Lake Waccamaw is a town in Columbus County,

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

, United States. The population was 1,296 at the 2020 census. Originally home to Native Americans, Europeans later colonized Lake Waccamaw in the 18th century. The Europeans built naval stores and the discovery of turpentine oil led to the Wilmington-Manchester railroad track being created. A shingle company was later converted to a lumber company. In 1910, a group of townspeople created the Waccamaw Club. The town surrounds

Lake Waccamaw Lake Waccamaw is a fresh water lake located in Columbus County, North Carolina, Columbus County in North Carolina. It is the largest of the natural Carolina Bay lakes. Although bay trees (''Magnolia virginiana L.'', ''Gordonia lasianthus Elli ...

, which features 9,000 acres of diverse wildlife and is a major source of revenue for the town. The lake is bustling with many endemic species of fish, birds, mollusks, and other animals. In 2018, a forty-year ban on hunting alligators was lifted. The town of Lake Waccamaw provides many recreational activities, such as birdwatching and hiking, due to the large population of wildlife and mild terrain.

History

The town of Lake Waccamaw was first inhabited by Native Americans before the Europeans came and colonized the area. Charles the Second of England granted proprietors individual grants to allow them to sail to the new world to bring him back riches and news. By the mid-eighteenth century, Lake Waccamaw had a good number of settlers. People like John Powell, from Virginia, brought cattle. John Powell's son Absalom Powell started to buy land near Lake Waccamaw. John Powell's other son Issac Powell was made the first major of the

Brandon, County Durham Brandon is a village in County Durham, England. It is situated a short distance to the southwest of Durham, England, Durham. Brandon was originally one of the seven townships within the ancient parish of Brancepeth, County Durham, Brancepeth. It ...

militia in 1804 and justice of peace in 1806. Issac owned most of Lake Waccamaw. Lake Waccamaw and nearby city Flemington grew slowly with the help of the Wilmington-Manchester railroad being built. The railroad brought the rural town access to the world. The addition of the railroad also made the settlement grow when the actual freshwater lake was then discovered. However, this growth increased rapidly when the naval stores and turpentine business began to grow. On January 26, 1869, Charles Oscar Beers started his shingle industry along the southern shore of Lake Waccamaw. Another company also started south of the lake by Henry Bascom Short after Beers started his company. These two companies came together and formed a new company named Short and Beers, which brought more business to the town and created more jobs. Over time, the company went from producing shingles to becoming the North Carolina Lumber Company. Around 1910, a local group formed the Waccamaw Club. The club served as a gathering place for hunting parties and house parties. The club later disbanded, and the building then became the Waccamaw Hotel. The

Lake Waccamaw Depot Lake Waccamaw Depot is a historic train station located at Lake Waccamaw, Columbus County, North Carolina It was built about 1900 by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, and is a one-story, Stick Style frame building with board-and-batten sidi ...

was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 1983. The Waccamaw Dam was built in 1926 by the state to prevent the lake from shrinking in dry weather. In 2018, a new bridge that goes over the Waccamaw Dam was finally finished and open for locals.

Geography

The town of Lake Waccamaw is located in eastern Columbus County on the north shore of

. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the town has a total area of , of which , or 0.16%, is water. Lake Waccamaw is a freshwater lake around and on which is held the annual free fitness event, Take the Lake. Participants may either walk the around the lake, paddle around, bike and walk around, or swim across the lake, all on

Labor Day Labor Day is a Federal holidays in the United States, federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday of September to honor and recognize the Labor history of the United States, American labor movement and the works and con ...

weekend. No winners are announced, as awards are presented for completion only. Organizers began Take the Lake in reaction to the county being ranked as the least healthy of all 100 North Carolina counties.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,296 people, 654 households, and 443 families residing in the town.

