Access to this collection is generously supported by Arcadia funds. Related to the article, "St. Francis Power Unit Turned On: Electric Plant Destroyed in Match Flood Rebuilt in Just Ninety Days." Los Angeles Times, 15 Jun. 1928: A8. between 1924 and 1926 in St. Francisquito Canyon (near present-day Castaic and Santa Clarita). The dam collapsed on March 12, 1928 at two and a half minutes before midnight. The resulting flood killed more than 600 residents plus an unknown number of itinerant farm workers camped in San Francisquito Canyon, making it the 2nd greatest loss of life in California after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. It is considered the worst American civil engineering failure in the 20th century. View of the reconstruction of Power House 2 in San Francisquito Canyon 1.5 miles downstream from the Saint Francis Dam. The powerhouse had been destroyed by the flood that followed the failure of the dam. The construction scene includes a work shed, piles of stacked lumber, a table saw, wheelbarrow, shovels and workmen. The 2 hydroelectric generators attached to concrete foundations survived the flood and 1 is visible in the background on the right. The power house was rebuilt and in operation by June 15, 1928. Text from negative sleeve: Saint Francis Dam
Type
image
Format
b&w nitrate negative
Identifier
uclamss_1429_1947 ark:/21198/zz002dcv3m
Language
No linguistic content
Subject
Power plants--California--San Francisquito Canyon Saint Francis Dam Failure, Calif., 1928 Flood damage--California--San Francisquito Canyon Hydroelectric generators--California--San Francisquito Canyon
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