History of Croton Dam (Michigan) in Timeline
Croton Dam, located on the Muskegon River in Croton Township, Michigan, is an earth-filled embankment dam and powerplant built in 1907. Constructed by the Grand Rapids - Muskegon Power Company (later Consumers Energy) under William D. Fargo, the dam is 40 feet high and impounds 7.2 billion gallons of water, creating a 1,209-acre reservoir. It can produce 8,850 kilowatts of power at peak outflow. The Croton Dam was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
2 days ago : Evacuation Order Issued: Muskegon River Flooding Threatens Newaygo County Below Croton Dam.
Newaygo County Emergency Services issued evacuation notices for the Muskegon River Floodplain below Croton Dam as river levels rose. Residents prepared for potential flooding.
1900: Early Electric Power Projects
Around 1900, the Foote brothers' early electric power projects focused on street lighting and limited residential and business lighting. These projects were situated near the cities they served due to limitations in long-distance electricity transmission.
1904: Construction Commissioned
In 1904, the Grand Rapids - Muskegon Power Company commissioned the construction of Rogers Dam and Croton Dam on the Muskegon River, as well as Webber Dam on the Grand River.
1906: Rogers Dam Finished
In 1906, Rogers Dam, located upstream of the Croton Dam, was completed first.
1906: Construction Years
The Grand Rapids - Muskegon Power Company built the Croton Hydroelectric Plant between 1906 and 1907.
August 1907: Croton Village Submerged
In August 1907, one-third of the village of Croton was submerged as the impoundment lake behind the Croton Dam began filling.
September 7, 1907: Grand Opening of Croton Dam
On September 7, 1907, the Croton Dam and hydro plant had its grand opening with a tour, dinner and baseball game, drawing city and business officials to the village of Croton.
September 1907: Full Service and International Attention
In September 1907, the Croton Hydroelectric Plant went into full service, attracting international attention. Engineers from various countries toured the plant.
September 1907: Dam Construction
The Croton dam was built between June 25 and September 3, 1907.
1907: Croton Dam Built
In 1907, the Croton Dam was constructed under the direction of William D. Fargo by the Grand Rapids - Muskegon Power Company on the Muskegon River in Croton Township, Michigan.
1908: Steinmetz Visits Transmission Site
In 1908, Dr. Charles Steinmetz from General Electric visited the Croton Dam site and conducted tests on the 100,000-volt high-voltage transmission line.
1909: Line Voltage Increase
In early 1909, the voltage of the Croton Dam's transmission line was increased from 110,000 volts to 115,000 volts.
1915: Death of William A. Foote
In 1915, William A. Foote, one of the Foote brothers instrumental in the development of electric power, passed away.
1915: Expansion of Generating Capacity
In 1915, a significant revamping and expansion of the generating capacity at Croton Dam was carried out, with additional turbines and generators being added. The operating voltage of the original generators was also raised.
1924: Death of James B. Foote
In 1924, James B. Foote, one of the Foote brothers instrumental in the development of electric power, passed away.
1930: Switchyard/Substation Construction
In 1930, the transformers and switching equipment were removed from the generator building, and a separate switchyard/substation went into service to the west of the spillway.
1979: Listed on National Register of Historic Places
In 1979, the Croton Dam was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
September 1986: Threatened by Flood
During the flood of September 1986, the Croton Dam, along with the Hardy Dam, was threatened with failure due to heavy rainfall. It was stated that if Hardy Dam failed, the Croton Dam would have been washed away, submerging communities downstream.
2005: Michigan Historical Marker Replaced
In 2005, the Michigan Historical Marker at the Croton Hydroelectric Plant was replaced with a new one.
2006: Electricity Generation in 2006
In 2006, the Croton Hydroelectric Plant generated 44 million kilowatt hours of electricity, which would satisfy the annual electric consumption of about 6,000 residential customers.
2023: Community Talks
In 2023, Consumers Energy planned to discuss the future of its 13 hydropower dams, including the Croton Dam, in community talks.
2034: Relicensing Through 2034
The Croton Dam has been relicensed by the federal government through 2034, but with required operating changes to reduce harmful effects on the Muskegon River.
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