2000 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 1,411 people, 529 households, and 356 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 793 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 80.65%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 15.88%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 2.27% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.57% from other races, and 0.57% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 0.64% of the population. There were 529 households, out of which 23.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.4% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. As of the

of 2017, there were 1,480 people and 1,015 households in Lake Waccamaw, NC. The median price for a housing unit is 252,900. The largest racial group of the town is

at 83.8%. The next largest group is

at 9.2%, followed by Native American at 5.4%. The remaining 1.2% of the population are from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Mixed

or Latino citizens make up 1.6% of the population. Those who identify as female make up 56.9% of the population, whereas males make up 43.1%. Men also have a higher median income than women at $32,969 per year compared to $19,250. The median household income for this area is $50,345, according to

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...

in 2017. A fifth of these people (22.3%) live below the poverty line. According to the

, there were 55,936 people living in

Columbus County, North Carolina Columbus County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Its county seat is Whiteville. At the 2020 census, the population was 50,623. History Early history The area comprising Columbus County was originally inhabited by the ...

in 2017. There are 22,462 households, and 26,305 housing units in Columbus County. Of these households, 23.1% of the population lives in poverty. As of the 2017 data, 63% of the population identifies as white (alone,) and 30.7 of the population identifies as African American.

Government

Lake Waccamaw is governed by a town council which consists of a mayor and a town board. The mayor of Lake Waccamaw, Matt Wilson is supported by the town board, consisting of commissioners Karl Bracey, Frank Carroll, Theresa Mckeithan, and Terry Littrell. Lake Waccamaw has a government staff led by Town Manager Damon Kempski that aids the town with development, construction, economics, and local law. Lake Waccamaw has its own

police department The police are a constituted body of people empowered by a state with the aim of enforcing the law and protecting the public order as well as the public itself. This commonly includes ensuring the safety, health, and possessions of citize ...

, managed by Chief of Police Scott Hyatt, and fire department, led by fire Chief Jerry Gore. Public Works is under the supervision of Kevin Powell

Ecology

Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina is home Lake Waccamaw, a

state park State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "Federated state, state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on accou ...

and

wildlife refuge A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, funga, or features of geolog ...

. The majority of Lake Waccamaw's

revenue In accounting, revenue is the total amount of income generated by the sale of product (business), goods and services related to the primary operations of a business. Commercial revenue may also be referred to as sales or as turnover. Some compan ...

comes from

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...

and tours around the park, as well as research projects conducted on the Lake's

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

species. A wide range of animal species resides in the town of Lake Waccamaw, due to the town being right next to the lake. For having a high pH and

alkalinity Alkalinity (from ) is the capacity of water to resist Freshwater acidification, acidification. It should not be confused with base (chemistry), basicity, which is an absolute measurement on the pH scale. Alkalinity is the strength of a buffer s ...

, Lake Waccamaw is one of the few lakes that can harbor endemic species, which are species only native to one graphic region. Red-Cockaded Woodpeckers, Swallow-Tailed Kites, and Black Bears are animal species that take refuge on land in Lake Waccamaw State Park. The Red-Cockaded Woodpeckers population has shrunk a measurable amount due to timber harvesting and the maturing of the pine forest that neighbor the lake. The Swallow-Tailed Kite population is the most dense in the town of Lake Waccamaw than in the entire state of North Carolina. Black bears roam the town area and the forest of Lake Waccamaw. The forest are a perfect environment for them because of the opportunity for den sites, food, and coverage from the weather.

Brown-headed nuthatch The brown-headed nuthatch (''Sitta pusilla'') is a small songbird endemic to pine Temperate coniferous forest, forests throughout the Southeastern United States. Genetic analyses indicated low differentiation between northern and southern populat ...

es, parula warblers, and white-eyed vireos are also other bird species that inhabit the town and its surroundings. Aquatic life is very diverse in Lake Waccamaw. There are many fish species the Waccamaw Darter, the Waccamaw Killfish, and the Waccamaw Silverside.

