<p>Before it became Lake Norman, this landscape was home to farms, mill villages, and generations of families who built their lives along the Catawba River.</p><p>In this episode of <em>Made in Carolina</em>, we explore what life looked like before the water rose. Through oral histories and historical context, we hear from those who experienced the region firsthand—and from those who have studied its past.</p><p>From family farms near Caldwell Station to the rise of textile mill communities, this episode traces the rhythms of daily life in the Carolina Piedmont—where land, labor, and community were deeply connected. It also examines how systems like mill villages and company stores shaped everyday experiences, and how broader forces like industrialization and segregation influenced opportunity and survival.</p><p>This is the world that existed before Lake Norman. And it is the story of what stood to be lost.</p><p><strong>Featured Voices</strong></p><ul><li><strong>Michael Connor</strong> — Community member sharing family and farm life memories</li><li><strong>Richard Eller</strong> — Historian, Catawba County</li><li><strong>Chuck McShane</strong> — Historian of the Lake Norman region</li></ul><p><strong>Sound Credits</strong></p><p><strong>Original Music</strong> Music by Sister Sai</p><p><strong>Sound Effects &amp; Ambient Audio</strong></p><ul><li><em>Gentle Waves – Sand Point Beach at Sunrise (6-20-24)</em> by Ambient-X <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://freesound.org/s/743340/">https://freesound.org/s/743340/</a> License: Attribution 4.0</li><li><em>Queen Street Mill, automatic loom starts and runs.wav</em> by phonoflora <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://freesound.org/s/201176/">https://freesound.org/s/201176/</a> License: Attribution 4.0</li><li><em>Queen Street Mill, loom running then stops.wav</em> by phonoflora <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://freesound.org/s/201181/">https://freesound.org/s/201181/</a> License: Attribution 4.0</li><li><em>Crickets, Grasshoppers, Birds.wav</em> by editor_adp <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://freesound.org/s/144457/">https://freesound.org/s/144457/</a> License: Creative Commons 0</li><li><em>Restless Cattle Mooing</em> by NickTayloe <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://freesound.org/s/813363/">https://freesound.org/s/813363/</a> License: Creative Commons 0</li><li><em>Factory whistle / train whistle</em> by kentspublicdomain <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://freesound.org/s/477827/">https://freesound.org/s/477827/</a> License: Creative Commons 0</li><li><em>Baseball Hit and Crowd Cheer</em> by AmishRob <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://freesound.org/s/214989/">https://freesound.org/s/214989/</a> License: Attribution 4.0</li></ul><p><strong>Additional Music</strong></p><ul><li><em>“Long Way”</em> by Rexlambo Source: SoundCloud License: Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 (CC BY 3.0) Free Download / Stream: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://audiolibrary.com.co/rexlambo/long-way">https://audiolibrary.com.co/rexlambo/long-way</a> Listen: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://soundcloud.com/rexlambo/rexlambo-long-way">https://soundcloud.com/rexlambo/rexlambo-long-way</a> Promoted by Audio Library: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://youtu.be/EVvMLfDoJwQ">https://youtu.be/EVvMLfDoJwQ</a></li></ul><p><strong>Image Credit:</strong> North Carolina Route 1006 Bridge, Catawba River, Catawba County, NC. Library of Congress (HAER NC,18-STOPT.V,1–4). No known restrictions.</p>