Tenkiller Ferry Lake, Reservoir in Cookson Hills, Oklahoma
Tenkiller Ferry Lake is a large reservoir with about 130 miles of shoreline that winds through the Cookson Hills in Oklahoma. The lake has ten marinas, fourteen parks, and twenty-four boat launches that spread across the water, making it easy to pursue fishing, boating, swimming, and scuba diving.
The Tenkiller Dam was built between 1947 and 1952 by the United States Army Corps of Engineers to control flooding and generate power. The creation of the dam flooded the valley of the Illinois River, forming the lake that exists today.
The name comes from the Tenkiller family, Cherokee landowners who ran a ferry across the Illinois River before the dam was built. Today, this name keeps that earlier presence alive in how locals and visitors speak about the place.
The water is easy to reach from many spots around the shore, with access points scattered throughout. Plan your visit based on the season and what you want to do, as conditions can vary quite a bit.
Scuba divers can find submerged structures from the old town of Cookson beneath the surface, as it was flooded when the lake was created. These underwater remains tell the story of a place that disappeared under the water.
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