Muscle Shoals in Colbert County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)
Wilson Dam: Cornerstone of the TVA System
Inscription.
Wilson Dam is the longest-operating hydroelectric facility in the TVA System and certainly one of the most significant. Built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, primarily to supply power for nitrate production during World War I, Wilson Dam became the center of a great national debate over the use of our natural resources, the distribution of electric power and the role of government in the progress of the Tennessee Valley—a debate that ultimately led to the establishment of TVA itself. Today, Wilson Dam is still part of TVAs commitment to using our natural resources to the greatest public good—using water from its reservoir to produce clean hydroelectric power. Its surroundings are home to 10 miles of biking and hiking trails and 25 acres of wild areas, all preserved and maintained by TVA and its partners for your enjoyment.
Welcome to Wilson Dam
Muscle Shoals Reservation
. Parking
. Restroom
. Boat Ramp
. Wilson Lock and Dam
. The Property
Reservation Trail System
Reservation Road Trail
Native Plant Garden Trail
Railroad Bridge Trail
River Heritage Park Trail
Battlement Trail
Low Shore Trial
Old First Quarters Trail
Jogging Trail
South Port Trail
Rockpile Trail
Enegery Trail
Bicycle Trail
Waterfall Trail
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Environment • Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1933.
Location. 34° 47.588′ N, 87° 37.586′ W. Marker is in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, in Colbert County. It can be reached from Reservation Road one mile east of Alabama Route 133, on the left when traveling east. Marker is located at TVA's Visitor Center Kiosk. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Muscle Shoals AL 35661, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in North Alabama and in the Shoals. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Explore the River (a few steps from this marker); Gulls Glorious Gulls (a few steps from this marker); Natural and Cultural Preservation / Protecting Resources (a few steps from this marker); Wilson Dam: Setting the Stage (a few steps from this marker); Building a New Future (a few steps from this marker); Birds of North Alabama (a few steps from this marker); TVA: A History of Progress and Innovation / A Valley of Hardships (a few steps from this marker); TVA Goes to War (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Muscle Shoals.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 9, 2020. It was originally submitted on July 27, 2017, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. This page has been viewed 697 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 27, 2017, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.

