Just Another Fishing Hole

During the late 1920’s and into 1930, a logging community was established near the current site of the gate.  The community was served by a railroad that ran through Pine Top Plantation. The long, straight stretch of Tallavana Trail between the power line and Hickory Lane follows the original roadbed of that railroad.  When this tract was purchased in 1971, Pine Top Lake was a 40-acre lake. The Burt and Harrell families sold Pine Top Lake to a group of five investors who set about expanding the 40-acre lake into 160 acres and renamed it Lake Tallavana. 

The first lots were made available for sale in March 1972.  James Steel Construction Company undertook the road construction and built the dam.  The dam was designed by Wayne H. Coloney, with the clay core of the dam coming from the power line easement on the west side of Tallavana Trail.  At that time lake front property sold for an average of $7,200 - $7,500 and interior lots for $3,000 - $4,000.

The first draw down of the lake was initiated in the early 1980’s.  The lake was allowed to drain until the remaining water was only slightly higher than the original creek beds from which the lake was formed.

Excerpt from article Turning Back The Pages, A Historical Walk through Lake Tallavana.
                       
                                                                                       - written by Beth Harrer, 2001