Sterling Martin graduated from Davidson College in 1963 as Lake Norman was still filling up and as College President D. Grier Martin and business manager Robert A. Currie were still planning the initial developments of the Lake Campus. 

Martin’s first job with the College was assistant to C. Shaw Smith, the first director of the Student Union. Though he always assumed he would return to work for his father at Union Carbine in West Virginia, he ended up marrying a professor’s daughter in 1964 and made Davidson a permanent home. Following his stint in the Union, Martin began a long career with Davidson Athletics. He started as assistant track coach, a fitting position for the undergraduate cross country star, and his responsibilities gradually expanded until he became the Director of Athletics in 1972.

Martin’s great involvement with Davidson’s Lake Campus was due to his role in the College’s athletics programs. One of the Lake Campus’ chief uses early on was for physical education classes, which naturally fell under the purview of Athletics. Though the Physical Plant was responsible for maintenance of the Campus’ facilities, Martin himself directed much of the programming held at Lake Campus meant to satisfy student and community recreational needs. Sports such as skiing and swimming, as well as other activities like boating and camping, were (and are) a central part of the Lake Campus’ function.

Martin always viewed the Lake Campus as an extension of Davidson’s main grounds and believed it should be looked after just as much as the main campus. He was constantly looking for ways to improve the area and its programming and was indeed responsible for implementing many developments at the site over its history (see Sterling Martin Development Plan for more information). Physical additions to the property and also new PE offerings were all part of his vision for ensuring that the Lake Campus could best serve the Davidson College community. 

 

 

 

References

Martin, Sterling. Interview by Scott Sellers and Devin Gorsen. 21 March 2014.

The floating boathouse was a donation to the College by Linda and Rex Walton, who were forced to somehow get rid of the massive structure due to new property permits as the lake came up. Their property right across the lake from Lake Campus was to be subdivided and the other owner did not want to have his view of the lake obstructed. They ultimately decided it would make a nice gift to the College.

One summer, a massive storm blew the boathouse away from its anchor at the Lake Campus and all the way back across the lake to land in front of the property it came from. Much to the property owner’s dismay, the lake level was falling at the time, which effectively stuck the boathouse on his shore. As much as they tried, Davidson could not remove the boathouse until they employed the massive engine power of the Catawba Queen, a paddle wheel cruise ship used around the lake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Christenbury, Thomas L. Letter to Mr. Rex. C. Welton. 17 December 1987. RG 4/1.1. VP for Business and Finance. Lake Campus Development, 1980-1991. Davidson College Archives, Davidson, NC.

Martin, Sterling. Personal interview by Scott Sellers and Devin Gorsen. 21 March 2014.

The deed for the Lake Campus land was officially transferred to Davidson from Duke Power in 1963 and it came with few usage restrictions. The principal among them was that the Lake Campus property was to be used for recreational use only by Davidson College faculty, staff, and students. The College would forfeit the deed back to Duke Power if it ever tried to sell the land, develop it, or use it in any other for-profit venture.

To this day, the Lake Campus remains one of the most unique properties on the lake, where housing and commercial developments have taken firm hold on the region. Decades later, the College would have an appraisal of the Lake Campus conducted. The appraiser was unable to find any other like property on the lake, citing the uniqueness of the untouched tracks of forest and otherwise well-preserved land. These characteristics are largely due to the conditions established by Duke Power decades ago.

Click here to see images of the actual deed, made out on May 31, 1963.

 

 

 

 

References

Brawley, Irvin. Personal interview by Scott Sellers, Devin Gorsen, and Christopher Ragsdale. 24 March 2014.

Martin, Sterling. Personal interview by Scott Sellers and Devin Gorsen. 3 March 2014.