National Register Record for PENSACOLA DAM

Historic Name: PENSACOLA DAM
Current Name: GRAND RIVER DAM
Address: STATE HIGHWAY 28 OVER GRAND RIVER, 1/2 MILE EAST OF INTERSECTION WITH STATE HIGHWAY 82
City: LANGLEY VICINITY            County: MAYES
Section: None           Township: None           Range: None          
Description of significance: THE PENSACOLA DAM NEAR LANGLEY WAS THE FIRST HYDROELECTRIC FACILITY IN OKLAHOMA AND IS ALSO THE ONLY EXAMPLE OF A MULTIPLE-ARCH DAM IN THE STATE. IT IS ACCLAIMED TO BE THE LONGEST MULTI-ARCHED DAM IN THE WORLD. THREE BUILDINGS - A POWERHOUSE, A SUBSTATION, AND AN OBSERVATION HOUSE - AND FOUR STRUCTURES - THE MULTI-ARCHED DAM, TWO SPILLWAYS, AND A PUMPING/INTAKE STRUCTURE - COMPOSE THE DISTRICT. LOCATED ON GRAND RIVER, THE DAM CONSISTS OF FIFTY-ONE ARCH BARRELS SPANNING 4,284 FEET. THE DAM IS REINFORCED CONCRETE. JOHN DUNCAN FORSYTHE DESIGNED THE MODERN STYLED POWERHOUSE, A FIVE-STORY CONCRETE-WALLED BUILDING. THE POWERHOUSE IS 279 FEET LONG, 72 FEET WIDE, AND 80 FEET HIGH. THE LISTED IN NATIONAL REGISTER 9/2/2003.

Type: DISTRICT
Historic Function: INDUSTRY/PROCESSING/EXTRACTION: ENERGY FACILITY
Current Function: INDUSTRY/PROCESSING/EXTRACTION: ENERGY FACILITY
Area of Significance 1: ENGINEERING
Area of Significance 2: None
Architectural Style: OTHER: MULTIPLE ARCH DAMMODERN MOVEMENT: MODERNE
Architect: FORSYTHE, JOHN DUNCAN - ARCHITECT; HOLWAY, W.R. - CONTRACTOR
Year Built: 1938            Original Site: YES
Condition: GOOD
Restricted: N
Documentation Source: None
Date Prepared: JUNE 2003