Historic American Engineering Record no. WA-24 (Skagit River and Newhalem Creek Hydroelectric Projects) photograph collection, 1920-1989

Overview of the Collection

Title
Historic American Engineering Record no. WA-24 (Skagit River and Newhalem Creek Hydroelectric Projects) photograph collection
Dates
1920-1989 (inclusive)
July 1987 and July 1989 (bulk)
Quantity
3 notebooks containing 276 photographic prints and textual documentation
Collection Number
PH0627
Summary
Photographs and textual documentation concerning the Skagit River and Newhalem Creek Hydroelectric Projects.
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

The collection is open to all users.

Languages
English

Historical BackgroundReturn to Top

The Skagit River Hydroelectric Project in Washington State began in 1918 and ended in 1961 with the completion of the Ross Dam. It includes the Gorge, Diablo, and Ross dams and powerhouses, and is affiliated with the smaller Newhalem Creek Hydroelectric Project, which includes the Newhalem dam and powerhouse. The fifty-year span of the project saw political battles, economic setbacks, and innovations both structural and ideological.

In 1917, with the city of Seattle suffering through an electricity shortage, Seattle City Light (then known as the Seattle Department of Lighting) and its superintendent of lighting, James Delmage (J.D.) Ross, decided on the Skagit River as a potential site for development. After several months of negotiation with the National Forest Service, City Light was able to apply for a permit from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop the Skagit for hydroelectric power.

The original plan included just one dam and powerhouse, to be built at Ruby Creek. This site was considered optimal because it offered the possibility of a large storage reservoir. However, circumstances were such that two more dams would need to be built before construction could begin on the Ruby Creek facility. Beginning in 1920, City Light constructed a small plant on Newhalem Creek. The main purpose of the plant would be to supply power for the building of subsequent facilities. City Light also built a 26-mile railroad to facilitate travel between Rockport and the site of the next step in the project, the Gorge powerhouse. Although the unusual design of the Gorge plant caused a few problems initially, it was up and running by 1925.

Although J.D. Ross and Seattle City Light considered the Ruby Dam to be the most important dam on the Skagit, yet another dam would have to be built first. The Ruby site reservoir had to be cleared of timber, and the best way to do this was to build the Diablo Dam and powerhouse. The dam would facilitate water transport of logs, while the plant would supply power for the project. Lars Jorgenson and his consulting firm, the Constant Angle Arch Dam Company, were selected to design the Diablo Dam.

Unfortunately, setbacks occurred at almost every corner. Seattle City Light had long been embroiled in a rivalry with the investor-owned Puget Sound Power and Light. A mysterious telegram sent to the local engineer of the Federal Power Commission insisted that the constant-angle arch dam design planned for Diablo was unsafe. The message was suspected to be part of a campaign of "sabotage" coming from Puget Sound Power and Light. Nor could Ross always hope for support from the city.

The tricky geographical layout of Diablo Canyon necessitated some innovative thinking upon the part of the builders, but after two years of construction, Diablo Dam was dedicated in August of 1930. The design of the powerhouse, however, was the subject of yet another battle, this one between J.D. Ross and city engineer Reginald Thomson. Although Ross prevailed, the project ran out of money shortly thereafter, and construction stopped for nearly four years. Diablo finally came online in September of 1936.

Once the Newhalem, Gorge, and Diablo dams and powerhouses were completed, City Light could finally begin work on the Ruby Dam. With its large reservoir, the dam would be able to help with flood control on the lower Skagit. The first two phases of the dam construction were completed by 1949, and the third phase was to begin when the city's power needs demanded. Thirty years later, however, when greater power became necessary, City Light decided instead to purchase power from British Columbia. Thus, the Ruby Dam -- renamed the Ross Dam after the superintendent's 1939 death -- remains unfinished.

