Discover Smith Mountain Lake
FALL 2016
37
36
Lake
Lore
For many of us, the decision to move to Smith Mountain Lake was a relatively easy one.
The lake is an escape – from big cities, traffic, noise, long commutes, and high taxes.
But settling here to escape high taxes is hardly a new idea. In fact, long before there was
a lake – and long before there was even a ‘rat race’ – people were drawn to the area we
now know as Smith Mountain Lake by the promise of lower taxes.
In 1720, two new counties were formed in the Virginia Colony: Spotsylvania in the
north, and Brunswick in the south. Brunswick County was eventually divided into
smaller counties, which eventually were further divided and reapportioned until
the three counties that now define the lake were formed. Settlers quickly embraced
Spotsylvania County, but development in Brunswick County was slow to take off.
The reason for this was that most settlements inVirginia had followed existing natural
waterways which were necessary as trade routes. The rivers that define this area all
eventually flow into North Carolina, rather than to ports withinVirginia.Thus, in order
to send goods toVirginia ports, roads would have to be built, and this was no small task.
The difference between death and taxes is that death doesn’t get worse
every time Congress meets.
~ Will Rogers
