New River Dam, circa 1955

This image shows a river dam, possibly part of the New River Light and Power Company's hydroelectric plant. The plant was first built in 1915 on the Edminsten Farm by the New River, where a dam was constructed to generate hydropower for Appalachian Training School (1903-1925) and Boone, NC. The plant was manned by three people and had an unstable generator prone to power outages. In 1923, the plant caught fire and was destroyed. It was quickly rebuilt and power was restored by 1924, and a new dam was built farther upstream. The plant ceased generating its own power in the 1970s.

Power Plants

Public Utilities

Appalachian State University

Pritchett Collection, 2003.080, Box 7, Personal Family Photos ? ND, C14.1.5.1.

University Archives, Appalachian State University

JPEG

Photographs

English

Image

New River Light and Power Company (Boone, N.C.)

1950-1959

Series 12 -- Affiliated People, Places, and Events

2057_2003_080_A.jpg

The Appalachian State University Historical Photographs Digitization Project is supported with federal Library Service and Technology Act (LSTA) funds made possible through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources through the North Carolina ECHO, 'Exploring Cultural Heritage Online' Digitization Grant Program.