Drive up to La Grande and you can’t miss the Alder Dam, built in the 1940s. But there was another dam before this one — smaller and built in the 1910.
“The water was forced through a pipe bridge that carried the water across the valley and then down four large pipes (5 feet wide) to a powerhouse 410 feet blow.
Inside the powerhouse the four sets of Allis-Chalmers turbines and generators each produced 8,000 horsepower.” (Per Upper Nisqually Valley)
Photos courtesy Rich Williams
Click on photo to Enlarge.
- Transformers inside La Grande Powerhouse
this is so cool
Excellent!
Excellent posting
Pingback: Eatonville to Rainier » Alder Dam Pipes – 1915
Pingback: Eatonville to Rainier » La Grande Dam (ca. 1915)
We moved to Alder in 1952… my Dad was able to get on with the City of TAcoma’s Nisqually project…. his first job was the run the tram. I could get away with saying he was a dam tram man…. closest to swearing allowed in our house.. was able to ride it several times. It was scary and awesome at the same time.
What a “cool” experience to to take the tram. My stomach lurches just thinking about it. Thanks for sharing!