The History Of Pickwick
Historical Significance
Pickwick Landing was a riverboat stop dating from the 1840s. In the 1930s during the depression, the site was chosen for one of the Tennessee Valley Authority’s dams on the Tennessee River. What comprises the park today was once the living area for the TVA construction crews and their families. The TVA Village, better known as Pickwick Village was located where the Post Office, Park Office and day use area are now located. A Boy Scout Lodge was located where the old inn is located. The State of Tennessee purchased all 681 acres of Pickwick from TVA in 1969.
Pickwick Landing Dam is located on the Tennessee River at mile marker 206.7 in Hardin County, Tennessee. The reservoir is located in Hardin County in Tennessee, Tishomingo County in Mississippi, and Colbert and Lauderdale Counties in Alabama.
Construction of the reservoir began December 20, 1934 with the first concrete being poured November 15, 1935. The dam was closed and filling of the reservoir began February 8, 1938. The lock opened for traffic February 19, 1938. The first generator went into operation June 29, 1938. The initial cost of the Pickwick project totaled $31,841,299 with the total cost after adding four generating units being $45,657,481. For construction of the reservoir 506 families had to be relocated and 427 agreements for gravesites, with 407 gravesites were moved. Pickwick Landing Dam has a maximum height of 113 feet, and a maximum width of 7,715 feet, with 4,687 feet of that being left embankment, and 977 feet of right embankment.
View Larger Map
Pickwick Lake offers 496 miles of shoreline, 85 miles of which is island shoreline. At normal maximum pool, the reservoir contains 924,000 acre feet of water, with a surface area of 43,100 acres.
The origin of the name Pickwick dates back to the War Between the States. White Sulfur Springs was the first name of the Pickwick Landing Community. The landing received its present name from the first local postmaster whose fondness for the works of Charles Dickens prompted him to name the post office Pickwick in honor of the Pickwick Paper.
