Pathfinder Dam
by Susan Rissi Tregoning
Title
Pathfinder Dam
Artist
Susan Rissi Tregoning
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Central Wyoming's historic Pathfinder Dam with the snow and ice-covered Pathfinder Reservoir behind it.
Constructed between 1905 and 1909 as part of the North Platte Project, the Pathfinder Dam and Reservoir is situated in a granite canyon on the North Platte River. It is considered a marvel of masonry construction and was a remarkable engineering achievement.
The dam was named after General John Charles Fremont, whose nickname was the Pathfinder of the West, due to his exploration of the area in 1842. Because of its remote location, approximately 45 miles from the nearest railroad at the time it was built, the transportation of cement in barrels by horse-drawn wagons over such a distance was impractical, so stone was quarried from the river’s canyon and used for building the dam. The dam’s facing consists of rocks ranging from 24 inches to 36 inches thick laid in a mortar bed that is 2 inches thick. Between these facings lies a core of irregularly shaped granite blocks weighing up to ten tons each, set in mortar and quarry tailings.
The dam's construction led to Pathfinder Reservoir, a water storage facility used for irrigating 226,000 acres of semi-arid land in Wyoming. Today, it serves as a habitat for diverse fish species, including brown trout, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, ohrid trout, and walleye, making it an ideal location for fishing enthusiasts. The reservoir is annually stocked with rainbow and cutthroat trout.
The dam is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a significant historical and engineering landmark.
Copyright 2024 Susan Rissi Tregoning
Uploaded
February 14th, 2024
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