March 4, 1962  - Water trickles into a lake bed that has been dug along the Catawba River. By the time the dam is completed at a river crossing called Cowan's Ford in May, Lake Norman will be on its way to becoming North Carolina's largest man-made lake. It has been designed to provide water power that helps generate electricity for Mecklenburg County. In the future, homes and recreational areas be developed along Lake Norman.