Alligator An alligator, or colloquially gator, is a large reptile in the genus ''Alligator'' of the Family (biology), family Alligatoridae in the Order (biology), order Crocodilia. The two Extant taxon, extant species are the American alligator (''A. mis ...

s are part of the ecosystem of Lake Waccamaw. There was an uplift on a ban on alligator hunting in March 2018. The ban was removed after being enforced for over 40 years. The reason for the ban was that the alligators were getting over hunted, but now the population is back to normal. Bullfrogs,

leopard frog Leopard frog is a generic name used to refer to various species in the true frog genus Lithobates. They all have similar coloration: brown or green with spots that form a leopard pattern. They are distinguished by their distribution and behaviora ...

s, and

cricket frog Cricket frogs, genus ''Acris'', are small, North American frogs of the family Hylidae. They occur in northern Mexico (Coahuila), the United States east of the Rocky Mountains, and in southern Ontario, Canada. They are more aquatic than other m ...

s roam the damp environments around Lake Waccamaw. The Waccamaw fatmucket and Waccamaw Spike, which are mollusks, is a prominent in the filtration of the water in the lake. The Venus-hair fern, green-fly orchid, seven-angled pipewort, Narrowleaf yellow pond lily, and water arrowhead are native plants of town Lake Waccamaw. These are considered rare. In 2012, residents reported, and researchers at N.C. State University confirmed, that the invasive aquatic weed

hydrilla ''Hydrilla'' (waterthyme) is a genus of aquatic plant, usually treated as containing just one species, ''Hydrilla verticillata'', though some botanists divide it into several species. It is native to the cool and warm waters of the Old World in A ...

had infested of Lake Waccamaw. There are two known endemic snail species, the Waccamaw amnicola and the Waccamaw Siltsnail. The terrain of the town is also very diverse with forested wetlands,

tidal marsh A tidal marsh (also known as a type of "tidal wetland") is a marsh found along rivers, coasts and estuaries which floods and drains by the tidal movement of the adjacent estuary, sea or ocean.

es, and

longleaf pine The longleaf pine (''Pinus palustris'') is a pine species native to the Southeastern United States, found along the coastal plain from East Texas to southern Virginia, extending into northern and central Florida. In this area it is also known as ...

forests. The tidal marshes filter pollution of the water and in the 18th and 19th, was used for rice farming. The longleaf pine forest are home to the birds, bears, deer, and other animals the reside in the area of Lake Waccamaw.

Prescribed burning A controlled burn or prescribed burn (Rx burn) is the practice of intentionally setting a fire to change the assemblage of vegetation and decaying material in a landscape. The purpose could be for forest management, ecological restoration, ...

is used to keep the growth of the forest under control. Forested wetlands are critical in reducing the risk of flooding and shelter for all organisms. They provide opportunities for feeding on these organisms when the water rises.

Lake Waccamaw

is home to North Carolina's largest natural freshwater lake, and the largest of the North Carolina Bay Lakes at 8,938 acres. Lake Waccamaw is called a Bay Lake not because it is a body of water, but because of the abundance of Sweet Bay, and Red Bay trees growing beside the shore. The lake is roughly 5.2 miles by 3.5 miles in length and is estimated to be between 10,000 and 15,000 years old. Numerous other bodies of water feed into Lake Waccamaw including the Waccamaw River, and four smaller creeks, the largest of which is called Big Creek. Lake Waccamaw also has an unusually high PH level is due to an abundance of calcareous formations that underline the bottom of the lake, and have dissolved into Lake Waccamaw over time. These formations have caused steep bluffs on the north shore of the lake where the calcareous mixture is deposited. These calcareous formations do underlie most North Carolinian Lakes, but Lake Waccamaw is the only Bay Lake with these formations. Lake Waccamaw has many recreation activities available as visitors can camp, fish, hunt, go boating, or picnic. With seven miles of trails to explore, and fifty-two species of game and non-game fish, there is plenty for visitors to do and experience. One of the most popular places to visit and fish at is the Bohemian Girl Scenic Bridge, named in honor of John A McNeil, a celebrated citizen. The bridge completes a 14-mile path around the lake, and has numerous fishing platforms as well as a panoramic view of the lake.

