Business Climate Families are drawn to the area by excellent employment opportunities with rapidly expanding industrial areas nearby, sporting events, a reputation for quality public schools and recreational opportunities on Lake Wylie and in nearby parks. As more and more people flock to Lake Wylie, property values have increased tremendously. Waterfront properties are becoming particularly pricey as waterfront lots are becoming increasingly scarce throughout the region. The lake itself was created by damming the Catawba River in 1904 to create electricity. In 1924, a new dam expanded the lake to its current surface area of 13,443 acres and 325 miles of shoreline. As the oldest on the Catawba chain of lakes, Lake Wylie was referred to as “Catawba Lake” or simply “the river” until it was renamed in 1960 after Dr. Gil Wylie, who conceived the plan to create power from the river in 1899. The unincorporated area near the Buster Boyd Bridge is referred to as “Lake Wylie” and covers the land that lies between the bridge and S.C. 274. Residents of this area have discussed the possibility of incorporating, but most agree that the lower taxes and fewer government restrictions are far more appealing. Perhaps the most recognizable Lake Wylie landmark is the Buster Boyd Bridge, which spans the lake between North and South Carolina. Originally built in 1923, the bridge was named after a local farmer who campaigned for a bridge to connect both sides of the lake. Several years ago, the bridge was rebuilt to accommodate the expansion of N.C./S.C. 49 to four lanes. Just off the bridge on the South Carolina side sits another Lake Wylie landmark: T-Bones on the Lake. With boat docks and a deck overlooking the water, T-Bones bar and restaurant is a hot spot especially during the warmer months. It also offers live music and karaoke throughout the year. For many years, when people said “Lake Wylie,” they usually meant River Hills Plantation, the largest and oldest development in Lake Wylie with 1,100 single-family homes and condominiums. Developed in the 1970s, River Hills was designed by the same group that created the Sea Pines development at Hilton Head Island. It is characterized by diverse architecture, wooded lots and a varied selection of real estate prices, starting with condominiums from the $160s to $220s and single-family homes from the $220s to over $1 million. As the only gated community on the lake, River Hills has 24-hour security and a volunteer emergency squad that offers its services 24 hours a day, seven days a week and serves within a 10-mile radius of River Hills. The development features an 18-hole championship golf course, 10-court tennis complex, swimming pools, parks, playgrounds, beach and a community garden. Social, tennis and golf memberships are available at River Hills Country Club for residents and non-residents. River Hills Marina offers boat slips for a variety of boats, from sailboats and pontoon boats to cruisers and houseboats. Paddlers can also utilize the kayak rack. The marina provides a free pump-out station that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. River Hills Marina also includes office space as well as a business center that provides faxing, copying, typing and mail services. The River Hills Yacht Club gathers at the marina purely to socialize and enjoy the lake – in fact, members don’t even have to own a boat to join. Just outside of River Hills’ gate, Camp Thunderbird has a 70-year history of providing resident and day camps for youth. Covering 100 acres on the shore of Lake Wylie, Camp Thunderbird offers a range of water sports including swimming, skiing and wakeboarding, kayaking and canoeing, sailboating and tubing. Kids can also take part in other activities like archery, riflery, tennis, arts and crafts, drama, pottery, horseback riding and traditional sports like basketball and football. Students also come during the school year, particularly for the camp’s environmental education programs, where they can study the wildlife and ecosystem of the lake. For a weekend each September, Camp Thunderbird hosts its Annual Family Camp, which is open to family members of all ages. Lake Wylie has long attracted residents to live on the water’s edge. Nevertheless, today many new communities are springing up near the lake. Road improvements, including the expansion of S.C. 49 to four lanes, have made Lake Wylie an even more desirable place to live. The Landing is a Crescent Resources development off S.C. 49 that includes waterfront, waterview and interior properties ranging from the $300s to more than $700,000. The upscale community of custom-built homes includes tennis courts, swimming pool, clubhouse, playground, park and community boat docks. Off S.C. 274 north of S.C. 49, Mill Creek Falls features homes between 2,500 and 3,800 square feet priced from the $180s through the $300s. Mill Creek Falls residents can enjoy a Junior Olympic-size swimming pool and children’s pool, tennis courts, playground, a six-acre pond with a gazebo and pier, walking trails, the village green and clubhouse for community events. Windswept Cove on Big Allison Creek includes 119 homesites with waterfront, waterview and interior lots. Homes in Windswept Cove average over 3,000 square feet on lots around an acre in size. The community has a clubhouse, swimming pool, beach, playground and picnic areas. Homesites in Windswept Cove range from the $50s to nearly $500,000. Off S.C. 274 south of S.C. 49, Autumn Cove offers homes from the $170s to around $300,000 and nearby, Harpers Mill is a townhome community with units starting at $95,000. Farther south, near what was know as Five Points (where S.C. highways 274, 49 and 55 intersect), Sunset Ridge and Masons Crossing off Lake Wylie Road feature brick and stucco custom homes from the mid-$300s to over $800,000, some of which are waterfront or waterview. The more affordable Bethelfields features homes from around $170,000 to the $230s. Lake Wylie is part of the Clover School District, recognized as one of the best districts in the state with its small class sizes and excellent test scores. Most Lake Wylie students attend the Crowders Creek Elementary/Middle School Complex off S.C. 49, and then to Clover Junior High Clover High School. Beyond T-Bones at the Lake, Lake Wylie residents enjoy a number of other restaurants – some that have recently opened to serve the growing population. The River Rat off S.C. 557 has long served fresh seafood, steak, sandwiches and famous River Burgers to locals. The Concord Cove is a new restaurant off Concord Road that features excellent cuisine and brunch on Sundays. Lake Wylie is also known for its holiday celebrations on the lake. In December, boaters adorn their vessels with lights and Christmas décor and parade through the area around the Buster Boyd Bridge. For the Fourth of July, you can view fireworks near the bridge. And in June, the Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce sponsors its Annual Splash Dash 10K, 5K and Walk through River Hills, which brings runners from across the region and even from other countries.