Pee Dee River

The Pee Dee River, also called the Great Pee Dee River, is a river in North Carolina and South Carolina. It originates in the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina. Its upper course, above the mouth of the Uwharrie River, is known as the Yadkin River. It has a number of dams for flood control and hydroelectric power. The lower part of the river is named Pee Dee (in colonial times written Pedee). It is named after the Native American Pee Dee people. The Pee Dee region of South Carolina was named after either the tribe or the river. The first Europeans believed to have navigated part of the river was a party sent by Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón in 1521. They named it "River of St. John the Baptist (Rio de San Juan Bautista)."