Photographs of a long-lost underwater town that was once again revealed in North Carolina because of a drought have shed light on a community that may date back hundreds of years.
Jordan Lake, a reservoir in Chatham County, has declined by over 4 feet since the summer because of an ongoing drought in the state. Over 82 percent of the county is suffering from moderate drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
While the dry conditions may be troublesome for most, Jordan Lake's low levels have revealed a collection of villages that may date back as far back as the 1700s. The area is usually completely submerged, presenting historians with a rare opportunity.
Local historian Katherine Loflin recently visited the area and posted a wealth of photographs on Facebook, taken by photographer Rhonda Beese.
Among the most intriguing finds were stone slabs that may once have been part of a cemetery, as well as other artifacts.
"As a local history researcher, we have known that this was under Jordan Lake, created through manmade flooding. We are currently experiencing significant drought in most of North Carolina [...] This has revealed much more of those lost towns in the valley than we have been able to see in recent history. They started to emerge about a week ago," Loflin told Newsweek.
"Jordan Lake itself is about 14,000 acres. Because a lot of that when it was towns were farm land, the housing was never dense, but sporadic, leaving room for farming. So what you can see now with the water receded is roads, railroad remnants and house foundations," Loflin added.
"You can also find old pottery pieces, glass pieces, remnants of living. Lots of metal pieces that were used for building or machinery. We also know that there were cemeteries as part of the land so we know there must be remnants at that and some of the larger stones and slabs are not just building materials but perhaps also remains of that."
It is not certain where these potential cemeteries lie, but strange objects and structures can be seen jutting out from the ground of the lake bed.
The area was first submerged in the 1960s when the B. Everett Jordan Dam was built following several flooding disasters in the New Hope Valley.
The lake has fallen to low levels before. In 2018, they were low enough that it was possible to see the remains of some old buildings poking out from the water's surface.
Loflin said in a Facebook post that being able to explore the town was a "once in a lifetime event."
Many parts of the U.S. have suffered from low water levels because of drought conditions, and the town at Jordan Lake is not the only fascinating find they have revealed.
Lake Mead, a Colorado River reservoir between Arizona and Nevada, has made headlines over the past year because of its low water levels, threatening water supplies for the 25 million people living in the area. However, it has also given rise to numerous strange finds, including bodies and shipwrecks.
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