Norris Dam Construction Photograph
A single photograph depicting the Norris Dam during construction. The photograph itself is undated but depicts the dam from East bank during construction, which lasted from October 1933 to July 1936 on the Clinch River in Anderson and Campbell counties in Tennessee. Handwriting on the front uses arrows to identify and describe parts of the construction site. Notes continued on the back include personal impressions of the size of the dam and an overview of how the dam was built. Also mentioned is the lake created and the dam's purpose in generating electricity. The source of the handwritten notes is unknown.
Dates
- circa 1933-1936
Language
This material is written in English.
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Extent
0.1 Linear Feet (1 folder)
Abstract
A single photograph depicting the Norris Dam during construction.
Biographical/Historical Note
Norris Dam was built in the mid-1930s and was the first major project of the Tennessee Valley Authority. The dam was named after Nebraksa Senator George Norris, a strong supporter of TVA. Norris Dam was designed by Roland A. Wank, a Hungarian-American architect. His designs were described as "modern," "logical," and "functional." He was best known for designing dams for the TVA and subsequent projects with New York City's Museum of Modern Art.
The U. S. Congress formed the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in 1933 in order to rectify poor conditions in the Tennessee River Valley, including destructive floods, deforestation, erosion, and periodic unnavigability of the Tennessee River. As an independent agency of the executive department, the TVA is governed by a board of three directors appointed by the President (and subject to Senate approval) who serve for terms of nine years. Among the TVA's various projects are dams (including 26 built by the TVA), electric power, and research into such topics as clean coal, forestry, and wildlife conservation. The TVA is currently headquartered in Knoxville and serves an area of approximately 41,000 square miles.
Repository Details
Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository