Riverfront Park-3
by John Kirkland
Title
Riverfront Park-3
Artist
John Kirkland
Medium
Photograph - Digital
Description
Some assorted views from the historical Columbia Hydroelectric plant located at Riverfront Park in Columbia, South Carolina. Well worth the visit!
https://sites.google.com/site/columbiasriverfrontpark/history:
The Columbia Canal at Riverfront Park was built in 1824 by using the labor of Irish immigrants to provide a direct water route between the upstate settlements and the towns on the fall line. It is on the Congaree and Broad Rivers in Columbia, South Carolina. It is the focal point of the Riverfront Park in Columbia. The canal is owned by the City of Columbia and operated to generate hydroelectric power by the Lockhart Power Company.
In 1820, construction started on the canal to navigate the rapids where the Broad River and the Saluda River form the Congaree River. It used a natural ravine that was between the City of Columbia and the Congaree and Broad Rivers. The canal started near the present day Columbia Canal water plant and continued downstream to a terminus in today's Vulcan Quarry, near Granby Park. Mills that used the canal for power include a grist mill run by the State Penitentiary. The foundation of that structure is still visible beside the Jarvis Klapman Bridge. Portions of the 1820s canal can still be seen today at Granby Park and along the powerline corridor at Gist and Senate Streets. The Columbia Canal is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The canal you see today is reffered to as the 1891 Canal. The 1891 Canal was redesigned and reused part of the 1820 Canal. It ended at Gervais Street and extended about three miles north along the Broad River. It included a new diversion dam and entry lock. The dam and lock opened in 1891 and remain in working condition. The Columbia Mill, also called the Columbia Cotton Duck Mill, was built on the east side of the canal at Gervais Street. In 1987 the Columbia Mill was remodeled to become the SC State Museum. The Hydro Plant produced power for the Columbia Mill using hydroelectricity which powered seventeen 65-horsepower motors. The Museum still has one of the motors that was used in the Columbia Mill on display. The Columbia Hydro plant was built on the west side of the canal at Gervais Street. There were two Columbia Hydroelectric plants. The first plant, built in 1894, had two turbines to supply the Columbia Mill. A second hydroelectric plant was constructed 15 yards south of the old plant. You can still see the foundation of the original hydro plant. It was the site of the canal breach during the October 2015 flooding. The City of Columbia and the street railway system also use the Hydro power from the bigger plant. It is still operated by the Lockhart Power Company.
Uploaded
March 6th, 2023
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Viewed 1,559 Times - Last Visitor from Boston, MA on 04/19/2024 at 10:51 PM
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