Construction of the Minidoka Dam, Powerhouse & Pumping Station
Room A-7 • 9am
The Minidoka Dam was the first Reclamation Service project in Idaho. Construction began in 1904 and most canals and laterals were completed by 1906. Detailed notes, plans and photographs documented the construction. Minidoka Dam supplies irrigation water to the north and south side of the Snake River. This irrigated farmland brought many of our ancestors to Minidoka and Cassia Counties. Electricity from the powerhouse also benefited residents of the counties and allowed for the first “all electric” high school in the U.S. to be constructed in Rupert. Using original photographs and construction notes participants will gain an appreciation of this major engineering feat.
