4 historical maps show development’s impact on Chapin area

The Chapin area is expected to grow rapidly in the next decade ... and it wouldn't be the town's first boom. This northern tip of Lexington County has mostly maintained its rural character, but development around the heart of Chapin and Lake Murray's northwestern shores has already altered the landscape.

This aerial tour shows a few areas where new construction has taken place over the past two decades.

Timberlake catalyst for growth

Timberlake Plantation was developed in the mid-1980s and was among the first high-end communities in that area of Lake Murray. It is located 8 1/2 miles from downtown Chapin and is outside the city's boundaries.

However, its development prompted the town to start its own water utility and provide service to this unincorporated area. That set the stage for further development in northern Lexington County. As the accompanying video begins, in 1995, Timberland is already thriving, but note the construction on the shore to the east in the two decades that follow.

Johns Creek construction

Timberlake wasn't the only lakefront property to see development in the 2000s. To the east, the area around Johns Creek also was the site of home construction. In the accompanying video, note the growth on the creek's western shore and on the southernmost peninsula.

Chapin High School area explodes

As homes sprouted up along Lake Murray's northwestern shore, changes were also evident near the high school serving the area. In the heart of downtown, Chapin High School has grown from a Class 2-A to a Class 4-A athletics program because of its expanding enrollment. The accompanying video shows changes to the campus, as well as an increase in the number of homes in the immediate proximity.

Crooked Creek Park area expands

Population growth has also sparked the need for recreation facilities in Lexington County's northern tip. Crooked Creek Park, seen in the northernmost portion of the accompanying video, opened in 1994. More homes sprang up around it — note growth at Eagle Point and Wingspan Way in the southeastern corner — and now a new park is under construction along Eptings Camp Road. It is slated to open in 2017 and will include a six-field baseball complex, eight tennis courts, two multi-use fields and a splash pad.

This story was originally published September 3, 2016 at 12:00 PM with the headline "4 historical maps show development’s impact on Chapin area."