1204-10:City Light Newhalem and Diablo Dams Construction Photograph Albums
Record Group: 1200-00
Dates: 1919 – 1936
In 1917, Seattle City Light -- headed by Superintendent James D. Ross -- applied for permission to develop the Skagit River for hydroelectric power. In 1918, City Light received permission from the federal government to construct the Gorge and Newhalem powerhouses; the first task was to construct a 31-mile railroad for the purpose of carrying workers and equipment to the construction sites. Newhalem Dam was the first to be constructed, and Newhalem Powerhouse went live in 1921, supplying power not to Seattle but for the construction effort. Due to the rising cost of the project, the Gorge Dam began as a wooden one, later to be replaced by a concrete structure. Power from the Gorge Dam reached Seattle in September of 1924.nnOver the years, three dams would be constructed along the Skagit River. The first of these, completed in 1930, was Diablo Dam. At 389 feet, it was at the time the tallest dam in the world. In 1937, construction began on Ruby Dam, which was renamed Ross Dam after James D. Ross' death in 1939. This dam was originally intended to be used for storage rather than generation. The reservoir created by Ross Dam eventually flooded into British Columbia. After a series of negotiations, Seattle came to a 1984 agreement with British Columbia that no further construction would occur on Ross Dam; instead, Seattle would purchase power from British Columbia. The Gorge High Dam was completed in 1961. Today, these three dams supply twenty-five percent of Seattle's power, and Skagit Tours, which began as a tourist attraction in the 1920s, continues to be popular.nnThe collection consists of fourteen photograph albums illustrating the planning and construction of Gorge and Diablo Dams and their respective power houses on the Skagit River in the North Cascades. In addition to the dam construction, photos include images of machinery, laborers, engineers, housing for contractors and workers' camps, recreational activities, Skagit Railroad, tourists, nature, and scenic views. Of note are the images detailing construction technology and innovations of the time period such as penstock tunnels, coffer dams, valves, turbines, cement panels, and the incline hoist. nn370 images have been digitized and are available on our digital platform. See the link below in the additional description section.
In 1917, Seattle City Light -- headed by Superintendent James D. Ross -- applied for permission to develop the Skagit River for hydroelectric power. In 1918, City Light received permission from the federal government to construct the Gorge and Newhalem powerhouses; the first task was to construct a 31-mile railroad for the purpose of carrying workers and equipment to the construction sites. Newhalem Dam was the first to be constructed, and Newhalem Powerhouse went live in 1921, supplying power not to Seattle but for the construction effort. Due to the rising cost of the project, the Gorge Dam began as a wooden one, later to be replaced by a concrete structure. Power from the Gorge Dam reached Seattle in September of 1924.nnOver the years, three dams would be constructed along the Skagit River. The first of these, completed in 1930, was Diablo Dam. At 389 feet, it was at the time the tallest dam in the world. In 1937, construction began on Ruby Dam, which was renamed Ross Dam after James D. Ross' death in 1939. This dam was originally intended to be used for storage rather than generation. The reservoir created by Ross Dam eventually flooded into British Columbia. After a series of