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Conestee in Greenville County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
 

Lake Conestee in Transition

 
 
Lake Conestee in Transition Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, February 6, 2009
1. Lake Conestee in Transition Marker
Inscription.
At its largest, Lake Conestee's water surface covered about 130 acres - the area inside the colored boundaries shown on the four aerial photos. This original lake was created when the current dam at the mill was constructed about 1892. As the City of Greenville grew upstream, sediment from development and industrial discharge gradually began to fill the lake. During World War II, the construction of Donaldson Air Force Base, to the west on Marrow Bone Creek, increased the rate at which the lake was filled by sediment. In the 1950s, construction of I-85 to the north further accelerated the rate of sedimentation.

Before 1943, sedimentation occurred mainly where the Reedy River and Marrow Bone Creek entered the lake. Where you now stand (indicated by *) was in the middle of an hourglass shaped lake. By 1955, sedimentation filled up much of the northern half of the lake, and the spot where you are now was just to the west of the banks of the reedy River as it re-emerged from the lake.

In 1970, the main channel of the Reedy still passed just to the east of this spot, but a new channel had already begun to emerge much further to the east against the hills. Sometime between 1970 and the late 1980s, the course of the Reedy River completely shifted to its present location, over 500 feet east of this spot. Virtually the
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entire northern part of the lake and much of the southern part of the lake became land.

As shown in the 2006 aerial photograph, since the 1980s much of the southern half of the lake has been filled with sediment, which has now migrated all the way to the dam. Eventually the remaining portions of the open lake may be filled in with sediment.

All the trees behind you have grown since 1955 as the land emerged from the lake. As indicated by the large dead trees in the wetland in front of you, this area also was once dry land. However, as beavers began constructing their dam, the land became a wetland and the trees died, providing a new habitat for a diversity of wildlife.
 
Erected 2006 by Lake Conestee Nature Park.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & SpaceAnimalsForts and CastlesIndustry & CommerceWar, World IIWaterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1892.
 
Location. 34° 46.583′ N, 82° 21.283′ W. Marker is in Conestee, South Carolina, in Greenville County. Marker can be reached from Fork Shoals Road. The marker is located on the grounds of Lake Conestee Nature Park, on the Main Observation deck. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 601 Fork Shoals Road, Greenville SC 29605, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 10 other markers
Lake Conestee (1943) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, February 6, 2009
2. Lake Conestee (1943)
are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Beaver at Lake Conestee (here, next to this marker); Reedy River Factory (approx. 0.7 miles away); McBee Chapel (approx. 0.7 miles away); McBee Chapel / McBee Methodist Church (approx. 0.7 miles away); Donaldson Air Force Base / Captain John O. Donaldson (approx. 1.7 miles away); a different marker also named Donaldson Air Force Base / Captain John O. Donaldson (approx. 2.1 miles away); Laurel Creek Church (approx. 2.7 miles away); Mauldin United Methodist Church (approx. 2.7 miles away); The History of the Gosnell Cabin (approx. 2.7 miles away); Mauldin (approx. 2.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Conestee.
 
Also see . . .
1. Lake Conestee Nature Park. The Lake Conestee Nature Park is located six miles south of Greenville, S.C. (Submitted on February 7, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.) 

2. Greenville County Bird Club: Lake Conestee Project. Lake Conestee was established in the early 1800s through damming of the Reedy River. (Submitted on February 7, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.) 
 
Lake Conestee (1955) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, February 6, 2009
3. Lake Conestee (1955)
Lake Conestee (1970) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, February 6, 2009
4. Lake Conestee (1970)
Lake Conestee (2006) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, February 6, 2009
5. Lake Conestee (2006)
Lake Conestee Nature Park -<br>One of Several Boardwalks in the Park image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, February 6, 2009
6. Lake Conestee Nature Park -
One of Several Boardwalks in the Park
There are three trail headways: Belmont Fire Station parking lot, the intersection of Fork Shoals Road and White House Road Extension, and the intersection of Henderson Avenue and Meadows Avenue. On the day these photos were taken (Feb. 6, 2009) I used the Belmont Fire Station entrance.
Channel in Lake Conestee -<br>Looking South image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, February 6, 2009
7. Channel in Lake Conestee -
Looking South
Lake Conestee from the Main Boardwalk -<br>Looking North image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, February 6, 2009
8. Lake Conestee from the Main Boardwalk -
Looking North
Lake Conestee from the Main Boardwalk -<br>Looking North image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, February 6, 2009
9. Lake Conestee from the Main Boardwalk -
Looking North
Reedy River -<br>Looking South image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, February 6, 2009
10. Reedy River -
Looking South
Lake Conestee -<br>South End Near Reedy River Factory image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, June 6, 2009
11. Lake Conestee -
South End Near Reedy River Factory
Lake Conestee -<br>South End Near Reedy River Factory image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, June 6, 2009
12. Lake Conestee -
South End Near Reedy River Factory
Lake Conestee -<br>South End Near Reedy River Factory image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Brian Scott, June 6, 2009
13. Lake Conestee -
South End Near Reedy River Factory
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on February 22, 2021. It was originally submitted on February 7, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 2,265 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. submitted on February 7, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.   11, 12, 13. submitted on June 28, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.

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Mar. 19, 2024