Genesee River Dams

VINTAGE VIEWS OF ROCHESTER
GENESEE RIVER DAMS

TIMELINE
GENESEE RIVER DAMS POST CARDS

TIMELINE

1817

Johnson and Seymour Dam built to provide water for raceways to power mills on both side of river at present Court St.
.
1827
First dam built at Mt Morris.
.
1833
First Mt Morris Dam washes out. Rebuilt fourteen feet high. Dam has lock 100' long, 18' wide to allow boats and rafts to pass.
.
1888
Chamber of Commerce hire engineers to determine a way to stop severe flooding in the city. They recommend a 114' dam be built at Mount Morris.
.
1895
Legislature passes act to build a 58 foot dam at Mount Morris, with a design that could be expanded to 110 feet. The Governor vetoes the bill.
.
1913
With no action by the state the city decides to protect itself, and builds retaining walls between the Central Ave. Dam and the canal. The depth of the river bed increased by four to seven feet, for a distance of 2,700 feet from the brink of the falls.
.
1916
The worst flood since the great flood of 1865 occurs while the flood prevention project was still under construction. Eight feet of water over Court St. Dam. Retaining walls not completed. Exchange Street was flooded, and the sewers overflowed. An eight foot diameter sewer tunnel, under construction 40 feet below Main Street, was temporarily connected to the Main Street sewer to prevent basements from flooding.
.
1918
State builds the Court Street Dam at the site of the Johnson and Seymour Feeder Dam. Rochester Gas and Electric generates electricity at the west end of the dam. River level is raised to 12 ft. when portion of river was made a part of the new Barge Canal. The rapids at Castletown are submerged.
.
1919
The flood prevention project is finally finished. Delays were caused by World War I.
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GENESEE RIVER DAMS POST CARDS
    Genesee River from Court Street Bridge, Rochester, NY
    Genesee River in angry mood, - near heart of city, Rochester, NY
    View of Genesee River Dam at High Water, Rochester, N.Y.
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