The drought is starting to expose many of Lake Lanier’s secrets, from the mundane to the surprising. As the lake recedes, it reveals trash and other items dumped into it by visitors.

When Lake Lanier was filled in the 1950s, it covered whole forests, roads, bridges and even a race track.

The racetrack was called the Gainesville Speedway. It was a dirt track where stock cars once ran. With the drought, visitors can see some crumbling concrete foundations for the Speedway’s bleachers.

See the rest of Lake Lanier’s surprises in the gallery above.

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A postcard shows Legion Pool on the University of Georgia campus in Athens. In September, the university announced plans to demolish Legion Pool to make way for green space, an outdoor amphitheater and additional parking. (UGA Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library)

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Travelers walk around the baggage claim in the South Terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. Atlanta is among the airports where the FAA will reduce flights due to the shutdown, and airports are facing a shortage of air traffic controllers. 
(Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez