Thirty years ago today, the controversial Tellico Dam in Loudon County opened its gates on the Little Tennessee River.

The rush of water flooded 17,000 acres of land, 600 of which belonged to Bart Iddins.

"This is our old farmhouse," Iddins said, pointing to an old newspaper article detailing his family's plight. "My initial reaction was, 'How are we going to fight this thing?' We were milking at the time 180 cows. We were real disappointed that we were going to lose the farm."

For TVA, the dam, and the lake it would create, was less about electricity or flood control and more about bringing jobs and money to the area.

TVA offered to buy the land from residents, but those residents say the "offer" was far from a choice. Many recount they had no option but to move.

"When we realized it was not a debatable issue, that it was going to be built, there wasn't any use being mad at it then. Just as well accept the inevitable and make the best of it," Iddins said.

However, many of those residents didn't share Iddins' attitude. Several refused to leave and held out in their homes until U.S. Marshal officers escorted them off their property.

"It was not as traumatic for us to see it go underwater as it was for these folks born and raised here," Iddins said.

Iddins' current house sits on the old property. His family was allowed to keep 150 acres. TVA paid him $400 an acre for the rest.

Almost every day, he drives by a reflection of his past in the Tellico Lake where his farm's corn silos still stand, surrounded by water at their base.

"I guess where we were farming is now about 30 feet deep in water," Iddins said.

Thirty years later, Iddins points to the economic boost proponents forecasted, and the expensive homes that line the Tellico Lake shore where smaller, farm houses once stood.

"It has turned out to be a good thing for East Tennessee. The other good part is I don't have to worry about who's milking the cows tonight," he said.