Boardman River Feasibility Study - Historic Survey and Review Of The Boardman River Dams and Power Houses - Draft
Subject
Boardman River DamsAbstract
Commonwealth Cultural Resources Group, Inc. (CCRG) was contracted by Environmental
Consulting & Technology, Inc, (ECT) to undertake the evaluation and documentation of four
dams and their associated power houses on the Boardman River as requested by the Michigan
State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). The dams include the sites at Brown Bridge (1921-
22), Boardman River (1930-31), Sabin (1906-07), and Union Street (1867), all within Grand
Traverse County, Michigan. As a result of archive and literature review and field survey
conducted in March 2008, it is CCRG’s finding that the Boardman River dams and power houses
(Brown Bridge, Boardman River, Sabin, and Union Street) lack the required level of integrity,
design, materials, or association required under the established National Register of Historic
Places (NRHP) Criteria for Evaluation and, therefore, would not be considered eligible for
inclusion on the NRHP.
Description
Sections include: Illustrations, Introduction (Previous Investigations, Methods,) Historic Contexts (The Development of American Hydroelectric Facilities, Development and Early Years of Hydroelectricity on the Boardman River, and The End of the Hydroelectric Era on the Boardman River,) Descriptions and National Register of Historic Places Assessments (Union Street Dam, Boardman River Dam and Power House, Sabin Dam and Power House, and Brown Bridge Dam and Power House,) Conclusions and Recommendations, References, Appendix A SHPO Correspondence Boardman River Crossing Mobility Study (ER-950527,) Appendix B SHPO Correspondence Draft Application for Surrender of Brown Bridge FERC License and Sabin and Boardman FERC Exemptions (ER05-457)