Crumpled mountains formed what is today the states of Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and North and South Carolina that over time eroded. Georgia's coastal plain was underwater for 75 million years, and it was not until about 1,000 BC when Cherokee Indians and other Native American Indians of the Chattahoochee river began to populate the area where Lake Sidney Lanier rests today.

Indians were the first constructors of enormous mounds in the Chattahoochee valley, used as burial places of great religious significance. Indians remained in the valley for many centuries. In 1588, Spanish explorer Vincente González left Saint Augustine seeking for a rumored English colony on the southeastern, exploring much of the Georgia coast.

Later, as a British colony, the actual Hall County was introduced into the traditional plantation culture. It was not until the 19th century when Hall county was founded. By 1818, most of the mountains, including the Blue Ridge Mountains, were still populated by Native American tribes. When Gainesville was established and named the county seat, a boom of settlers flocked to the region.

In 1829, there was a gold discovery in the northern Lumpkin and White counties, making Gainesville the trading and supply center for the first gold rush in America, before California in the mid-1800s. While Gainesville continued its development, the surroundings became a prosperous farming region, including those lands occupied today by Lake Sidney Lanier.

The opening of the Atlanta railroad promoted the area as a mountain summer resort in 1871, emphasizing the healthy properties of the waters in the region, with local springs touted for their healing qualities to relieve the fever that plagued Georgia's southern coastal areas

By the turn of the century Gainesville became the "Great Health Resort of the South" housing many hospitals and medical services, while the contiguous areas kept developing as farming regions, with cotton mills as the first large industries in Georgia. After the Great Depression in the 1930s, the regional economy suffered like the rest of the country.

Cotton production was hampered by infestation of the boll weevil, and the nation's second deadliest tornado struck Hall County, hitting Gainesville in 1936. Following World War II, Hall County's economy recovered. Farms replaced cotton with poultry and new industries emerged, most of them supporting production and processing of chickens and eggs.

By then, the priority for developing the river systems for national defense, water supply, power production, navigation and flood control emerged from coast to coast. The overall development of the nation’s waterways began when Congress authorized Buford Dam for construction in 1946.

The US Army Corps of Engineers was designated for this project and later involved in hundreds of projects throughout the United States. To construct the dam, a multi-million dollar public works appropriation took place for the State of Georgia. This action provided $750,000.00 for completion and the initial planning and designing of the Buford Dam, including the powerhouse design and starting of construction. 

Lake Lanier and Buford Dam's ground breaking was held in March 1950 on the Gwinnett County, site of the future dam, although the full project would involve the Forsyth and Dawson Counties, besides Hall County as the major land partner. The lake began to fill in 1957, being at its full level in early 1958.

While the dam kept its original name, the Lake was named after the 19th Century poet, Sidney Clopton Lanier, who inspired by the scenic views of this region composed the "Song of the Chattahoochee". The Lake encompasses 39,000 acres of water and has a varied topographic shoreline, scattered with many natural attractions.

After the construction of the Buford Dam and Lake Sidney Lanier projects, the US Army Corps of Engineers continued operating and managing the area, providing recreational facilities for sightseeing, picnicking swimming, hiking, biking, boating, fishing, sailing, skiing, windsurfing, and houseboating, a world-class activity, in addition to day-use parks, launching ramps and camping areas.

Privately owned businesses, known as the Lake Lanier Islands, provide recreation attractions and commercial facilities. Lake Lanier become leader in championship golf and popular family activities, with two major resort hotels, 7 sailing clubs and 10 floating marinas. However, Lake Sidney Lanier became popular worldwide in 1996.

After a polemic designation, Atlanta became the host of the Centennial 1996 Summer Olympics, believed it should be held in Athens, Greece. During the XXVI Olympiad, Lake Sidney Lanier became the scenery for the rowing, sprint canoe, and kayak competition, writing another page of its fascinating history.