Lake Mattamuskeet Pump Station

Lake Mattamuskeet Pump Station is a massive brick structure located on the state's largest freshwater lake. The building has three floors and features a prominent tower that rises above the surrounding landscape and serves as a visitor center for the wildlife refuge.

The station was built in 1911 as the world's largest pumping facility at that time, designed to drain agricultural lands around the lake. The federal government acquired it in 1934 and converted the structure into a hotel and administrative headquarters for the growing wildlife refuge program.

The pump station building represents early 20th-century industrial engineering and serves as a reminder of agricultural development efforts in North Carolina.

The site sits near Swan Quarter on the eastern shore of the lake and can be visited through the wildlife refuge visitor center. The building and surrounding refuge offer walking trails and observation areas for exploring the landscape and watching local wildlife.

The building originally held 38 rooms when it was converted into a hotel, making it an unusual repurposing of an industrial structure. This creative transformation from a massive pumping facility into guest accommodations reflects how communities adapted historical buildings to new uses.

Location: Hyde County

Website: http://mattamuskeetlodge.com

GPS coordinates: 35.45170,-76.17500

Latest update: December 14, 2025 14:44