been updated and revised. With this ordinance comes restrictions on disturbing natural vegetative buffers 55 to 65 feet from full pond, shoreline stabilization requirements and other regulations for the protection of not only the lake's environment but property owners as well. Dock construction and location is regulated and permitted by Duke Energy¢¥s Lake Management Operations office.
Building lots are available on Lake James ranging in size from ½ acre to 9-10 acres. The trend for the future is to larger lot sizes in environmentally friendly, upper-scale developments that allow multi-structure compounds with community amenities. Picnic areas, nature trails, overlooks and other features are now the norm for the enjoyment of all subdivision residents. Black Forest, on the western side of the lake in McDowell County, is a prime example. Of course, with the addition of multi-acre lots and community amenities, lot prices have escalated making any investment in lake property a very wise one. Lot prices in newer subdivisions have averaged about $175,000 and up. Black Forest has had some tract sales in the $400,000 to $500,000 range. Limited supply and increasing demand is making sales of existing homes brisk, with lot prices now reaching the $600's and $700's. Home sales are now approaching the $2,000,000 mark in the upper scale, but a few waterfront homes can still be found for under $500,000. Lakeview homes, especially those with mountain views, too, are an especially good deal in the $300,000 range. "We are watching Lake James become the Lake Tahoe of the East," says Ken Harris, owner of Harris Realty. "We have seen investments here triple and quadruple in value in just a short time. It's the location--clean water, excellent views, water recreation and relatively easy access to cities like Raleigh, Charlotte and Atlanta--that is driving this market."
Due to the limited development on Lake James, residential listings continue to be somewhat limited. The majority of the homes built have been of a custom nature and resales primarily have been due to job relocations, etc. Gradually more residences will become available. New purchasers of Lake James property praise the pristine nature of the lake, the scenery and the close proximity to several towns with small town charm. Many feel Lake James has for years been a secret gem nestled away- until now. Now being discovered, Lake James is quickly becoming very popular with those looking to escape the masses.
Harris Realty has for many years been a leader in listing and selling Lake James waterfront properties. Our experienced staff takes pride in their market knowledge of lake properties and will welcome the opportunity to guide and assist you in your search for "just the right lake home" or the sale of your existing property. As more rental opportunities develop we will offer vacation and weekend retreat packages as well.
Design by IMC Articles by Harris Realty © Copyright 2006
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