1916

On July 15 and 16 of 1916, the rain totals in the area of the Lake Toxaway Dam were 24 inches in 24 hours. Without any water-level controls engineered into the structure, the dam failed. 500 billion gallons of water flowed down the Toxaway river into SC and the Atlantic Ocean.

Local lore suggests that only a blind mule died. However, while the Inn at the Lake survived, albeit with some light damage, tourism demand plunged. There was no lake anymore. It was demolished a few decades later.