Hiawatha in Minneapolis in Hennepin County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Miter Gate Operating Mechanism
Photographed by McGhiever, May 28, 2023
1. Miter Gate Operating Mechanism Marker
The miter gate operating machinery plays a vital role in the movement of goods and people on the river. The combined efforts of the parts you see in front of you control the opening and closing of the miter gates found at both ends of the river lock chamber. Each piece has an important function and all must fit together like a jig-saw puzzle in order for the gates to move smoothly and efficiently.
Prior to rehabilitation, the miter gates were opened and closed manually by the moving of two levers forward and backward. These levers, which were about waist high and stuck out of the lock surface, were located near where the miter gate pivots. The operator could stand in this area and watch the movement of the gates as he worked the levers. They controlled the flow of hydraulic fluid into the gate jack cylinder, moving the rack forward or backward. The movement of the rack rotated the sector gear, resulting in the extension or contraction of the strut arm, thus opening or closing the miter gate.
Rehabilitation brought changes to the operation of the miter gate operating machinery. Now the movement of the gates is controlled
this page online
Erected by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Man-Made Features.
Location. 44° 54.939′ N, 93° 12.134′ W. Marker is in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in Hennepin County. It is in Hiawatha. It can be reached from W. River Parkway, on the left when traveling south. The marker is at Lock and Dam No. 1, at the north end of the eastern lock wall. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5000 W River Parkway, Minneapolis MN 55417, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American Midwest, in the Corn Belt, and in the Great River Road Region. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once Ruperts Land, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least
Photographed by McGhiever, May 28, 2023
2. Miter Gate Operating Mechanism and Marker at the northeast corner of Lock and Dam No. 1
Credits. This page was last revised on August 25, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 25, 2026, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. This page has been viewed 8 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 25, 2026, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