The towns of Newhalem and Diablo grew out of the accomodations built for project workers and their families. Newhalem, originally called City Camp, included bunkhouses, a commissary, and even a small theater hall for community events. In the early 1920s, a set of houses was built for project personnel. This neighborhood was known as Silk Stocking Row. Newhalem soon became a popular tourist destination, where visitors could take two-day tours to the Diablo and Ruby sites. J.D. Ross felt it was important to make improvements to the small town, which he hoped one day would be a tourist resort, and enlisted the support of the women of Newhalem in beautifying houses and adding flowers and trees. In 1929, Ross built the Ladder Creek Falls Arboretum. Its son-et-lumiere show told the history of the Skagit project in words and images. The tourist trade continued briskly until the war began in 1941; the Skagit project area was then designated as a "vital wartime industry" and closed to the public.

The town of Diablo, a few miles upstream from Newhalem, came into being as another construction camp in the late 1920s. Ross' plan for Diablo was to make it a Newhalem-like tourist attraction -- he even opened a zoo (featuring animals not native to the Pacific Northwest) and hoped to create a large park to show off the zoo and landscaped gardens. Few of Ross' imagined attractions would become reality at Diablo.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The collection consists of three notebooks containing modern and historic photographs, as well as textual documentation, of the Skagit River and Newhalem Creek Hydroelectric Projects. Modern photographs were made by Jet Lowe (for the Historic American Engineering Record) and Gretchen Luxenberg and Patricia Erigero (for the Skagit River and Newhalem Creek Hydroelectric Project's nomination to the National Register of Historic Places). Historic photographs are copy prints made from negatives belonging to Seattle City Light.

The first part of the collection includes documentation of the architectural survey for structures (residential, commercial, office, and ecclesiastical) located in and around the communities of Newhalem and Diablo. A PNRO inventory form (with a photocopied image of the building) is included for each structure.

The second part of the collection is an engineering survey, documented by photographs made by Jet Lowe to HABS/HAER standards. Pictured are the Newhalem, Gorge, Diablo, and Ross dams and powerhouses, as well as housing and other structures in the towns of Newhalem and Diablo. Reproductions of a set of fifteen measured drawings (made by a team of five architects and based on existing historic drawings from Seattle City Light) are included in this section, as well as an inventory of the historic engineering drawings. Also included is a copy of the Historic American Engineering Record written history for the projects.

The third part of the collection consists of historic and modern photographs of properties in Newhalem and Diablo; these are divided into contributing resources and non-contributing resources, and were gathered for the purpose of nominating the district for the National Register of Historic Places. Also included are a copy of the nomination form, maps, and a bibliography.

Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top

Original negatives of the copy prints listed in the Historic Photographs section of the collection inventory (items 157-231) of this finding aid are located at the Seattle Municipal Archives. Please contact the Seattle Municipal Archives for reproductions.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Alternative Forms Available

View selections from the collection in digital format.

Restrictions on Use

HAER No. WA-24 has copyright restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Historic American Engineering Record no. WA-24 (Skagit River and Newhalem Creek Hydroelectric Projects) photograph collection, Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

Seattle City Light, Environmental Affairs Division, September 11, 1991.

Processing Note

Processed by Shannon B. Lynch, 2003.

Related Materials

Photograph Collection 386: Historic American Buildings Survey No. WA-197 (Fox Theatre) Collection); photographs by John Stamets.

Photograph Collection 442: Historic American Buildings Survey No. WA-201 (Longacres Park); photographs by John Stamets.

Photograph Collection 554: Northwest Buildings Survey No. WA-001 (Fred Nelson Barn/Old Riverview Farms Dairy Barn); photographs by John Stamets according to Historic American Buildings Survey standards.

Photograph Collection 618: Medical Arts Building; photographs by John Stamets according to Historic American Buildings Survey standards.

