Old Higden before the lake - anyone have photos or stories?

Was thinking about this on the drive in today. Before the lake filled, Higden sat down in the valley, and the dam was dedicated by President Kennedy in 1963. Most of us only know the lake as it is now, but a lot of families around here had to pick up and move for it.

Does anyone have photos of the old town, or stories handed down from grandparents or parents about the move? Even small things count, like where the stores were, which roads ran where, or what they said when they found out.

I've also heard that in really low water years you can still make out old road beds along the shoreline. I notice old road grades more than most people, so that one has me curious. If anyone has actually seen them, where? Please don't wade into mud flats or restricted areas to go look. The Corps keeps the lake info here if you want the official side: Greers Ferry Lake

If you've got scans or old pictures, post them here. I'd like to see them.

my grandpa talked about it some, said the govt bought them out but nobody thought it was close to what the land was worth. Didnt talk much about it otherwise. I'll ask my dad if he has any old pictures stashed somewhere 📷

Ive seen a old road grade or two along the shore in the dry years but couldnt tell you which road it was.

Harrisa, that's about what I heard growing up too. Folks felt the government price didn't come close, but there wasn't much of a choice in it. Nobody I knew talked about it much, and I think that's because it still stung.

When you ask your dad, have him check more than photo albums. Old pictures in that generation usually ended up in shoe boxes, family Bibles, or a sewing tin or dresser drawer. My wife's mother kept hers in a Christmas cookie tin, and we found it years after she was gone. Flip every picture over. A name, a date, or "Higden, store, 1950" on the back is worth more than the picture itself, and in a few years nobody will be left to say who's in it.

Same goes for any deed, receipt, or letter from the buyout. Those are history too.

I've seen the road grades you mean, in a dry fall, but I wouldn't swear to which road it was either.

Good tip on the back of the pictures, Ronald. Names and dates are the part that disappears first. If anyone does find a box like that, take a phone photo of both sides before you do anything else, and post what you can here even if you aren't sure who's in it. Somebody else might be able to name them.

The buyout papers interest me too. I'd like to see what per-acre numbers people were actually offered, since that's what harrisa's grandpa was talking about.

On the road grades, if you remember roughly where along the shore you saw them, even just the nearest ramp or cove, that helps. Two of you have seen them but neither can say which road, and I'd like to match them to something.

I'M OVER IN HIGDEN SO THIS ONE HITS HOME. I WON'T PRETEND I KNOW WHICH ROAD IT WAS, BUT IN A DRY FALL I'VE SEEN WHAT LOOKS LIKE AN OLD ROAD GRADE RUNNING DOWN INTO THE WATER NEAR THE HIGDEN SIDE. YOU CAN TELL IT'S A ROAD AND NOT JUST A BENCH IN THE HILL BECAUSE OF THE CUT AND FILL AND THE RUT OF A DITCH ALONG ONE EDGE. THAT'S THE ROAD NERD IN ME TALKING, HA

ALSO FOR THE GARDENERS, OLD HOMESITES AROUND HERE SOMETIMES GIVE THEMSELVES AWAY WITH DAFFODILS COMING UP IN A STRAIGHT LINE IN SPRING OR A ROW OF CEDARS WHERE A YARD USED TO BE. WORTH LOOKING FOR ABOVE THE WATERLINE.

AND YEP, STAY OFF THE MUD FLATS. IT'S WORSE THAN IT LOOKS.

Talked to my dad this mornin. He says theres a shoebox at my aunts with some of grandpas stuff, no promises whats in it. Gonna try and get over there this weekend and flip everything over like Ronald said.

Caleb that might be the same grade I seen, it was on the Higden side too 👍

GOOD DEAL ON THE SHOEBOX, HARRISA. HOPE IT'S FULL. IF THERE'S ANY PICTURE WITH A ROAD OR A BRIDGE OR EVEN A FENCE LINE IN THE BACKGROUND, POST IT, THAT'S HOW YOU MATCH THOSE GRADES TO SOMETHING REAL. A PHOTO OF A STORE IS NICE BUT A PHOTO OF THE ROAD IN FRONT OF IT IS GOLD TO A ROAD NERD LIKE ME

COULD WELL BE THE SAME GRADE IF WE BOTH SAW IT ON THE HIGDEN SIDE. NEXT DRY FALL WE SHOULD COMPARE NOTES ON THE COVE, FROM THE BANK THOUGH, NOT THE MUD

Cut and fill with a ditch line is how I pick them out too. Same thing in the woods during deer season, old roads show up under the leaves if you walk the contour. Would like to see a photo if anyone gets one from the bank next fall.