Crystal Falls Dam and Power Plant
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Crystal Falls Dam and Power Plant | |
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| Location | Paint River off Powerplant Road, Crystal Falls, Michigan |
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| Coordinates | 46°6′22″N 88°20′5″W / 46.10611°N 88.33472°WCoordinates: 46°6′22″N 88°20′5″W / 46.10611°N 88.33472°W |
| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1891 |
| Governing body | City of Crystal Falls |
| MPS | Iron County MRA |
| NRHP Reference # | 83003678[1] |
| Added to NRHP | December 22, 1983 |
The Crystal Falls Dam and Power Plant is a utility located on the Paint River off Powerplant Road, on the north side of Crystal Falls, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.[1]
History
The section of the Paint River where the dam is now located was once a series of falls and rapids that gave Crystal Falls its name.[2] However, in 1891, the village of Crystal Falls constructed the Crystal Falls dam and power plant, effectively submerging the rapids.[2][3] They were leased to C.T. Roberts from 1891 to 1896, after which the village took over management of the plant.[3] In 1902-1903, a new power plant was constructed.[4] The plant was expanded in 1907, and new generators were installed in 1914 and 1924.[4] The plant was expanded several times; however, the output could not keep up with demand, and starting in 1929, Crystal Falls purchased supplemental power from the Wisconsin Energy Corporation.[3]
After 1929, the power plant and dam were upgraded multiple times, including a 1931 installation of a new concrete dam installed containing the rollway and tainter gates and a 1996 resurfacing of the spillway.[4] The Crystal Falls Power Plant is still operational, and is likely the oldest hydro-electric plant still in operation in the Upper Peninsula.[3] It provides roughly 1/3 of the power demanded by the residents of Crystal Falls.[2]
Description
The Crystal Falls Power Plant is a two-story structure measuring approximately thirty feet by sixty feet with a hipped roof.[3] The power plant is constructed of yellow brick with sandstone trim and sits on a concrete foundation.[3] The adjacent concrete dam spanning the Paint River measures approximately seventy-five feet long and fifteen feet high, and has four spillway sections.[3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2009-03-13.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "The Falls". Crystal Falls Electric Department. Retrieved November 23, 2010.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 "Crystal Falls Dam and Power Plant". Michigan State Housing Development Authority: Historic Sites Online. Retrieved November 20, 2010.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Power Plant History". Crystal Falls Electric Department. Retrieved November 23, 2010.
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