Hydroelectric Power Development North Highlands, Thirty-eighth Street on Chattahoochee River, Columbus, Muscogee County, GA

Significance: This development was the largest in the South when built in 1900. Originally, the dam provided water for 2 power houses: one for hydroelectric power generation, one for hydromechanical power transmitted to the Bibb Mill, situated on the bluff above the dam. The simultaneous use of electrical and mechanical transmission reflects the period's view of electric power simply as a substitute for mechanical transmission when transmitting over distances. These early electricity users did not employ motors to directly power their machinery; their motors turned line shafting inside the mills. The rope drive that transmitted power to the Bibb mill until 1954 is both a curiosity and a tribute to the efficiency of mechanical power transmission. The original power houses produced electricity for Columbus until 1963 when they were replaced by a modern 30,000 Kilowatt hydroelectric plant.

Survey number: HAER GA-26

Building/structure dates: 1902 Initial Construction

Building/structure dates: 1963 Subsequent Work

dams hydroelectric power plants hydraulic engineering floods columbus ga hydroelectric power development highlands hydroelectric power development north highlands thirty eighth thirty eighth street chattahoochee chattahoochee river columbus muscogee muscogee county georgia energy generation george j baldwin b h hardaway john hill historic american engineering record g gunby jordan j b karfunkle barbara a kimmelman william s lee john s lupold david sharpe photo ultra high resolution high resolution power plants united states history hydro electric power dam library of congress

1900

Library of Congress

http://www.loc.gov/

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