Santee Cooper Photos in Patron's Lounge
Photos Courtesy of Santee Cooper
The construction of Santee Cooper was the largest land-clearing project in the history of America and provided over 12,000 much-needed jobs for the workers of a Depression stricken economy.
To control flooding by the Santee River, a 3,400 foot spillway with 62 massive gates was built to provide the release of excess water.
On February 17, 1942 the first of five mighty turbines at the Pinopolis Powerhouse began producing low cost electricity for the people of South Carolina.
Pulling electric cable. In 1936 less than three percent of farms in rural South Carolina had electricity. In the decade following Santee Cooper's construction, nearly 90 percent of farms were provided with much-needed power.
Santee Cooper's 225 square mile reservoir comprised of Lakes Marion and Moultrie is the home of the world's first landlocked striped bass fishery and provider of some of the country's finest freshwater fishing.