Photograph Collection 623: Historic American Buildings Survey No. WA-213 (Henry Art Gallery); photographs by John Stamets.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Skagit River and Newhalem Creek Hydroelectric Project: HAER photographsReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Skagit River and Newhalem Creek Hydroelectric Projects
item
1
Guest house known as "the Lodge" (WA-24-1)
July 1989
2
Swimming pool enclosed in inflatable structure (WA-24-2)
July 1989
3
Rustic bench at the Ladder Creek Gardens near Gorge Powerhouse at Newhalem (WA-24-3)
July 1989
4
"Old Number Six" steam locomotive (WA-24-4)
Used by Seattle City Light on the railroad from Marblemount to Diablo.
July 1989
5
Pansey house (WA-24-5)
A Newhalem bunkhouse.
July 1989
6
The Newhalem Hotel (WA-24-6)
A Seattle City Light guesthouse.
July 1989
7
Newhalem Public Library (WA-24-7)
July 1989
8 July 1989
9
Skagit General Store (WA-24-9)
July 1989
10
House at 310 Engineers Row (WA-24-10)
July 1989
11a
South facade of operator's cottage on Silk Stocking Row (WA-24-11)
July 1989
11b
North facade of operator's cottage on Silk Stocking Row (WA-24-12)
July 1989
Newhalem Powerhouse and Dam
item
12a
North facade of Newhalem Powerhouse with tailrace in right foreground (WA-24-A-1)
July 1987
12b
Interior of Newhalem Powerhouse, showing generator, exciter, turbine, and Pelton wheels (WA-24-A-2)
July 1987
13
Iinterior view, no. 2 turbine in the Newhalem Powerhouse (WA-24-A-3)
July 1989
14
Detail of Westinghouse AC generator at Newhalem Powerhouse (WA-24-A-4)
July 1989
15 July 1989
16
Detail of intake with no water flowing over dam (WA-24-A-6)
July 1989
17
View downstream from Newhalem Intake with no water being diverted to power tunnel (WA-24-A-7)
July 1989
Gorge Powerhouse
item
18
West facade of Gorge Powerhouse showing pedestrian suspension bridge and Pratt truss vehicle bridge (WA-24-B-1)
July 1987
19
East facade of Gorge Powerhouse showing entrance to visitors' lobby (WA-24-B-2)
July 1989
20
South facade of Gorge Powerhouse (WA-24-B-3)
July 1989
21
View from roof of Gorge Powerhouse showing connections to switchyard on west bank of river and suspension bridge (WA-24-B-4)
July 1989
22 July 1989
23
View from roof of Gorge Powerhouse showing former gravity oil storage building (WA-24-B-6)
July 1989
24 July 1989
25
Interior of Gorge Powerhouse looking south (WA-24-B-8)
July 1989
26
Interior of Gorge Powerhouse looking north (WA-24-B-9)
July 1989
27
Nameplates for Unit 21, Gorge Powerhouse (WA-24-B-10)
July 1989
28
Interior of Gorge Powerhouse from crane level (WA-24-B-11)
July 1989
29
Control room of Gorge Powerhouse (WA-24-B-12)
July 1989
30
7000-volt switch gear cabinets, Gorge Powerhouse (WA-24-B-13)
July 1989
31
Breaker 7 Generator 20 (WA-24-B-14)
July 1989
32
Station service transformer cabinets and switching panel (WA-24-B-15)
July 1989
33
Air circuit breaker (WA-24-B-16)
July 1989
34
Turbine pit, Unit 24 (WA-24-B-17)
July 1989
35
Shear pin, Unit 24 (WA-24-B-18)
July 1989
36
Jacking and breaking station, Unit 24 (WA-24-B-19)
July 1989
37
Manual jacking station, Unit 23 (WA-24-B-20)
