Built at the foot of one of the longest and deepest valleys in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Lake Rabun began filling in May 1915 to form a reservoir of over ten million gallons covering 834 acres with a normal water level of 1690 feet above mean sea level. It was the first of six power producing lakes developed by the Georgia Railway and Power Company on the Tallulah and Tugalo rivers. As a Georgia Power Company facility, it now serves as a power source and a water supply for local communities, while providing recreational activities. The Lake Rabun Association, first chartered in 1928, emphasizes property security and water safety and sponsors events that foster community spirit, including wooden boat parades, flea markets, home tours, golf tournaments, and Thanksgiving gatherings. The Clayton United Methodist Church began a flotilla "Boat Church" ministry in 1972, a college scholarship fund for Rabun County students was established in 1987, and Georgia’s first inland marine volunteer fire station operates on the lake with equipment provided by the Lake Rabun Association.