Lake Whitney Water Filtration Plant, Lake Whitney Dam, East side of Whitney Avenue near intersection with Armory Street, Hamden, New Haven County, CT

Significance: The site offers an interesting view of water power history and development. A dam existed at a nearby site as early as 1798 and provided water to power a grist mill. The dam has undergone several periods of improvement and modification. Major changes around 1917 lengthened the spillway and adjusted its elevation to 33.0 feet. The modifications increased storage capacity, reduced the height of water going over the dam and reduced upstream flooding. To accomplish these changes within the site constraints required innovative and ingenious engineering solutions.
Survey number: HAER CT-186-C
Building/structure dates: 1859-1861 Initial Construction
Building/structure dates: 1917 Subsequent Work