Lake Lure

Lake Lure is a town in Rutherford County, North Carolina, United States. In 2010 the town population was 1,192. Lake Lure was incorporated in 1927, and acquired the lake after which it is named in 1965.


In 1902, Dr. Lucius B. Morse and his brothers Hiram and Asahel purchased 64 acres around Chimney Rock (within present-day Chimney Rock State Park) for $5,000. They later acquired enough land in the area to bring the total to 8,000 acres. Lucius Morse's wife Elizabeth is credited with naming the lake (and the town).

In 1925, the Morse family created Carolina Mountain Power Company and funded the construction of a dam on the Broad River (through a mortgage) which produced the lake after which the town is named. The full impoundment of Lake Lure was completed in 1927. At ordinary water levels, Lake Lure covers approximately 720 acres and has a shoreline of approximately 27 miles. The dam's power plant began operations in 1928 with the sale of electricity under a 10-year contract to Blue Ridge Power Co., a local predecessor of Duke Power.

The plans for development came to a halt in 1929 with the advent of the Great Depression. A mortgage-holder, Stroud & Company of Philadelphia, foreclosed on the lake and the dam. Stroud owned them and the power the dam generated until 1965. In 1963 the North Carolina General Assembly enacted the legislation that authorized the Town of Lake Lure to issue revenue bonds for the purpose of acquiring the assets from Stroud. The dam, power company, and real estate of Lake Lure were acquired by the Town of Lake Lure in 1965.

In modern times, the town continues to sell electricity to Duke Energy, although profits from the dam now come second to maintaining a fixed water level year-round. Recreation and tourism have become crucial to the town's economy.

The Lake Lure area has been used several times as a filming location, beginning with the 1958 release Thunder Road.