Over 700 People Have Lost Their Lives At Americas Most Haunted Lake

SummaryLake Lanier has a tragic history of forced evictions and violence against Black communities, earning it a reputation as one of the most haunted places in the US.

Publish Date: Thursday 4th July 2024
Share 

Atlanta Society

Atlanta Society category interest

Summary

Lake Lanier has a tragic history of forced evictions and violence against Black communities, earning it a reputation as one of the most haunted places in the US.

With 700 deaths linked to the lake, including drownings and hauntings, it's not surprising that ghost stories and creepy occurrences are common at Lake Lanier.

Despite its sinister reputation, Lake Lanier remains a travel destination offering recreational activities and adventures for those willing to visit.

While there are some idyllic places to visit and enjoy, including affordable beach vacations and wonderful towns to retire in Georgia, there are also some spots that you'd be well-advised to stay away from.

Lake Lanier is one of the most haunted and violent spots in the Peach State, despite being born out of a desire to build on existing communities. There's plenty of lore, bloodshed, and hundreds of deaths tied to this lake.

​​​​

About Lake Lanier

The human-made reservoir is one of Georgia's most sinister spots

If you want to go for a swim, there are plenty of great beaches near Atlanta, or even more idyllic spots with a tropical feel, so if you want to dip your toes in the water, Lake Lanier may be best skipped.

A total of 700 people have lost their lives at Lake Lanier, earning it the reputation as one of the most haunted places in the United States. In addition to the drownings, hauntings, and downright creepy things happening in and around Lake Lanier, it's also got a deeply racist history that dates back to the Jim Crow-era 1950s.

Lake Lanier Has A Tragic And Racist History

A town full of people was once forced out of their homes

Like many towns in the American South, the spot where Lake Lanier stands has a history of lynchings. In 1912, three Black men; Ernest Knox, Rob Edwards, and Oscar Daniel, were accused of the assaulting a white woman. As retaliation, white vigilante mobs burned and looted the Black businesses of Oscarville and towns across Forsyth County.

This terrorism drove the Black residents out of Oscarville, and from Forsyth County in general. After the remaining residents of Oscarville were forcibly evicted to build the lake, people started talking about the lake being haunted.

98% of Oscarville's Black population was forced from their homes under threat of death and violence in 1912 and following domestic terror campaigns. The remaining families would be evicted from their homes to make room for Lake Lanier. These families lost their property and were forcibly uprooted. Additionally, twenty cemeteries were disrupted to make room for the lake, so it's unsurprising that the lake is teeming with ghost stories.

Lake Lanier Has Ghostly Lore Today

Lake Lanier is known as a watery wasteland full of spirits

There is certainly no shortage of haunted places to visit near the Great Lakes, and other bodies of water in the United States, but Lake Lanier is in a haunted league of its own.

There were a full twenty cemeteries that needed to be relocated to make space for the lake itself, plus there was plenty of violence in Oscarville, so it should come as no surprise that ghostly sightings and hauntings are very common in this spot.

There have been plenty of auditory hauntings, like phantom church bells ringing. Giant catfish have been sighted in these waters, too, which makes many wary of dipping their toes in.

There are also plenty of creepy things lurking beneath the waves, including phantom body parts. Couple all of this with the multiple deaths, and you have a terrifying spot that few people want to take their chances with.

Giant catfish lore is rife in Lake Lanier, with some reporting that there's a fish the size of a car swimming in the waters. Although there are plenty of stories about giant catfish attacking and eating people, no conclusive evidence exists to prove that this is true. However, it's still terrifying to think about a massive beast gliding along underneath the lake's waves.

Despite Lake Lanier's history and the lore surrounding it, it remains a travel destination that advertises recreational opportunities and adventure.

Would you feel comfortable spending a vacation at Lake Lanier, or do the rumored hauntings and giant catfish lore have you planning a Georgia vacation elsewhere?

December 22, 2024

Story attribution: Erica Blair, Quinter Auma, Lauralyn Brown, Neha Bhatiya, Sunil Purushe, Kristyn Meyer

Share 

More from Atlanta Society

placeholder
Atlanta Society

Biography, Accomplishments, & Facts

John Lewis (born February 21, 1940, near Troy, Alabama, U.S.—died July 17, 2020, Atlanta, Georgia) was an American civil rights leader and politician best known for his chairmanship of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and for leading the march that was halted by police violence on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, in 1965, a landmark event in the history of the civil rights movement that became known as “Bloody Sunday.”Lewis was the son of Alabama sharecroppers.

GT LOV’s Sandwich Run serves the local community
Atlanta Society

GT LOV’s Sandwich Run serves the local community

On the first Saturday of every month, students who are a part of Tech’s Lifting Our Voices, Inc. chapter (GT LOV) can be seen driving around the local area, making, packaging and hand-delivering meals to the homeless and food-insecure population around local Atlanta.

placeholder
Atlanta Society

Georgia judge says women aren’t ‘community property’ as abortion ban struck down – as it happened

Key eventsShow key events onlyPlease turn on JavaScript to use this featureSummaryWe’re wrapping up our live coverage of US politics for today, but our live coverage of what is happening now in Israel and Lebanon will continue.

Atlanta Launches Trailblazing Reentry Resource Fair for Returning
Atlanta Society

Atlanta Launches Trailblazing Reentry Resource Fair for Returning

Mayor Andre Dickens, along with Fulton County Solicitor Keith Gammage, has invited Atlanta's returning citizens to a new reentry resource fair designed to help them reintegrate into society.

placeholder
Atlanta Society

Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Prevention and Support

October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a crucial time to focus on early detection, prevention, and supporting those affected by this disease.

ever homes needed: National Adopt a Dog Month
Atlanta Society

ever homes needed: National Adopt a Dog Month

168October is National Adopt a Dog Month, and across Atlanta organizations are raising awareness about pet adoption and finding loving homes for dogs in need.

Sign up for Atlanta Post Online Newsletters

Keep in touch with everything on Atlanta Post Online. Sign up for our newsletter!
 


Stats
Elapsed time: 1.6145 seconds
Memory useage: 2.51MB
V2.geronimo