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]
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°W |
| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1891 |
| MPS | Iron County MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 83003678[1] |
| Added to NRHP | December 22, 1983 |
History
editThe 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
editThe 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
edit- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- ^ a b c "The Falls". Crystal Falls Electric Department. Archived from the original on May 6, 2011. Retrieved November 23, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Crystal Falls Dam and Power Plant". Michigan State Housing Development Authority: Historic Sites Online. Archived from the original on May 24, 2012. Retrieved November 20, 2010.
- ^ a b c "Power Plant History". Crystal Falls Electric Department. Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved November 23, 2010.
