St. Croix 360

River stories to inspire stewardship.

  • Share News
  • Event Calendar
  • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
  • Support

Postcard from the past: A historic note from the ‘new’ St. Croix Falls dam

Message from 1909 offers a window on a big St. Croix River story more than a century ago.

By Greg Seitz | April 22, 2020 | 3 minute read

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Print
  • More
  • LinkedIn
  • Tumblr
  • Pocket
  • Telegram

The above postcard was mailed in 1909, just two years after construction was completed on the hydropower dam at St. Croix Falls. This unique structure is the only existing dam of any significance on the river, still providing electricity to Xcel Energy customers.

The postcard was sent from a “loving aunt” in Prescott to her “dear niece” in Minneapolis.

I can imagine that people from Prescott, some 50 miles south, and probably even farther away would have made a trip to see the dam back then. (Or perhaps the sender bought it locally.) The project was a significant effort in the early 20th century, and a big story throughout the region.

“Construction involved hundreds of laborers who worked day and night shifts seven days a week,” Xcel says. “For two years, blasting shook buildings and shattered windows in St. Croix Falls and in Taylors Falls, MN just across the river.”

One advertisement for carpenters offered a wage of $3 per day.

It was front page news in 1905 when General Electric struck a $3.5 million deal — more than $90 million in today’s dollars — to build the new power plant, generating about 18 megawatts of electricity. (Today, the dam produces about 25 megawatts.)

Minneapolis Journal, March 27, 1905

“This matter is of great importance to Minneapolis and St. Paul,” reported the Minneapolis Journal. “The power available from St. Anthony Falls has been developed to its limit for several years and is now used to its full capacity. The growth of manufacturing and milling interests has created a demand for power greatly in excess of the energy generated by local water plants. It has therefore been necessary to develop a new source of cheap water power.”

Of course, the construction was dangerous work. Within a matter of months, a worker was severely injured. The next year, at least two deaths at the site were reported.

The dam ultimately inundated about six miles of the St. Croix River upstream, including the cascading falls which give the towns on either side of the river their names. The river used to drop 55 feet over those six miles. I wrote about exploring this stretch of river when the water was drawn down about eight feet in November 2015.

The back of the postcard carries the tight script of an aunt reaching out to her “dear niece,” cramming in every word possible. The correspondence is mostly dedicated to passing along a little news (of a visit and a death) and urging the younger woman to come visit soon. The aunt also asked her niece to send some silk for pillows, if possible.

The one-cent stamp used to send the postcard featured Ben Franklin.

Related articles:

Comments

  1. Mark Hove says

    April 24, 2020 at 7:26 pm

    Neat!

Follow

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Features

River Ramblers: Join St. Croix 360 on a guided paddle this summer

Coalition working to permanently protect former Wilder Forest and nearby lands and waters

Back on the water: Encounters with icebergs, beavers, and birds

St. Croix 360 is now 100% supported by readers.

Click here to contribute →

 

Latest News

Afton State Park phenology, week of April 16

Newly crowned Miss Mermaid Wisconsin uses her title to advocate for clean waters

St. Croix River Association announces spring gathering — will include ‘big news’

Wisconsin requests comments on wild rice issues

New no-wake rule will protect Snake River’s shorelines and water

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

About

St. Croix 360 builds support for river stewardship, and connects people and organizations. It is an independent news source produced by Greg Seitz, with past support from the St. Croix River Association.

Donate to St. Croix 360 today »

Story of 360

One of the biggest challenges facing the St. Croix River is harmful blooms of algae in in the lower river, due to excess nutrients in runoff. The goal is to restore the river by reducing phosphorus levels to 360 tons/year. Learn more »

Share Your News

St. Croix 360 is powered by a broad community of St. Croix River-loving people. Please visit our submission page to send tips, press releases, and other news.

Submit an Event

Lower St. Croix: St. Croix 360 partners with online calendar St. Croix Splash.

  • Submit your events to Splash.
  • Share it with St. Croix 360 for promotion.

For events elsewhere in the watershed, contact St. Croix 360 directly.

St. Croix 360 Syndication

To help increase awareness of the St. Croix River, news organizations and other outlets are free to share St. Croix 360 content, as long as you follow a few simple rules.

Republish St. Croix 360 stories »

Partners

  • St. Croix River Association
  • St. Croix Watershed Research Station
  • ArtReach St. Croix
  • You and all St. Croix 360's readers!
Handcrafted in May Township, Minnesota. Please contribute today »
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.