I have passed by this bridge thousands of times and always wondered what the concrete stucture upstream was. Pehaps it was a sawmill or grist mill, nope. A vist to the museum in Ravenna enlightened me. As it turns out this was the site of an early but little remembered hydroelectric dam, as well as a potential leke and resort community. How different this area would be now if the dam had not failed.
Near the turn of the century, the community was beginning to talk of harnessing Crockery Creek to generate power from its waters. After World War I the idea was again pursued. The first stockholders meeting was held in April of 1921. Local stockholders as well as outside interests raised the needed $183,000 for the project. Construction was begun in October, being done by man and beast. Power was being produced by October of 1922. Upon it's completion, Paul Moon was supervisor and Sanford Hunter and Fred DeGrost were the attendant operators. The dam had a 350 horsepower plant and furnished light and power to Ravenna, Conklin, Eastmanville, Marne, Walker Station and Lamont.
Dry conditions persisted for a couple of years, interfering with the operation of the dam, so in June of 1925 the Blackmer Bridge was raised, allowing for a higher head of water. The new backwaters were named Rogers Lake on behalf of Tom F. Rogers, one of the promoters of the project. The lake was nearly four miles long, and plans were being made for developing resort property on the lake. Then the rains came. Heavy rains fell for nearly a week, causing a sudden rise of Crockery Creek. Flood waters were at the danger point, but no one was left in charge when Mr. Moon left on that Saturday morning, November 15, 1925. Little did anyone know that disaster was near. Soon after, water broke through the side of the dam nearest the power house, causing catastrophe. The tremendous surge of water even bent the steel bridge below the dam, causing extensive damage downstream. Although the dam and power plant were not greatly damaged, a decision was made not to make repairs, but instead to obtain services from Consumers Company. They have served a large part of our area since that time, and in January of 1998, changed their name to Consumers Energy.
The dam as it appears today