PRAIRIE DU SAC, WISCONSIN

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IMAGES From Nostalgiaville
WISCONSIN- PRAIRIE du SAC, WI- 9/12/07

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PRAIRIE du SAC, WISCONSIN


Farming and...	...Flowers in Prairie du Sac

HISTORY OF PRAIRIE du SAC

The Baraboo Range
The rugged range of hills which can be seen to the north of here is among the oldest visible physical features on the earth. The hard quartzlte rock that form them was deposited as sand in the shallow sea which once covered this region. Although deposited horizontally, the layers were warped until they were tilted fifteen degrees at Devils Lake and vertically at Rock Springs. The gorges which may be seen at these places were eroded by rivers millions of years ago.

The Wisconsin River once flowed through the Devils Lake Gorge. Glaciers brought debris which blocked the river, leaving the lake after melting. Exploration for iron ore began in 1887, and in 1900 ore was found and mining operations started. By 1925 the cost of mining had become too high to compete with other sources, and mining in the district ceased after producing 643 tons of ore.

The Prairie du Sac Hydroelectric Plant
Electricity, although on a small scale, was first generated by waterpower in the United States in 1861. That event happened on the Fox River, in Appleton, Wisconsin. The first large-scale production of electricity in the country occurred in 1896, when a power plant was constructed at Niagara Falls. The Wisconsin Legislature subsequently helped in 1905 to promote hydroelectric power by commissioning a study of potential waterpower sites around the state. On location thus identified was on the Wisconsin River, adjacent to Prairie du Sac. The site provided good water flow, as well as the ability to impound a large head of water, both factors when considering where to build a hydroelectric facility. Planning for the plant started in 1907. Construction followed in 1911.

Prior to erecting the new plant, a coffer dam had to be built across the river in order to "dewater" the construction site. Thereafter work began on the plant's dam and powerhouse.

Work on the facility progressed over four years. The most imposing component of the development was the power generation building which was constructed in the Neoclassical style, an architectural manner popularized at Chicago's 1893 Columbian Exposition. The Neoclassical style emphasized symmetry, multiple-pane windows, ornate cornices and was frequently executed in brick, all components reflected in the Prairie du Sac powerhouse.

The structure rises from a foundation built on hundreds of 25 foot timber piles driven into the sandy riverbed. The substructure and first floor of the building are erected of reinforced concrete. The former was designed by Daniel W Mead, an important hydrological engineer on the faculty of the University of Wisconsin in Madison during the early years of the twentieth century. Mead's expertise was required due to the challenges presented by the sandy character of the construction site. The upper portion of the building was executed in brick.

The power plant was completed in 1915, although it had been generating electricity since 1914 for use in south central Wisconsin. A prominent, yet little-used, component of the complex was the lock that was intended to pass river traffic the approximately 34 feet between up and down river water levels. The Prairie du Sac power plant became a vital link in the region's power generation system. It continues today to harness the energy of the Wisconsin River.

Electricity at the Prairie du Sac plant is generated as water moving down stream is impounded by the dam adjoining the powerhouse. The water enters the facility on the upstream side and passes into the turbine room. The only place for escape from the turbine room is in the floor. The water must pass through the turbine, which turns a shaft, as it seeks that avenue of escape. The turning shaft then extends into a room where it is connected to, as well as turns, a generator. It is the turning of the shaft in the generator that creates electricity.

Pictured are the Allis Chalmers Company generators that were installed in the Prairie du Sac Plant when it was constructed and the powerhouse switchboard, which helped to control the distribution of electricity.