[Music] Welcome to the Rapids Historical Marker Project presented by the Rapids Historical Commission and CTN Studios. you have accessed the information regarding the historical marker for the Rapids hydroelectric power dam. Construction of the Rapids hydroelectric power dam began in January 1913 by the Northern Mississippi River Power Company. It was built to generate electricity for Enoka and Henipin counties. It took about a year and a half to complete and went into service on August 1st, 1914. The dam itself is made of earth and solid concrete construction resting on steel and wood pilings. In the water, its structure rests on river sand and a hard layer of clay subs soil over bedrock. The total length of the dam from end to end is over 2,000 ft. Over 42,000 cubic yards of concrete was used to make the dam and over 800 freight cars of crushed rock were required. The concrete spillway section was over 1,000 ft long with 28 gates, each 33 ft wide. The dam was 13 ft high above the lowest point of the original bedstream. The million-doll power plant was built on the east side of the river. 50 men were hired to begin the project. 3 months later, a village had developed around the dam site, which included everything from housing areas to a school and hospital. The village here even had its own sewer system. The village built around the dam had all the aspects of big city life. Weddings, births, social events, deaths, crimes, fires, even a 30 branch private telephone exchange. 1,000 men worked around the clock. 75% of them were from Anoka County. Work on the dam was nearly complete by December 1913, and only a few men kept on working through the winter. The city by the river was soon gone as engineers, laborers, carpenters, and machinists departed. The many structures built for the city by the river were sold to WH Lelant of Anoka. Stuart W. Leair was in charge of the construction. Upon completion of the dam, he became superintendent of the plant, a position he held for over 25 years. Electrical demands on the plant grew rapidly as more people moved into the area. By 1966, the plant operation was no longer feasible. At the end of the year, Northern States Power Company officially discontinued operation of the Rapids Hydroelect Electric Dam, and the plant's generating and transmission equipment were removed from the powerhouse. In 1969, the land and dam were transferred to the Henipin County Park Reserve District to be used as a regional park. Today, the Rapids Dam Regional Park offers many year-round recreational and educational opportunities. which attracts people from around the metropolitan area. The walkway over the dam was built in 1977, offering visitors a unique view of the river both up and downstream. A visitor center was built in 1978 and serves as an educational facility for park guests. The Rapids Dam, a place of history and recreational enjoyment for the past 100 years. [Music]