ɪnðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti z wɛn ɪt wʌz dɪskˈʌvɚd ðætðə lˈeɪk təbi ɪmpˈaʊndᵻd bᵻhˌaɪnd ðə nˈuː dˈæm wʊd kˈʌvɚ ðɪ ɚɹˈɪdʒɪnəl ɹˌiːɪnfˈoːɹst kˈɑːŋkɹiːt ænd stˈiːl bɹˈɪdʒ, kˌæɹəlˈaɪnə pˈaʊɚ ænd lˈaɪt nˈaʊ pɹəɡɹˈɛs ˈɛnɚdʒi ˈɪŋk, ˈoʊnɚɹ ʌvðə nˈuː dˈæm, tˈɜːnd ɪɾ ˌoʊvɚ tə ðə jˈuː.ˈɛs. mˈɪlətˌɛɹi fɔːɹ tɹˈeɪnɪŋ pˈɜːpəsᵻz.
In the 1920s when it was discovered that the  lake to be impounded behind the new dam would cover the original reinforced concrete and steel bridge, Carolina Power & Light (now Progress Energy Inc), owner of the new dam, turned it over to the U.S. military for training purposes.