Made In Carolina Podcast

Lolita Rowe

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History

Made in Carolina is a storytelling podcast about the people, places, and things created in North and South Carolina. Each season dives into a different theme — from submerged towns hidden beneath man-made lakes to the foods, drinks, and cultural traditions that define the region. Through local voices, history, and conversation, host Lolita Rowe uncovers the stories that make the Carolinas unique.

Jul 30

Lake Norman, Part 3: Life After the Lake

What happens after the water rises? The story of Lake Norman didn't end when the flooding began. In this final chapter of our Lake Norman series, we explore how communities adapted, rebuilt, and carried their histories forward. Through conversations with Michael Connor, Richard Eller, Chuck McShane, and Katie Dickinson, we discover that while landscapes change, memory endures—and preserving those stories is what keeps history alive. Keep Exploring Page Leggett, "One Love." SouthPark Magazine https://southparkmagazine.com/one-love/Untouchable Panthers https://untouchablepanthers.com/"The Perfect Season." Our State Magazine https://www.ourstate.com/the-perfect-season/"The Fate of the Long Island Mill." Long Island History Project https://www.longislandhistoryproject.org/the-fate-of-the-long-island-mill/Hall, Jacquelyn Dowd, et al. Like a Family: The Making of a Southern Cotton Mill World. University of North Carolina Press.McShane, Chuck. A History of Lake Norman: Fish Camps to Ferraris.Featured Voices Michael Connor – Community member sharing family history and lived experience.Richard Eller – Historian from Catawba County.Chuck McShane – Historian of the Lake Norman region.Katie – Huntersville resident sharing childhood memories of Lake Norman's creation.Music & Sound Credits Sound Effects Small Lake Waves by Mick_ https://freesound.org/s/705035/ License: Creative Commons 0 (CC0) Music "Long Way" – Rexlambo Source: SoundCloud License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 (CC BY 3.0) Free Download / Stream: https://audiolibrary.com.co/rexlambo/long-way SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/rexlambo/rexlambo-long-way Promoted by Audio Library: https://youtu.be/EVvMLfDoJwQ "Sunshine" – Sister Sai https://sistersai.bandcamp.com/album/ideal-2
May 7

Lake Norman, Part 2: When the Water Came

Before Lake Norman existed, the Catawba River shaped daily life across the Carolina Piedmont. Farms, mill villages, churches, and family communities lined the riverbanks for generations. But in the early twentieth century, that relationship began to change. In this episode of Made in Carolina, we explore the early creation of Lake Norman and the growing influence of Duke Power along the Catawba River. Through oral histories and historical context, we trace how industrial expansion, the Great Flood of 1916, and hydroelectric development reshaped both the landscape and the lives of the people who called the river home. Featuring the voices of historians and community members, this episode examines how communities experienced these changes differently—through opportunity, displacement, loss, and memory. This is the story of when the river began to change. Featured Voices Michael Connor – Family history and community memoryRichard Eller – Mill villages and labor historyChuck McShane – Regional history of Lake Norman and Duke PowerKatie Dickinson – Childhood memories of watching the lake form in Huntersville🌊 In This Episode The Great Flood of 1916The rise of Duke Power along the Catawba RiverHydroelectric expansion across the CarolinasMill villages, farming communities, and displacementWatching Lake Norman take shape in real timeCommunity memory and land loss🎶 Credits Created, produced, and hosted by Lolita Rowe Original music by Sister Sai Additional audio: “steady rain_wind gust 158.wav” by leo153 — Freesound.org (CC0)“Long Way” by Rexlambo — Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 🌐 Resources & Further Reading A History of Lake Norman: Fish Camps to Ferraris by Chuck McShaneNorth Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources — Flood of 1916Duke Energy Illumination: “From Great Flood, New Life for Catawba River” by Akeem FlavorsFrench Broad Adventures — “Remembering the Flood of 1916”💛 Support the Show If this episode resonated with you, consider supporting Made in Carolina by sharing the show, leaving a review, or buying me a coffee. Every bit of support helps sustain independent storytelling, oral history, and community memory projects like this one. ☕ Support the podcast: buymeacoffee.com/madeincarolinapodcast 🌐 madeincarolinapodcast.com 📧 madeincarolina2022@gmail.com
Apr 25

