High Falls' Notable Historic Features
High Falls is very well-preserved representation of an early concrete hydroelectric dam and plant. It was built during an era of great expansion and promotion of electric power. It also helped establish Daniel Mead, its engineering lead, as a brilliant engineer.
The High Falls hydro dam and plant are significant historically for several reasons:
- High Falls was one of the earliest successful major hydro projects in Wisconsin in the early 20th Century. Historians refer to this era as "hydro-mania." High Falls was one of 21 notable hydroelectric dams built in the United States before World War I.
- High Falls was instrumental in developing industry and commerce in the city of Green Bay and outlying areas such as De Pere, Kaukauna and Manitowoc.
- High Falls transmitted electricity over the first true long-distance transmission line in northeastern Wisconsin. It served as a core for the modern interconnected electric utility system in Wisconsin.
- While building the High Falls' transmission line, engineers found a solution the problem of grounding during storms. The theory they developed still holds true today.
High Falls Contractors, 1908-1910
| Contractor Name | Repsonsible For: |
|---|---|
| Allis Chalmers | Turbines |
| American Trust & Savings Bank of Chicago | Financing |
| Bates & Rogers of Chicago | Contractors / labor |
| General Electric | Transformers |
| Louis Fabry | Masonry |
| L. E. Myers Co. | Transmission line |
| B. Lyons Co. of De Pere | Penstock construction |
| Mead & Seastone of Madison | Engineering |
| Myers Construction Co. | Steel transmission towers |
| Westinghouse | Switchboards |