July 1989
38
Replacement francis runner for Unit 23 turbine (WA-24-B-21)
July 1989
39 July 1989
40
Turbine pit, Unit 22 (WA-24-B-23)
July 1989
41
Mitsubishi biplane valve, viewed from south (WA-24-B-24)
July 1989
42
North side of Mitsubishi biplane valve (WA-24-B-25)
July 1989
43
Biplane valve control panel (WA-24-B-26)
July 1989
44
Biplane valve tools (WA-24-B-27)
July 1989
45
Gears for oil pump for Unit 24 (WA-24-B-28)
July 1989
Gorge High Dam
item
46
Gorge High Dam (WA-24-C-1)
July 1989
47 July 1989
48
Telephoto view of Gorge High Dam (WA-24-C-3)
July 1989
49
Dam as seen from crest near north end (WA-24-C-4)
July 1989
50
Looking toward intake with water flowing over top of spillgate (WA-24-C-5)
July 1989
51
Spillway as seen from crest of dam (WA-24-C-6)
July 1989
52
Detail of spillway (WA-24-C-7)
July 1989
53 July 1989
54
Headworks and transmission towers as seen from Highway 20, east of dam (WA-24-C-9)
July 1989
55
Transmission lines between Diablo and Gorge; construction detail of tower structure (WA-24-C-10)
July 1989
Diablo Powerhouse
item
56 July 1989
57 July 1989
58 July 1989
59
Anodized aluminum water fountain in visitors' lobby (WA-24-D-4)
July 1989
60
Obsolete switch on display in visitors' gallery (WA-24-D-5)
July 1989
61 July 1989
62
Detail of top of generators as seen from visitors' gallery (WA-24-D-7)
July 1989
63
Detail of generator floor showing butterfly valve control and mosaic tile floor (WA-24-D-8)
July 1989
64 July 1989
65
Units 35 and 36 (WA-24-D-10)
July 1989
66
Generator floor as viewed from south, with Units 35 and 36 in foreground and Unit 31 in background (WA-24-D-11)
July 1989
67
Interior of powerhouse as seen from northeast corner of generator floor (WA-24-D-12)
July 1989
68
Interior of powerhouse as seen from crane rail looking south (WA-24-D-13)
July 1989
69
Interior of powerhouse as seen from west side of generator floor, looking at Unit 31, with relief valve control in foreground (WA-24-D-14)
July 1987
70
Turbine nameplate, Unit 31 (WA-24-D-15)
July 1987
71 July 1989
72
Lower oil room showing brake air tanks and vertical air compressors (WA-24-D-17)
July 1989
73
Lower oil room showing gravity oil pumps powered by Lincoln AC motors on the right and turbine air dry apparatus on the left (WA-24-D-18)
July 1989
74
Lower oil room showing Sharples oil centrifuge and oil tank (WA-24-D-19)
July 1989
75
Lower oil room showing Leroi air compressor and oil and air tanks (WA-24-D-20)
July 1989
76
Trunion for butterfly valve and drain for scroll case, Unit 32 (WA-24-D-21)
July 1989
77
Cooling water pumps (WA-24-D-22)
July 1989
78 July 1989
79
Air compressor for draft tubes (WA-24-D-24)
July 1989
80
Governor oil area, Unit 32 (WA-24-D-25)
July 1989
81 July 1989
82
Upper oil room showing obsolete Westinghouse dielectric oil testing set (WA-24-D-27)
July 1989
83
Detail of Westinghouse oil tester (WA-24-D-28)
July 1989
84
Turbine pit, Unit 35 (WA-24-D-29)
July 1989
85
Oil accumulator and sumps for Units 35 and 36 (WA-24-D-30)
July 1989
86 July 1989
87
Detail control room showing differential overcurrents and tripping relays for house units (WA-24-D-32)
