PERCY PRIEST LAKE

Percy Priest Lake is named after Congressman James Percy Priest who was born on April 1, 1900 in Carter’s Creek in Maury County.  Normally Army Corps of Engineer projects such as lakes are named after nearby geographical places or sites.  Only through a Congressional Act can a project be named for an individual.  On July 2nd, 1958 Congress officially changed the name of the lake project from Stewart’s Ferry to J. Percy Priest. 

In 1963, Congress officially funded the project. Construction began June 29, 1963 and was completed in December 1967 at a cost of $57,361,766.  The lake was impounded in May 1968. Percy Priest Lake is located on the Stone River, which is a tributary of the Cumberland River.  The dam is 15 miles upstream from Nashville, Tennessee.  The deepest part of the lake which is near the dam is nearly 100 feet deep.  There are almost 33,000 surface acres and 213 miles of shoreline offering up a myriad of recreational opportunities.

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