Cooke Dam
| Company type | Hydroelectric facility |
|---|---|
| Industry | Energy |
| Founded | 1909 |
| Headquarters | Oscoda , United States |
| Products | Electricity generation |
| Owner | Consumers Power Company |
Cooke Dam is a hydroelectric facility situated on Michigan’s Au Sable River. In 1996, it was officially recognized on the National Register of Historic Places under the name Cooke Hydroelectric Plant.
Background
William Augustine Foote was a pioneering businessman who founded multiple electric utility enterprises throughout Michigan. In 1899, he introduced high-voltage power transmission by establishing a 22,000-volt line connecting Trowbridge Dam to Kalamazoo. Foote further advanced the industry by helping develop the Croton Dam, which transmitted electricity over 40 miles at an unprecedented 110,000 volts. In 1909, he combined his assets and merged with other utility firms to create Consumers Power Company.
Backed financially by Consumers Power, Foote pinpointed three potential hydroelectric locations along the Au Sable River in 1909. The initial site, recommended by banker Andrew Cooke—who played a key role in financing and whose name was later attributed to the dam—commenced construction that same year. By mid-1910, the dam’s foundation was completed.
Electricity production began in December 1911 with an output capacity of 9,000 kilowatts. Its transmission line extended 125 miles to Flint, operating at a then-record voltage of 140,000 volts worldwide. Notable engineering achievements included the use of three-legged towers resembling windmills to support the lines and innovative insulator technology. Cooke Dam was the first among six hydroelectric plants on the Au Sable River developed over a span of twelve years.
Currently, Cooke continues to generate electricity at 46,000 volts using its original machinery. It also forms part of the River Road Scenic Byway and is acknowledged within the National Scenic Byways Program.
Description
The Cooke Hydroelectric Plant consists of multiple structures located along the Au Sable River. The principal dam includes earthen embankments flanking either side of a central spillway. Nearby stand the powerhouse and an outdoor substation. Additional buildings on site comprise an attendant’s residence and a storage shed.[1]
Embankments and Spillway
Together, the two embankments create a V-shaped obstruction across the river’s flow. The northern embankment stretches 572 feet and is reinforced upstream by a concrete wall measuring one foot in thickness; the southern embankment is constructed similarly but extends only 90 feet. The spillway is equipped with three steel Tainter gates designed exclusively for flood management purposes. Under normal conditions, water flows through the adjacent powerhouse.[1]
Powerhouse and Substation
The powerhouse is a red brick structure measuring 116 by 67 feet, topped with a green tile roof. Its main facade features five windows adorned with flat arch brick hoods; one window opening accommodates both personnel and cargo doors.[1]
Inside, the largely open interior includes a basement and mezzanine level, primarily housing generators connected to turbines via an adjoining penstock.[1]
Positioned at one corner is an outdoor substation containing transformers and related equipment mounted on a concrete slab, all secured within a chain-link fence enclosure.[1]
Attendant's House
Constructed around 1909, the attendant’s house is a two-and-a-half-story wood-frame building with a front gable roof designed to accommodate plant operators due to the remote location. At that time, access was limited to an eighteen-mile wagon road or a narrow-gauge logging railroad spanning 160 miles. Architectural details include Classical Revival features such as a pedimented porch and dormer windows; however, original round columns were removed when the porch was enclosed.[1]
Storage Shed
This storage shed is a one-level wooden frame building featuring board-and-batten exterior walls and double cargo doors on its front side. It is believed to have been part of the original construction camp that supported the dam’s building process.
External links
- Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) materials related to Oscoda, Iosco County, MI:
- Dams in Michigan
- Hydroelectric power plants in Michigan
- Buildings and structures in Iosco County, Michigan
- Dams completed in 1911
- Dams on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan
- Energy infrastructure completed in 1911
- Consumers Energy dams
- 1911 establishments in Michigan
- Historic American Engineering Record in Michigan
- Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan
- National Register of Historic Places in Iosco County, Michigan