July 1989
88
Voltage regulator for spare exciter (WA-24-D-33)
July 1989
89 July 1989
90
Battery chargers (WA-24-D-35)
July 1989
91
Relay room located directly above control room (WA-24-D-36)
July 1989
92
Old battery room (WA-24-D-37)
July 1989
93
New battery room (WA-24-D-38)
July 1989
94
Gravity lubricating oil tanks (WA-24-D-39)
July 1989
95 July 1989
96
Machine shop as seen from south, looking north (WA-24-D-41)
July 1989
97
Tail race, switchyard, and west facade of powerhouse (WA-24-D-42)
July 1989
Incline Railway
item
98 July 1989
99
Headhouse for Incline Railway, Diablo (WA-24-E-2)
July 1989
100
View from top of Incline Railway, looking down toward community of Diablo (WA-24-E-3)
July 1987
101 July 1989
Diablo Dam
item
102
View of Diablo Dam from northwest side (WA-24-F-1)
July 1987
103
View of Diablo Dam from southwest side (WA-24-F-2)
July 1987
104 July 1989
105
Interior of valve house, showing controls for relief valve (WA-24-F-4)
July 1989
106 July 1989
107
View of crest of dam from north end, looking south (WA-24-F-6)
July 1989
108 July 1989
109
Detail of taintor gates seen from downstream (WA-24-F-8)
July 1989
110
Detail of taintor gates seen from north end of dam (WA-24-F-9)
July 1989
111 July 1989
112
View of dam seen from north shore, showing intake structure (WA-24-F-11)
July 1989
113
Diablo Dam and Seattle City Light boathouse as seen from Ross Resort Boat Landing, north side of Diablo Lake (WA-24-F-12)
July 1989
Ross Powerhouse
item
114 July 1989
115
Transformer deck, tailrace, and boathouse as seen from east end of transformer deck (WA-24-G-2)
July 1989
116 July 1989
117
Interior from top of Unit 43, looking west (WA-24-G-4)
July 1987
118
Interior from top of Unit 43, looking east (WA-24-G-5)
July 1987
119
Control room (WA-24-G-6)
July 1989
120
Detail of control panel for Unit 43 (WA-24-G-7)
July 1989
121
Control room detail showing relay panel for generator Unit 43 (WA-24-G-8)
July 1989
122
Governor gallery as seen from east end looking west (WA-24-G-9)
July 1989
123
Detail of governor gallery showing control panel Unit 42 (WA-24-G-10)
July 1989
124
Unit 41 turbine pit (WA-24-G-11)
July 1989
125
Detail of gauges and pumps in Unit 41 turbine pit (WA-24-G-12)
July 1989
126
Delaval oil purifier and pumps (WA-24-G-13)
July 1989
127
Pipe gallery looking from east to west (WA-24-G-14)
July 1989
128
Worthington air compressors (WA-24-G-15)
July 1989
129
Cylinder heads of Worthington air compressors (WA-24-G-16)
July 1989
130
Butterfly valve controls for Unit 43 (WA-24-G-17)
July 1989
131
Butterfly valve from below, and scroll case drain (WA-24-G-18)
July 1989
132
Interior of scroll case (WA-24-G-19)
July 1987
133 July 1987
134
Interior of a penstock (WA-24-G-21)
July 1987
135
Transformer deck as seen from west end looking east (WA-24-G-22)
July 1989
Ross Dam
item
136 July 1987
137
Wide angle view of dam from close range (WA-24-H-2)
July 1987
138
Relief valve at elevation 1340 open (WA-24-H-3)
July 1989
139
Close-up view of coffered treatment of dam face (WA-24-H-4)
July 1989
140 July 1989

