Greers Ferry Lake

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Greers Ferry Lake is the artificial reservoir formed by Greers Ferry Dam, a United States Army Corps of Engineers dam in North Central Arkansas. It is located about 60 miles north of Little Rock.

1 Greers Ferry Dam
2 Geography
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] Greers Ferry Dam

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Construction of the dam began in March 1959 and was completed in December 1962. The lake serves the Heber Springs area flood control, and is a site for recreation and power generation. When construction began on the dam in 1956, hundreds of workers showed up, looking for a job. Workers then rented empty houses next to the construction site, and workers were even making their own houses next to the soon to be lake. Once all the workers arrived, people and business owners saw an opportunity to this construction and built motels, shops, and stores next to the construction site so workers would have a place to shop, and relax. Farmers also felt the benefit of the construction. The work on the lake created demand for livestock, and agriculture. Once the lake was completed, it was dedicated on October 3, 1963 by John F. Kennedy. [1] The trip was his last major public appearance before his fateful trip to Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963, where he was assassinated. In his remarks in Heber Springs, Kennedy explained that the Greers Ferry project and others like it were investments in Arkansas and the nation's future. He was right - after the lake filled tourism boomed, businesses opened back up, and Greers Ferry Lake became one of Arkansas' leading destinations. Today, many resort communities dot the shores of Greers Ferry Lake.

[edit] Geography

The reservoir consists of two lakes connected by a water-filled gorge called the Narrows. The area of the two lakes and the Narrows totals about 40,500 acres with a combined shoreline of just over 340 miles.

Carl Garner, former Greers Ferry Lake Resident Engineer since 1959, started the Carl Garner Federal Lands Cleanup Day in 1985.