Potsdam Raquette River Walk - Hydro Site
The Flood of 1871
One Friday afternoon in May, word reached Potsdam that a reservoir dam had broken near Tupper Lake, and Fall Island was evacuated. It took 36 hours for the water to reach Potsdam. On Saturday, the water began to rise rapidly causing the entire sawmill from Hannawa Falls to float into town and lodge against the log booms. Two shops on the northern side of the island washed away, and 40,000 logs owned by Green and Sisson broke from their booms and floated to Norwood.
Hydroelectric Power
The Sugar Island hydroelectric generating station was built in 1922 upstream from Ives Park. The village began producing hydroelectric power at its east dam on Fall Island in 1927, and added a generating station at the west dam in 2010. Today, electricity is generated by 11 dams upstream and six dams downstream from this point, making the Raquette River one of the most productive for its size in the U.S.
Erected by Eagle Scout project by Alexander G. Well 2010.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Disasters • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1871.
Location. 44° 40.056′ N, 74° 59.401′ W. Marker is in Potsdam, New York, in St. Lawrence County. Marker can be
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. James McCormick (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Potsdam Raquette River Walk (about 400 feet away); They Live with Us in Grateful Memory of their Sacrifice (approx. 0.2 miles away); St. Lawrence Academy (approx. ¼ mile away); The Clarkson-Knowles Cottage (approx. 0.3 miles away); Potsdam Fire Department Members Who Served in World War II (approx. 0.4 miles away); Town of Potsdam (approx. 0.4 miles away); Crane Institute (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Potsdam.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 9, 2016. It was originally submitted on September 3, 2016, by Frank Harder Sr. of Dumfries, Virginia. This page has been viewed 406 times since then and 23 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on September 3, 2016, by Frank Harder Sr. of Dumfries, Virginia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
