SHORELINES

VILLAGERS RECALL MEMORIES OF JORDAN DAM By Erin Harney Step back in time: Alabama Power's early hydroelectric dams – Lay, Mitchell, Martin and Jordan – were so large that for many years they remained the most complex and expensive construction projects in state history. e dams were built in rough and remote areas, being miles from the nearest cities. To maintain the workforce necessary for construction and 24-hour manual operations, the company built temporary villages, with housing, schools and dining halls. Some had amenities like hospitals, commissaries and recreational facilities. In the 1950s, as automobiles became more commonplace, and technology allowed for automation, the need waned for villages at the hydroelectric dams and steam plants. rough the decades that followed, most of the buildings and houses were relocated, refurbished for other uses or torn down. Today, only a handful of the permanent village houses remain, and Alabama Power is working to document the history before it is lost. Under Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) relicensing requirements, the company is completing historical assessments of hydroelectric sites more than 50 years old. Bill Gardner, an engineer in Environmental Affairs, has led the multi-phase assessments that begin with analysis of the significance of each dam and powerhouse. "To do this, we gather internal documents, engineering records from reproduction graphics, and photographs and information from the Corporate Archives," Gardner said. "en, I use historic archival documents and photographs, and interviews and focus groups with former village residents, to learn about the village – the layout, use of the buildings over time, and the social and real-life stories of the people who grew up there." Finally, a cultural resource management firm is hired to perform archaeological and architectural assessments Image courtesy of Gloria Adamson Johnson 10 | 2018 Vol: 4

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