Lake Norman, Part 1: Before the Lake

Before it became Lake Norman, this landscape was home to farms, mill villages, and generations of families who built their lives along the Catawba River. In this episode of Made in Carolina, we explore what life looked like before the water rose. Through oral histories and historical context, we hear from those who experienced the region firsthand—and from those who have studied its past. From family farms near Caldwell Station to the rise of textile mill communities, this episode traces the rhythms of daily life in the Carolina Piedmont—where land, labor, and community were deeply connected. It also examines how systems like mill villages and company stores shaped everyday experiences, and how broader forces like industrialization and segregation influenced opportunity and survival. This is the world that existed before Lake Norman. And it is the story of what stood to be lost. Featured Voices Michael Connor — Community member sharing family and farm life memoriesRichard Eller — Historian, Catawba CountyChuck McShane — Historian of the Lake Norman regionSound Credits Original Music Music by Sister Sai Sound Effects & Ambient Audio Gentle Waves – Sand Point Beach at Sunrise (6-20-24) by Ambient-X https://freesound.org/s/743340/ License: Attribution 4.0Queen Street Mill, automatic loom starts and runs.wav by phonoflora https://freesound.org/s/201176/ License: Attribution 4.0Queen Street Mill, loom running then stops.wav by phonoflora https://freesound.org/s/201181/ License: Attribution 4.0Crickets, Grasshoppers, Birds.wav by editor_adp https://freesound.org/s/144457/ License: Creative Commons 0Restless Cattle Mooing by NickTayloe https://freesound.org/s/813363/ License: Creative Commons 0Factory whistle / train whistle by kentspublicdomain https://freesound.org/s/477827/ License: Creative Commons 0Baseball Hit and Crowd Cheer by AmishRob https://freesound.org/s/214989/ License: Attribution 4.0Additional Music “Long Way” by Rexlambo Source: SoundCloud License: Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 (CC BY 3.0) Free Download / Stream: https://audiolibrary.com.co/rexlambo/long-way Listen: https://soundcloud.com/rexlambo/rexlambo-long-way Promoted by Audio Library: https://youtu.be/EVvMLfDoJwQImage Credit: North Carolina Route 1006 Bridge, Catawba River, Catawba County, NC. Library of Congress (HAER NC,18-STOPT.V,1–4). No known restrictions.
Apr 9

Bonus Episode: The River That Became Lakes

Before Lake Norman, there was a river. A river that shaped the lives of the Catawba Nation and the communities that lived along its banks. In this bonus episode of Made in Carolina, we explore the early vision that transformed the Catawba River into a hydroelectric system—and set the stage for the creation of Lake Norman. This episode is a reflection on change, memory, and the landscapes that exist just beneath the surface. Resources & Credits 🎧 Audio & Music Credits Original Music – Sister Sai Used with permission“Long Way” – Rexlambo Source: SoundCloud License: Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 (CC BY 3.0) Free Download / Stream: https://audiolibrary.com.co/rexlambo/long-way Stream: https://soundcloud.com/rexlambo/rexlambo-long-way Promoted by Audio Library: https://youtu.be/EVvMLfDoJwQ“reenactment3.aif” – alienistcog Source: Freesound License: CC0 (Public Domain)“small lake waves.wav” – Mick_ Source: https://freesound.org/s/705035/ License: CC0 (Public Domain)“NATIVE DRUM LOOP B 16BARS 100BPM.wav” – sandyrb Source: https://freesound.org/s/86653/ License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)📚 Research & Historical Sources Lake Wylie History https://lakewyliecarolinas.com/history/About the Catawba Nation https://www.catawba.com/about-the-nationHistory of Cornelius, North Carolina Provided by the Cornelius Jaycees https://www.lakeandvillage.com/blog/history-cornelius-nc/ 🎙️ Podcast Credits Created, produced, and hosted by Lolita Rowe 🎧 Made in Carolina Podcast 🌐 https://www.madeincarolinapodcast.com/ ☕ Support the show: Buy Me a Coffee Follow, share, and leave a review wherever you listen.
Season 1 Trailer

Season 1 Returns: Submerged Stories Continue

The story isn’t over. Made in Carolina returns with the second half of Season One: Submerged Towns—beginning with a special bonus episode that sets the stage for what comes next. Before the water came… there were communities, families, and histories rooted in the land. In this next chapter, we move deeper into those stories—centering the people who lived them. 🎧 The bonus episode is coming soon. And with it, the continuation of Season One. Show Notes Created, produced, and hosted by Lolita Rowe Original music by Sister Sai Sound Credits small lake waves.wav by Mick_ — https://freesound.org/s/705035/ License: Creative Commons 0NATIVE DRUM LOOP B 16BARS 100BPM.wav by sandyrb — https://freesound.org/s/86653/ License: Attribution 4.0🌐 https://www.madeincarolinapodcast.com/ Follow Made in Carolina wherever you listen to podcasts. If you enjoyed this trailer, share it with a friend and help us bring these stories to more listeners.
11/14/2025

Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie, Part 4: Memory and Movement

