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The 6-story Spanish Revival-style concrete building was constructed in 1922-1923 over the Great Chazy River 5,000 feet downstream from the Miner dam. It features stucco walls and a red-clay roof with bridges on either side and an adjacent transformer building. At the river level there is the tail race which allows excess waters of the river to flow through the building without causing damage. The main floor houses two 500-hp turbines and one 1,000-hp turbine along with two 300 kw generators and a 600 kw generator. Apartments on the upper three levels housed workers and their families. A 124-foot surge tower controlled the hydraulic head providing a steady flow of water while protecting equipment from water surges. The McGregor Hydroelectric System, along with the LaSell system, brought a combined 46,000 volts to Heart’s Delight Farm and Chazy Rural School. In 1961 the Miner Foundation deeded the powerhouse to the Town of Altona. (Ornament designed from photo courtesy of the Miner Research Institute and history courtesy of Amy Bedard.)
$20.00
