Fonta Flora
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Fonta Flora | |
|---|---|
Defunct Village | |
  Fonta Flora Likely location of the former community | |
| Coordinates: 35°47′29″N 81°53′28″W / 35.79139°N 81.89111°W | |
| First confirmed presence | 1860s |
| Extinction | 1923 |
| Population | |
• Total | 0 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Central Time Zone) |
| Postal code (Lake area) | 28761 |
Fonta Flora was a village located in the current location of Lake James, in the western part of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The town was flooded by an inundation, which submerged it. The village soon became part of the local Burke County's folklore.[1][2]
Despite all the uncertain details surrounding the community, it did actually exist.[1]
Local maps and news reports in the early 1900s mention the community and show the presence of various roads and country stores, a post office, and a Methodist Church. One of these maps is located in the Burke County Public Library.[2][3][4]
There is no founding date known, however, the town already existed by the 1890s, with records showing it's having up to 18 residents at the time, reaching up to 100 during the early 1900s, showing a significant growth.[4] Records of a place known as Fonta Flora are as old as just after the American Civil War, in the 1860s, hinting at the presence of the settlement as far back as then.[2]
By the 1910s, notably, the community was diverse, with up to 4 four black families present in the town.[1][5]
By as early as 1913, rumors of a possible future flooding started to spread after the various damming plans in the area started to be acknowledged by the public.[6] It is believed, however, that the local population supported the construction of the dams, believing that it would bring income into the community.[2]
One of the causes of the flood that submerged the community was the damming of the Catawba River, Linville River, and Paddy's Creek by the Southern Power Company (today known as Duke Company), aiming to create a hydroelectric facility between 1916 and 1923.[1][3]
It seems that the area that was submerged was mostly the one shown on maps, the economic centre, whilst the rest was demolished afterwards.[4]
Interest in the story of the village had become local folklore by the 1960s.[5]