Skagit River and Newhalem Creek Hydroelectric Projects: HAER measured drawingsReturn to Top

The drawings in this collection are reproductions of a set of fifteen drawings made by a team of five architects. These were based on Seattle City Light's historic engineering drawings. Also included is an inventory of the historic drawings.

Container(s) Description Dates
item
141
Skagit power development
An overview of hydroelectric projects and of HAER documentation.
undated
142
Skagit transmission system: Skagit power development to Bothell Substation
undated
143
Skagit power development: overall site plan and site section
undated
144
Newhalem vicinity map
undated
145
Gorge Powerhouse: ground plan
undated
146
Gorge Powerhouse: sections A-A and B-B
undated
147
Gorge Powerhouse: section C-C
undated
148
Gorge High Dam: plan, elevation, and sections
undated
149
Diablo vicinity map and section, including Diablo Dam and Powerhouse
undated
150
Diablo Powerhouse: ground plan
undated
151
Diablo Powerhouse: section A-A
undated
152
Diablo Powerhouse: section B-B
undated
153
Diablo Powerhouse: unit 31
undated
154
Diablo Powerhouse: details
undated
155
Diablo Dam: plan, elevations, and sections
undated
156
Newhalem vicinity map and ground plan of Newhalem Powerhouse
undated

Skagit River and Newhalem Creek Hydroelectric Project: HAER historic photographsReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
item
157
Diablo Dam under construction, showing intake area for relief valves [D(29-12-1)3]
undated
158
Construction scene, Diablo Dam [D(6-28-30)4]
undated
159
Broome gates for Diablo Dam relief valve intake [D(29-3-29)2]
undated
160
Panorama of dam construction [D{29-9-2)3ABC]
undated
161
Upstream of dam during construction with cofferdam in foreground [D(29-10-1)1]
undated
162 May 1935
163
Long shot of crane and trolleys, Diablo Powerhouse [LD-47]
undated
164 October 1, 1935
165
Scroll case with workmen, Diablo Powerhouse [LD-185]
October 1935
166 October 28, 1935
167
Scroll cases and start of forms [LD-275]
undated
168
Butterfly valve for Diablo Powerhouse [LD-303]
undated
169 undated
170
Generator rotor shaft, Diablo Powerhouse [LD-348]
January 18, 1936
171
Generator rotor with part of laminations assembled, Diablo Powerhouse [LD-373]
February 1936
172
Generator rotor and shaft with cribbing, Diablo Powerhouse [D-436]
March 1936
173 April 1936
174 April 1936
175 April 28, 1936
176 May 5, 1936
177
Setting top plate assembly in place, Unit 32, Diablo Powerhouse [LD-485]
May 8, 1936
178
Setting section of generator bed plate in place, Diablo Powerhouse [LD-493]
May 11, 1936
179 May 28, 1936
180
Interior of power tunnel, Diablo Powerhouse [LD-566]
July 1936
181 August 1936
182-184
Working on transmission lines [LT-174, LT-187, LT-196]
undated
185 circa 1930
186 undated
187 May 1935
188
Piece of crane being positioned in Diablo Powerhouse [L-367]
1935
189
Top plate and bearing housing, Diablo Powerhouse [D-314]
January 1936
190 January 12, 1923
191
Scroll case and Johnson valve, Unit 21, Gorge Powerhouse [E-506]
undated
192
Rotor and spider for #21 generator, Gorge Powerhouse [E-616]
1923
193
Speed ring, Unit 22, Gorge Powerhouse [E-664]
1923
194
Generator floor view, Gorge Powerhouse [889]
1924
195 undated
196
Second Gorge Dam [SP-2593-GHD]
undated
197 1938
198 1938
199
General view of construction site just after concrete was poured for Ross Dam [RD-172]
undated
200
View from bridge of concrete form at Joint 17 on Ross Dam [RD-186]
March 1939
201
View of construction camp for Ross Dam [RD-210]
1939
202 June 27, 1939
203
Concrete mixing plant with loading platform for construction of Ross Dam [LT-1072]
undated
204 September 14, 1944
205
Pouring operations at fender wall [SP-1175-RPH]
August 10, 1951
206
Pouring operations, north end of pit [SP-1449-RPH]
October 13, 1951
207 May 3, 1952
208
Maneuvering first beam of 170-ton bridge crane onto rails positioned on superstructure columns at Ross Powerhouse [SP-2502-RPH]
June 28, 1952
209
Welder on assembly of #2 spillway gate on Ross Dam (SP-2701-RPH]
August 11, 1952
210
Wicket gate installation at Ross Powerhouse [SP-3143-RPH]
November 15, 1952
211
Head gate erected and being bolted up within structural steel framework of hoist tower at Ross Dam [SP-3789-RPH]
April 27, 1953

Skagit Hydroelectric Project: historic photographsReturn to Top

National Register of Historic Places photographs.

