Native Charlotteans who have been around long enough still call Lake Wylie “The River”. Lake Wylie was created in 1904 by a dam built on the Catawba River near Fort Mill, SC. The dam was rebuilt in 1924 and the lake's surface expanded. While most of Lake Wylie lies in South Carolina in York County, the upper peninsula of Lake Wylie lies in North Carolina in Southwest Mecklenburg County and Southern Gaston County. So, depending on where you are on the lake, you could be in either North or South Carolina!
Today, Lake Wylie is a 12,455-acre lake with 325 miles of shoreline, ideal for boating, fishing, water skiing and residential living. Residences include lakefront condominiums, townhomes and single family homes. New, exclusive, eco-friendly developments like The Sanctuary, and The Palisades offer high-end homes with wooded lots and luxurious waterfront clubhouse amenities. Affordable single family developments like Tega Cay and The Landing are also prevalent in the Lake Wylie area, however single family waterfront homes can be quite pricey. Lakefront condominiums like Emerald Point offer a maintenance-free lifestyle with all the amenities like marinas, boat slips, tennis courts and a waterfront pool.
Lake Wylie is easily accessible off of the new Interstate 485 loop, as well as I-77, and Hwy 49. Development in this area continues to boom, and commute time to center city Charlotte ranges from 20 to 35 minutes.
Lake Wylie’s water serves several functions; it supports Wylie Hydroelectric Station, provides cooling water for the Catawba Nuclear Station, and it also provides water supply for the cities of Belmont and Rock Hill.
