Nestled in the foothills of Northern Georgia, Lake Lanier is a picturesque body of water that hides a chilling history. Beneath its surface lies a forgotten town, eerie drownings, and ghostly encounters that have terrified locals for decades. Before Lake Lanier was created in the 1950s, it was home to several thriving communities, including the predominantly Black town of Oscarville. In the early 1900s, a wave of racial violence forced many residents to flee. Decades later, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flooded the area, submerging entire buildings, roads, and cemeteries.
Since its creation, Lake Lanier has claimed over 700 lives, with many victims mysteriously vanishing before resurfacing days or weeks later. Boaters report feeling unseen hands pulling them underwater, while divers tell of eerie encounters with submerged structures and ghostly figures lurking in the murky depths. One of the most terrifying legends involves two women, Delia Parker Young and Susie Roberts, who crashed their car off a bridge into the lake in 1958. Susie's car wasn’t found until 1990, but Delia’s body was discovered much earlier, eerily floating in the lake with her hands missing.
To this day, witnesses claim to see a ghostly woman in a blue dress wandering the shore, her arms severed at the wrists. Visitors and fishermen often report seeing shadowy figures walking across the water at night, hearing whispers when no one is around, or feeling a sudden, inexplicable pull toward the depths. Many believe that the spirits of those who perished—whether in tragic accidents or under more sinister circumstances—still haunt the lake.
Is Lake Lanier Cursed?
Whether you believe in ghosts or not, the unnerving number of deaths and supernatural sightings surrounding Lake Lanier make it one of America’s most haunted locations. Some claim the displaced spirits of Oscarville seek revenge, while others see it as an unfortunate result of poor planning. Regardless, those who dare visit the lake at night often leave with stories they can’t explain.
Would you be brave enough to swim in its waters?
