Hiestand Saw Mill and Dam

Hiestand Saw Mill and Dam. . , From the colonial times through the early 1900s, water-powered mills were a backbone of industry in the United States. The lower Susquehanna Valley was a popular location for the construction of saw mills. Large timber rafts were floated downriver from the woodlands to the north. These rafts transported cargo along the river, but the rafts were also a commodity. Made of white pine timbers, sometimes 200 feet in length, the rafts could be disassembled for building the masts of large sailing ships in Philadelphia and Baltimore., Just upstream from the pedestrian bridge you can see the remnants of a dam that once served one of these saw mills. The B. F. Hiestand and Sons Lumber Company operated mills in the Marietta from the mid-1800s until their business closed in 1942. The concrete dam, whose remnants you now see, was built in 1902 and most likely replaced a wooden dam built in the same location. The dam was used to divert water from the Chiques Creek into a tailrace to turn the mill's water wheel, which in turn powered the large saw needed to cut the massive timbers. The tailrace can still be seen under the northern end of the bridge and indicates that the mill was located in close proximity to where this panel is today., Having been unused for more than 70 years and after an extensive study, the Hiestand Saw Mill Dam was ranked in the top 5% of dams prioritized for removal in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. In 2015, the dam was removed through a cooperative effort of American Rivers, Columbia Water Company and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. Removal of the dam reconnects more than 13 miles of streams from migratory fish , including American Shad and American Eel , as well as resident species like Smallmouth Bass. In addition, dismantling of the dam restores a free-flowing river, improves habitat conditions, and encourages the natural movement and processing of sediment and nutrients. Finally, additional recreational opportunities such as kayaking and tubing are now available on the Chiques Creek and a public safety hazard has been eliminated with the removal of the dam.