Carbonton, North Carolina: Old Carbonton Dam: Center of North Carolina
The dam was removed in late 2005, but you can still explore the old powerhouse tower. A sign at the site states that it is the geographic center of North Carolina.
- Address:
- Carbonton Rd, Carbonton, NC
- Directions:
- From US Hwy 1, on the south side of Sanford, take the Hwy 42 exit toward Asheboro. Drive west 9.5 miles. You'll see the gravel entrance to the parking lot on the right. If you cross the bridge over the Deep River you've gone too far.
- Admission:
- Free
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Visitor Tips and News About Old Carbonton Dam: Center of North Carolina
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We stopped at the ruins last week. But we couldn't find the marker for the Center of North Carolina. Can anyone describe how to find it? We looked all over the picnic area and along the road (not past the bridge). Looks like erosion control has been set up. We were able to climb up and take pictures.
[Hannah Hudson, 05/21/2020]
North Carolina DOT is rebuilding the surrounding bridge on 42 currently. Easy to get to it -- just need to approach from the south via Plank Road.
[Brian Ross, 06/11/2019]
The dam is just off a pleasant country road, and is open to the public. It was decommissioned [and removed] in 2005 due to its harmful effects on the Deep River's ecosystem, but the dam powerhouse tower remains as a roadside attraction. There are picnic tables and a couple of informative signs. One of them states that the area is the geographic center of North Carolina, and provides the coordinates to prove it!
[Elias Ingraham, 09/26/2015]At 270 feet across, the Carbonton Dam was the largest ever removed in North Carolina.
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The sign was near the picnic tables as recently as three years ago, but it appears to be gone now. Maybe when the nearby highway construction is complete, the sign will reappear.