Development of the lake

Many scientists worry about possible contamination of the lake.

's water is within the acceptable, pre-established, heath guidelines and legal limits established by the

Safe Drinking Water Act The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) is the primary federal law in the United States intended to ensure safe drinking water for the public. Pursuant to the act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to set standards for drinking wa ...

. However, there is a high level of chloroform present in the Lake, at 4.43 ppb (parts per billion) out of an allowed 14 ppb.

Chloroform Chloroform, or trichloromethane (often abbreviated as TCM), is an organochloride with the formula and a common solvent. It is a volatile, colorless, sweet-smelling, dense liquid produced on a large scale as a precursor to refrigerants and po ...

is a

Trihalomethane In chemistry, trihalomethanes (THMs) are chemical compounds in which three of the four hydrogen atoms of methane () are replaced by halogen atoms. Trihalomethanes with all the same halogen atoms are called haloforms. Many trihalomethanes find uses ...

that is often used as a

fumigant Fumigation is a method of pest control or the removal of harmful microorganisms by completely filling an area with gaseous pesticides, or fumigants, to suffocate or poison the pests within. It is used to control pests in buildings (structural ...

for wheat products, a

coolant A coolant is a substance, typically liquid, that is used to reduce or regulate the temperature of a system. An ideal coolant has high thermal capacity, low viscosity, is low-cost, non-toxic, chemically inert and neither causes nor promotes corr ...

, and as a cleaning spot remover. Chloroform is a naturally occurring substance, but its presence in water is almost always man-made. The lake itself is not man made, as it is a part of the Bladen Lake group, a group of lakes created by receding ocean waters.

Education

East Columbus High School is located at 32 Gator lane, Lake Waccamaw. Founded in 1992, East Columbus High School receives students from the Lake Waccamaw, Riegelwood, Delco, and Hallsboro residential areas. It incorporates students from the Acme-Delco and Hallsboro Middle Schools. The school has a total of 449 students enrolled with a 14-1 student to teacher ratio. East Columbus high has a graduation rate of 85 percent. The school's mascot is the Gator. Professional basketball player Boubacar Aw attended his senior year of high school at East Columbus. Lake Waccamaw has a charter school called Flemington Academy. Flemington Academy is partnered with the Boy and Girls Homes of North Carolina. Flemington Academy has a total of 83 students enrolled with a 6:11 student to teacher ratio. It serves grades from 6–12 with a graduation rate of 79 percent. The Boys and Girls Homes of North Carolina is the only private boarding school in the county. The Boys and Girls Homes of North Carolina is a private boarding school that strives to provide a good education for students age of 6–21 years old who have experienced trauma or been victims of violence. Lake Waccamaw doesn't have any elementary schools, but Columbus County does offer elementary schools in the town Hallsboro which is close. The closest college near Lake Waccamaw is called Southeastern Community College which is only 15 miles away from the town.

Waccamaw Siouans

The Waccamaw

Sioux The Sioux or Oceti Sakowin ( ; Dakota/ Lakota: ) are groups of Native American tribes and First Nations people from the Great Plains of North America. The Sioux have two major linguistic divisions: the Dakota and Lakota peoples (translati ...

or Waccamaw Siouan are one of eight Indian tribes recognized by the North Carolinian government. The Waccamaw Siouan Indians are not affiliated with the Waccamaw People of North Carolina or the Waccamaw Siouan of Farmers Union South Carolina. The Lake Waccamaw Indians are known as the "People of the Falling Star" because of the humongous meteorite that crashed to earth years ago and created the crater that is now Lake Waccamaw. The Waccamaw Siouan live on the edge of the Green Swamp in a closed, protected swampland refuge. The Waccamaw Indians were originally called the Waccon and then the Waccammassus Indians, but their name was changed to Waccamaw by white settlers as it was more convenient and easy for English settlers to pronounce.

