The construction of a dam in the gap of in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, had been considered as early as the 1920s. However, the dam's construction did not begin until 1960. closed the gap completely in 1963, and began to fill and form behind it. The hydroelectric dam consists of 175,000 cubic yards of concrete and has the capacity to generate 605 megawatts of electricity for up to 11 hours. is part of a two-dam system on the and its companion dam, the is a smaller structure designed to pump water back to and to also generate hydroelectric power for customers. covers 20,000 acres and has a 500-mile shoreline, which borders Franklin, Pittsylvania, and Bedford Counties. Over the years, development near and around has exploded, and this has presented both opportunities and challenges in regard to stewardship of the area's natural resources. James A. Nagy, author of presents images from various collections, including the , showing the construction and development of