Jordan Lake State Recreation Area is a North Carolina state park spanning Chatham County, and

Wake County Wake County is located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. In the 2020 census, its population was 1,129,410, making it North Carolina's most-populous county. From July 2005 to July 2006, Wake County was the 9th-fastest growing county in the U ...

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

in the

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. It comprises of woodlands along the shores of

Jordan Lake B. Everett Jordan Lake is a reservoir in New Hope Valley, west of Cary and south of Durham in Chatham County, North Carolina, in the United States; the northernmost end of the lake extends into southwestern Durham County. Part of the Jordan ...

History

The New Hope River Valley, now home to the corporate world of

Research Triangle Park Research Triangle Park (RTP) is the largest research park in the United States, occupying in North Carolina and hosting more than 300 companies and 65,000 workers. The facility is named for its location relative to the three surrounding cities ...

, has been the site of a broad range of cultures for more than 10,000 years. Archaeologists have explored the remains of 450 prehistoric and historic sites in the area and have uncovered many Native American artifacts. The land was settled by

Scottish Highlanders The Highlands ( sco, the Hielands; gd, a’ Ghàidhealtachd , 'the place of the Gaels') is a historical region of Scotland. Culturally, the Highlands and the Lowlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Sc ...

in the 1740s, and it saw action in both the

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and

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. Following a disastrous hurricane, which struck the Cape Fear River Basin in 1945, Congress directed the

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers , colors = , anniversaries = 16 June (Organization Day) , battles = , battles_label = Wars , website = , commander1 = ...

to undertake a comprehensive study of water resource needs in the area. The project, then known as New Hope Lake, was authorized in 1963 and construction began in 1967. In 1973, the name of the project was changed to B. Everett Jordan Dam and Lake in honor of the former senator from North Carolina. Jordan Lake Park's are not only a popular source of recreation, they also provide the water supply for surrounding cities, flood and water quality control, and fish and wildlife conservation.

Recreational use

The Jordan Lake State Recreation Area is divided into several smaller areas: Farrington Point, Crosswinds, White Oak, Poplar Point, Ebenezer Church, New Hope Overlook and Poes ridge along the eastern shoreline and Robeson Creek, Vista Point, Seaforth, Parkers Creek, and the

Jordan Lake Educational State Forest The Jordan Lake Educational State Forest (JLESF) is a is a North Carolinian State Forest near Apex, North Carolina. It is located beside the over 46,768 acre (186 km²) Jordan Lake. See also *Jordan Lake State Recreation Area Jorda ...

along the western shore. Swimming, boating, hiking, fishing, hunting, birdwatching and picnicking are popular activities making up 3 Boat ramps, 1 canoe launch, 2 swim beaches, 2 play grounds, 3 fishing piers (including an ADA accessible one), a marina, and 5 campgrounds. Facilities are managed by

North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation The State of North Carolina has a group of protected areas known as the North Carolina State Park System, which is managed by the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation (NCDPR), an agency of the North Carolina Department of Natural and C ...

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is a state government agency created by the North Carolina General Assembly, General Assembly in 1947 to Wildlife management, conserve and sustain North Carolina's fish and wildlife resources through ...

, North Carolina Division of Forest Resources,

US Army Corps of Engineers , colors = , anniversaries = 16 June (Organization Day) , battles = , battles_label = Wars , website = , commander1 = ...

, Wake County Parks and Recreation, and a privately managed marina. Events held at the park include monthly skywatching sessions offered by park rangers, the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center in nearby Chapel Hill, and volunteer amateur astronomers from the Chapel Hill Astronomical and Observing Society at the Ebenezer Church Recreation Area in the park.

References

External links

* {{authority control State parks of North Carolina Protected areas of Chatham County, North Carolina Protected areas of Wake County, North Carolina Protected areas established in 1982 Landforms of Chatham County, North Carolina Landforms of Wake County, North Carolina Reservoirs in North Carolina 1982 establishments in North Carolina