References

Bibliography

* * * * "Chloroform." Wisconsin Department of Health Services
//www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/chemical/chloroform.htm
March 23, 2019 * Environmental Working Group; "Town of Lake Waccamaw Water System." ''NYTimes.com. May 6, 2012.

March 21, 2019 *Gant, Michelle. "North Carolina Town to Approve Alligator Hunting over 40 Years after It Was Banned." ''Fox News'', FOX News Network, April 27, 2017, www.foxnews.com/great-outdoors/north-carolina-town-to-approve-alligator-hunting-over-40-years-after-it-was-banned. * *"How Does Flemington Academy Rank Among America's Best High Schools?" ''U.S. News & World Report'', U.S. News & World Report, www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/north-carolina/districts/flemington-academy/flemington-academy-144826. Accessed April 11, 2019. *"How Does East Columbus High Rank Among America's Best High Schools?" ''U.S. News & World Report'', U.S. News & World Report, www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/north-carolina/districts/columbus-county-schools/east-columbus-high-14364. Accessed April 11, 2019. * * Lake Waccamaw State Park. "Ecology." ''Ncparks.gov''. North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation, n.d. Web. March 26, 2019. //www.ncparks.gov/lake-waccamaw-state-park/ecology. *"Lake Waccamaw Depot Museum." ''Lake Waccamaw Depot Museum - Gallery'', www.lakewaccamawdepotmuseum.com/gallery.htm. Accessed April 3, 2019. * *North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. "Waccamaw Fatmucket." ''Waccamaw Fatmucket'', 2019, www.ncwildlife.org/Learning/Species/Mollusks/Waccamaw-Fatmucket#3331996-description. *Parkins, Grant. "Lake Waccamaw: A North Carolina Treasure." ''Lake Waccamaw: A North Carolina Treasure , '', December 12, 2017, lakelevel.web.unc.edu/lake-waccamaw-a-north-carolina-treasure/. Accessed March 16, 2019. *Peek, Charlie. "Treatment of Lake Waccamaw for Hydrilla Infestation Set to Begin." ''Treatment of Lake Waccamaw for Hydrilla Infestation Set to Begin , NC State Parks'', May 29, 2013, www.ncparks.gov/newsroom/press-releases/treatment-of-lake-waccamaw-hydrilla-infestation-set-begin. *Powell, Bobby, and Susan Prescott. "History." ''Town of Lake Waccamaw'', lakewaccamaw.com/?page_id=37. Accessed March 16, 2019. *Powell, William. "Carolina Bays." ''NCpedia'', 2006, www.ncpedia.org/carolina-bays. Accessed March 17, 2019. *The Gale Group Inc. "Endemic Species." ''Environmental Encyclopedia'', Encyclopedia.com, 2019, www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/endemic-species. *"The Waccamaw River - The River That Comes and Goes." ''Carolina Rivers..Education, Preservation through Exploration'', www.carolinarivers.com/pages/waccamaw.htm. Accessed March 15, 2019. *"Town Council." ''Town of Lake Waccamaw'', lakewaccamawnc.gov/?page_id=36. Accessed April 11, 2019 *Tribe, Waccamaw Siouan. " Waccamaw Siouan Indians." ''Waccamaw Siouan Tribe.'' Accessed April 12, 2019 *U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. "Wildlife and Habitat - Waccamaw - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service." ''Waccamaw'', December 10, 2015, www.fws.gov/refuge/waccamaw/wildlife_and_habitat.html.

External links

Town of Lake Waccamaw official website
*

*https://www.ncparks.gov/lake-waccamaw-state-park {{authority control Towns in Columbus County, North Carolina Towns in North Carolina