The conclusion of the Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie story Episode 7 explores the aftermath of the flooding of the Santee Basin – how families relocated, rebuilt, and carried memory forward across generations. Through conversations with Dr. Robert Hart and Dr. Kelsey Moore, we explore the migration, federal resettlement programs, church-community rebuilding efforts, and the archival silences that obscure Black lived experiences. From sharecropping and wartime job shifts, to the promise of land and the reality of displacement in the Lowcountry, this story invites listeners to remember what’s often submerged — in water and in memory. Featured Voices: Dr. Thomas Robert Hart, Dr. Kelsey Moore Created, Produced, and Hosted by: Lolita Rowe Original Music: Sister Sai Website: Tiffany Messer-Bass Sound Engineering: Saira Raza Music Credits – Sister Sai “Wanderer” “Cerulean Mood” “Dandelion” 🎧 Sound Effects – Freesound.org (CC0 License) Old Piano – Somber Chords.wav — DeVern Hitting Nail into Wall with Hammer — Kate_is_yellow Samsung Smartphone Hammering — designerschoice Pond Water & Ripples at Chappaquidick Bridge — Filmscore Waves Gently Breaking on Lakeshore — leonelmail Archival Audio – Library of Congress John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip (AFC 1939/001), American Folklife Center, Library of Congress Call to Action: Follow the series and share your reflections using #MadeInCarolinaPodcast Support the show: ☕ buymeacoffee.com/madeincarolina Resources: Archival Image Credit: Many families tore down their houses in the Santee–Cooper Basin to rebuild them outside the flooded area. Near Bonneau, South Carolina. March 1941.Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division:LC-USF34-043456-D [P&P], LOT 1533 (corresponding photographic print).Other Number: E 5985. Related links: Great Migration – National Archives: https://www.archives.gov/research/african-americans/migrations/great-migration• The Truth Behind “40 Acres and a Mule” – PBS: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/african-americans-many-rivers-to-cross/history/the-truth-behind-40-acres-and-a-mule/
11/07/2025

Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie, Part 3: The Making of a Waterscape

Beneath the still waters of Lake Marion lies the ghost of a forest — and a town named Ferguson. Before the Santee River was dammed, the Santee River Cypress Lumber Company had already stripped much of the swamp bare, cutting and milling its centuries-old cypress. By the time the flood came, the forest that once sheltered the town was already gone. This episode traces how the Santee Basin itself was transformed — not only socially but ecologically. Thousands of acres were cleared, burned, and drowned to make way for progress, yet pieces of that past remain: the stumps of Sparkleberry Swamp, the ghost forests along the coast, and the memories carried by the water. Through the words of historian Dr. Robert Hart, we follow the making of a waterscape — and reflect on what progress submerge. Featured Voice Dr. Robert Hart, historian — on the environmental and coastal consequences of the Santee-Cooper ProjectCredits Created, produced, and hosted by Lolita Rowe Original music by Sister Sai Website by Tiffany Messer Bass, with production support from Saira Raza sound effects/field recordings from Freesound.com S: Lake Waves 3.wav by Benboncan | License: Attribution 4.0 S: forest wind 1111AM 220617_0400.wav by klankbeeld | License: Attribution 4.0 S: Life underwater at Mamori.wav by laurent | License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 S: Forest Birds Crow Wind by atks_ | License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Songs (all by Sister Sai) - Ossabaw Sunrise (unreleased) - Wanderer (from Extempore) - Dandelion (from First Flight) Archival Image: Cut-over land in the Santee-Cooper Basin.Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division,LC-USF34-043522-D [P&P], LOT 1533 (corresponding photographic print).Other Number: E 173. Call to Action Visit madeincarolinapodcast.com for show notes and more stories waiting under the water. Share your reflections using #MadeInCarolinaPodcast or support the series on Buy Me a Coffee. Next Episode Preview Next time, we follow the families who moved with the water — tracing how they rebuilt, remembered, and redefined home after the flood.
10/31/2025

Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie, Part 2: The Ground Remembers — Echoes of Identity and Faith in the Santee Basin

Across the Santee Basin, communities built lives rooted in land, labor, and belief. In the years after emancipation, Black, Indigenous, and European families shaped intertwined identities through farming, faith, and community — stories that still echo in the cemeteries, churches, and waters that remain. The Ground Remembers explores how race, land, and belief shaped who belonged — and what endures beneath the water. Featured Voices: Dr. Thomas Robert Hart, Dr. Kelsey Moore Created, Produced, and Hosted by: Lolita Rowe Original Music: Sister Sai Sound Credits: Tukinuitto, uitto / Log driving by YleArkisto — freesound.org/s/322618 — CC Attribution 4.0 ST Slide Guitar Blues Riff 2 by juskiddink — freesound.org/s/58493 — CC Attribution 4.0 African Drums at Night by hutsvoid — freesound.org/s/202419 — CC NonCommercial 4.0 Old Piano – Somber Chords by DeVern — freesound.org/s/427307 — CC0 BELLLrg – Cool Spring Baptist Church Recording by Nicholas Judy — TDC Gentle Waves – Sand Point Beach by Ambient-X — freesound.org/s/743340 — CC Attribution 4.0 Image Credit:Negro tenant farmer who had to move out of the Santee-Cooper basin, near Bonneau, South Carolina. LC-USF34-043512-D [P&P], LOT 1533 (corresponding photographic print). Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division — hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/fsa.8c04944 Call to Action: Follow the series and share your reflections using #MadeInCarolinaPodcast. Support the show: ☕ buymeacoffee.com/madeincarolina

Made in Carolina is a storytelling podcast about the people, places, and things created in North and South Carolina. Each season dives into a different theme — from submerged towns hidden beneath man-made lakes to the foods, drinks, and cultural traditions that define the region. Through local voices, history, and conversation, host Lolita Rowe uncovers the stories that make the Carolinas unique.

Creator

Lolita Rowe
Years Active

2025 - 2026
Episodes

13
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© Lolita Rowe
Show Website

Made In Carolina Podcast