High Rock Lake, the second-largest lake in North Carolina, stretches across Rowan and Davidson Counties with more than 350 miles of shoreline. The lake sits where the Yadkin River cuts through a narrow gorge in the Uwharrie Mountains, right below High Rock Mountain, which is the tallest peak in the range and the inspiration for the lake’s name.

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The lake was created in the mid-1920s, when ALCOA built a hydroelectric dam to power its aluminum smelting operations. A young Lexington photographer, Herbert Lee Waters, was hired to document the massive construction project. At only twenty-four, this was his first major assignment, and the photos he captured are still preserved by the Davidson County Historical Museum.

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When ALCOA shut down its smelting operations in 2007, the hydro plants were eventually sold and now operate under Eagle Creek Renewable Energy. Today, the High Rock facility produces enough clean electricity each year to power more than 13,000 homes.

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The lake stretches nineteen miles upstream and is fed by a network of rivers and creeks, including Abbott’s Creek, which begins far north near Greensboro. Over the years, what started as a weekend fishing spot filled with small cabins has grown into a mix of luxury homes, vacation places, and full-time neighborhoods. Even with all the growth, large sections of shoreline remain undeveloped thanks to conservation groups working to protect its natural beauty.

High Rock Lake is known as one of the state’s best fishing spots and regularly hosts tournaments, including the famed Bassmaster Classic. Nearby towns like Lexington, Salisbury, and Denton continue to benefit from the steady flow of visitors and new residents drawn to the area. Almost a century after the dam was built, High Rock Lake is still changing, still growing, and still valued for both its history and the bright future that lies ahead.

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—Celia Rand