at the sites. ese specialists compile a report using all
the information collected and submit it to the Alabama
Historical Commission, the agency that governs historic
property management plans.
"Even though we looked at them (the dam and village)
separately, they are tied together. e village wouldn't be
there for the dam, and the dam couldn't be built without
the village," Gardner said.
Jordan Dam is undergoing the second phase of
assessment. Utilizing employee and word-of-mouth
connections, Gardner has located about a dozen former
residents of Jordan village. Several former villagers
gathered at the Wetumpka Business Office for a
focus group before heading to the site of their former
childhood homes.
For many of the villagers, it was their first time back to
the dam since childhood.
"It was great to see some of my old friends that I
haven't seen in decades," said Joe McDonald, whose
father, Bross K. McDonald, was a plant operator. "It's
great that you're documenting the history of the Jordan
Dam village."
Gardner hears a lot of similar sentiments.
"In addition to going back to their childhood, it is also
looking back at their parents, and having some pride that
their parent had a job at the dam. Alabama Power was
important," Gardner said. "is is the first time all of this
information has been pulled together … and it's one of
these documents that will last."
Anyone with information, villager contacts or
photographs of any of Alabama Power's hydroelectric
dams or steam plants is encouraged to visit the
company's archives. To share memories or photographs,
contact Erin Harney, eeharney@southernco.com
or 205-257-2095.
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