*Backblast! Celebrating Falls Dam History *
DATE: 2026-06-22
AO: EDM
Q: Counterfeit (John Kinneer),
PAX: Counterfeit (John Kinneer) Boone (Brian McMullen)
FNGs: None
COUNT: 2
WARMUP: the usual suspects
THE THANG: and a celebration of history of Falls Lake and the dam, PAX celebrated coupon movements as noted below:
The historic community of Falls (Falls of the Neuse) was split by the new lake. The area had existed before 1600’s and the English under the direction of Sir Walter Raleigh, named the Neuse River in1584 . The lake’s name comes from the original Falls of the Neuse, the rapids that were submerged when the reservoir was created. Many longtime residents still refer to the area around the dam simply as “Falls.”
15 dead lifts / 84 rows
The Old Mill Village
Before the lake, the Falls area included a mill village near the Neuse River. Residents worked in local textile and paper mills that relied on water power from the Falls of the Neuse. Parts of that industrial history remain today, although much of the original landscape disappeared when the reservoir filled.
Why the Dam Was Built
The Neuse River experienced frequent flooding that damaged farms, roads, railroads, and communities downstream. To address flooding and provide a reliable water supply, Congress authorized the Falls Lake project under the Flood Control Act of 1965. The project was designed for:
- Flood control
- Municipal water supply
- Water quality improvement
- Recreation
- Fish and wildlife conservation
19 tri extensions/65 curls
Construction of Falls Dam began in June 1978 and was completed in 1981. The reservoir began filling in the early 1980s, with the lake reaching its operational level by 1983. The earthen dam is approximately:
- 1,915 feet long
- 92.5 feet high
- 30 feet wide across the crest
19 deadlifts/ 15 rows
92.5 goblet squats
30 shoulder press
Impact on the Community
Creating Falls Lake required the acquisition of thousands of acres of land. Roads, farms, homes, churches, cemeteries, and portions of several rural communities were affected. The historic Falls community was physically divided when the lake filled. Many old roads and structures remain submerged beneath the lake today.
Importance Today
Falls Lake now:
- Supplies drinking water to Raleigh and many surrounding communities.
- Provides flood protection for downstream areas along the Neuse River.
- Serves as a major recreation destination for boating, fishing, camping, and hiking.
- Supports wildlife habitat around its 175 miles of shoreline.
175 bench presses
Cemeteries and Churches
Many family cemeteries existed throughout the Falls area before the lake was created. Most marked cemeteries were relocated or protected, but numerous historic burial grounds remain scattered throughout the watershed. The region was known for small church-centered communities such as New Light, Stony Hill, Sandy Plain, and Purnell.
The cemetery is known as the Ray–McReath Family Cemetery and is located off Falls Lake Dam Road near the Falls Dam area. The site survived the creation of Falls Lake and remains in the woods near the dam.
H. S. McReath of the Falls of Neuse area appears to have been part of a McReath family that came to Wake County during the 1800s and was associated with the old paper mill community at Falls. He is buried in the Ray-McReath Family Cemetery near present-day Falls Lake Dam and lived from 1836 to 1896.
18 WW III/36 rows
MARY:
ANNOUNCEMENTS: July 4 convergence
COT: prayers and praise for Boone‘s daughter moving to a new apartment and preparing for birth of child due October 15
