Ellsworth Power House and Dam
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ellsworth Power House and Dam | |
.jpg) | |
   | |
| Location | Union River, Ellsworth, Maine |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 44°32′39″N 68°25′50″W / 44.54417°N 68.43056°W |
| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1907 |
| Engineer | James L. Leonard |
| Architectural style | Renaissance, Ambursen type |
| NRHP reference No. | 85001262[1] |
| Added to NRHP | June 20, 1985 |
The Ellsworth Power House and Dam is a hydroelectric power generation facility on the Union River in Ellsworth, Maine.[2] The dam, located just north of downtown Ellsworth, is also known as the Union River Dam,[3] and impounds the river to create Leonard Lake,[4] named for project's engineer, James Leonard.[citation needed] The powerhouse is a Renaissance Revival building located at the western end of the dam.[citation needed] The power plant, built in 1907,[3] was one of the first peaking power plants built in the state, and the hollow concrete dam is one of the highest hollow (or Ambursen-type) buttress dams ever built, having been described as "the highest power dam in New England" in 1928.[2][5] The facility was nominated for the National Register of Historic Places in 1985,[2] where it is currently listed.[3]
The Ellsworth Dam is located between two bluffs which flank Maine's Union River, and rise to a height of more than 100 feet (30 m).[2] The dam consists of a series of buttresses, each set on a schist bedrock ledge, three feet thick, and spaced about 15 feet (4.6 m) apart, which provide support for two large slabs of steel-reinforced concrete that span the river between the bluffs.[2][5] The dam is 71 feet (22 m) in height, with a spillway 60 feet (18 m) long.[2] The schist ledge ensures the longevity of the dam.[clarification needed][5]
The power station is located at the base of the dam on the west bank of the river.[2] It is a 1+1⁄2-story structure built out of concrete blocks, with a red tile gabled roof.[2] The Renaissance Revival[citation needed][clarification needed] structure has round-arch windows which are connected by a stone belt course, and there are Palladian windows in the gable ends.[2] An addition on the building's rear was built with similar styling.[2]
The Ellsworth Dam produces 29,907 megawatt-hours per year as of 2012,[4] and is licensed to supply about 30,000 megawatt-hours per year, which is 1% of Maine's hydropower.[3] It is one of the 118 power-generating dams in Maine as of 2016.[3] The flow of water at the Ellsworth Dam is controlled by the Graham Lake Dam, which created Graham Lake.[4]