Negatives for photographs 212-231 are located at the Seattle Municipal Archives Seattle Municipal Archives .

Container(s) Description Dates
item
212
Sketch of Skagit Hydroelectric Project
circa 1930
213
Site of Newhalem after logging began
circa 1919
214
City Camp looking north down Main Street, showing commissary and warehouse at right, office and bunkhouse 23 at left
November 1920
215
City Camp, showing construction camp bunkhouses and lower camp
July 1921
216
Silk Stocking Row cottages with front elevations oriented toward Skagit River
June 1923
217
View of Newhalem among hills
circa 1929
218
Main Street, Newhalem, during a tour
circa1930
219
View of Newhalem with tent cabins; train is visible in foreground
1934
220 1935
221 circa 1933
222
Bench in woods at Ladder Creek Falls
circa 1935
223
Gorge Powerhouse and Howe Truss Bridge across the Skagit River
circa 1929
224
View of housing and Reflector Bar as seen from Incline Railroad
March 1928
225
Reflector Bar with residences in foreground
September 1929
226
Reflector Bar with dam site visible at right
September 1929
227 circa 1934
228
Tourists on train leaving Rockport
circa 1929
229
Tourist train in gorge en route to Newhalem
circa 1929
230
Tourist boat Alice Ross on Lake Diablo
circa 1930
231
Tourist room in construction camp bunkhouse
Possibly the present-day hotel.
1935

Skagit Hydroelectric Project: modern photographsReturn to Top

These photographs for the National Register of Historic Places nomination were made for the National Park Service by Gretchen Luxenberg and Patricia Erigero.

Container(s) Description Dates
item
232
Main Street, Newhalem, showing hotel on right, commissary on left
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
233
View of houses on Silk Stocking Row
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
234
Trees alongside Highway 20, Newhalem
Patricia Erigero (photographer)
Known as "Tree Allee."
July 1989
235
Looking upstream toward town of Diablo, showing Diablo Powerhouse, surge tank, and spillway
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
236
View of Diablo from top of incline
Patricia Erigero (photographer)
July 1989
Contributing resources
Silk Stocking row houses
item
237
House 8, Newhalem (Resource 1)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
238
House 7, Newhalem (Resource 2)
Patricia Erigero (photographer)
July 1989
239
House 6, Newhalem (Resource 3)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
241
House 4, Newhalem (Resource 5)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
242
House 3, Newhalem (Resource 6)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
243
House 2, Newhalem (Resource 7)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
244
House 1, Newhalem (Resource 8)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
item
245
Schoolteacher's house, Newhalem (Resource 9)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
246-247
Garages #1-22, Newhalem (Resource 10)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
248
Hotel (Bunkhouse 23), Newhalem (Resource 11)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
249
Commissary, Newhalem (Resource 12)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
250
Bunkhouse 13 (Pansy House), Newhalem (Resource 13)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
251
New cook's bunkhouse, Newhalem (Resource 14)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
252
Mess Hall (Gorge Inn), Newhalem (Resource 15)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
253
Mess Hall (Gorge Inn), Newhalem (Resource 15)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
254 July 1989
255
Tourist Dormitory 70, Newhalem (Resource 17)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
256
U.S.Geological Survey Stream Gauging Station and cable car, Newhalem (Resource 18)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
257
U.S.Geological Survey Stream Gauging Station and cable car, Newhalem (Resource 18)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
258
Locomotive engine "Old Number Six," on exhibit in Newhalem (Resource 19)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
259 July 1989
260
1935 Gorge Railroad Bridge, leading to Gorge Powerhouse (Resource 28)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
261
Gravity Oil Tank House (Resource 29)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
262
Ladder Creek Falls Gardens bridge and pool (Resource 30)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
263
Ladder Creek Falls Gardens bridge with stone steps in background (Resource 30)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
264
Ladder Creek Falls Gardens pond with fountain (Resource 30)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
265
Bench, Ladder Creek Falls Gardens (Resource 30)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
266
1936 Diablo Powerhouse (Resource 35)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
267
1934 Incline Waiting Station (Resource 36)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
268
Incline Lift with Incline Waiting Station in foreground (Resource 37)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
269 July 1989
270
Diablo Dam overview (Resource 42)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
271
Diablo Dam gates (Resource 42)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
272
Diablo Dam roadway (Resource 42)
Patricia Erigero (photographer)
July 1989
273
Building for historic operating equipment at Newhalem Creek Hydroelectric Plant site (Resource 26)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
274
Pipeline, Newhalem Creek Hydroelectric Plant site (Resource 26)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
275
Tailrace, Newhalem Creek Hydroelectric Plant site (Resource 26)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
276 July 1989
277
Diablo Water Tower (Resource 40)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
278
Path in wooded area, the approach to Ross Crypt (Resource 25)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
279
Ross Crypt, embedded in Ross Mountain (Resource 25)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
Non-Contributing Resources
item
280
Fire Hall, Newhalem (Resource 20)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
281
Visitors' Center, Newhalem (Resource 21)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
282
Currier Hall, Newhalem (Resource 22)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
283
"Gazebo" and parked car, Main Street, Newhalem (Resource 23)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
284
Trail of the Cedars pedestrian bridge, Newhalem (Resource 24)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
285 July 1989
286
Gorge High Dam (Resource 32)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
287
Commissary, Diablo (Resource 38)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
July 1989
288
Communications Building, Diablo (Resource 39)
Gretchen Luxenberg (photographer)
Moved and altered Diablo School.
July 1989
Skagit River Structures of Interest
item
289
Ross Dam
July 1989
290
Ross Dam with view of powerhouse
July 1989
291 July 1989

