Lake Keowee, South Carolina

Constructed by Duke Power Company to generate hydroelectric power, Lake Keowee covers Keowee Town, site of the capital of the Lower Cherokee Nation. Keowee, meaning "Place of the Mulberries," was visited by Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto when he came through the area in 1540. 18,500 acres of water and a 300-mile shoreline make the Lake Keowee area a popular place for boating, fishing, water-skiing, swimming, camping and picnicking. It is located predominately in Oconee County, but it also extends into Pickens County.