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Company towns--Skagit River Region (B.C. and Wash.)--Photographs
  • Dams--Skagit River Region (B.C. and Wash.)--Photographs
  • Historic buildings--Skagit River Region (B.C. and Wash.)--Photographs
  • Hydroelectric power plants--Skagit River Region (B.C. and Wash.)--Design and construction--Photographs
  • Hydroelectric power plants--Skagit River Region (B.C. and Wash.)--Photographs
  • Inclined railroads--Washington (State)--Diablo--Photographs
  • Industrial housing--Skagit River Region (B.C. and Wash.)--Photographs
  • Industrial housing--Washington (State)--Newhalem--Photographs
  • Row houses--Washington (State)--Newhalem--Photographs
  • Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)
  • Water-power--Skagit River Region (B.C. and Wash.)--Photographs

Corporate Names

  • Diablo Powerhouse (Wash.)--Photographs
  • Gorge Powerhouse (Wash.)--Photographs
  • Historic American Engineering Record
  • Newhalem Powerhouse (Wash.)--Photographs
  • Ross Powerhouse (Wash.)--Photographs
  • Skagit River Hydroelectric Project--Photographs

Geographical Names

  • Diablo (Wash.)--Photographs
  • Diablo Dam (Wash.)--Design and construction--Photographs
  • Gorge Dam (Wash.)--Photographs
  • Newhalem (Wash.)--Buildings, structures, etc.--Photographs
  • Ross Dam (Wash.)--Photographs
  • Skagit River Region (B.C. and Wash.)--Photographs

Form or Genre Terms

  • Maps
  • Measured drawings
  • Notebooks
  • Photographic prints
  • Reproductions

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Erigero, Patricia (photographer)
    • Lowe, Jet (photographer)
    • Luxenberg, Gretchen A (photographer)
    Corporate Names
    • Historic American Engineering Record (creator)
    • Seattle (Wash.). Dept. of Lighting (creator)
    • Seattle City Light (creator)
    • United States. National Park Service. National Architectural and Engineering Records Division (creator)