12/10/2023 0 Comments Austin flood mapNote: Austin Dam is accessed via a mile-long roadway that runs parallel to Route 872. Take some time to pay your respects to those who lost their lives in Pennsylvania’s second-worst dam failure and explore the grounds of this unusual ruin. The ruins of Austin Dam are definitely off of the beaten path, but they are impressive ruins that are worth the detour to see if you find yourself traveling Route 6 through Coudersport, Pennsylvania. Looking over the ruins from the park’s overlook. I’ve heard that you can view the ruins of the paper mill along the trails, but was unable to confirm this or get directions myself. In addition to the ruins of the dam, the park also features a nice overlook of the ruins, several miles of hiking trails, Austin Dam camping, and a snack bar and gift shop. In front of the dam is a small memorial to those that died and features the names of those that are known to have passed away in September 1911. It’s hard to imagine that such a tranquil stream could have created such damage a century ago. Below the walls, the peaceful Freeman Run passes harmlessly through the valley and around the dam. Visitors can walk up to and around these large pieces of concrete to get a feel for the size of the lake that once stood behind these walls. Unsurprisingly, the focal point of the park is the ruins of Austin Dam. The Austin Dam Memorial Park Association formed in 1994 to preserve the ruins and create a beautiful park around them. The park is located about 15 minutes south of Route 6 and Coudersport near Austin, PA. Today, the ruins of Austin Dam sit in the middle of Austin Dam Memorial Park, where the Austin Dam Show is held. ![]() ![]() The new mill would burn down in 1933, and the dam would once again fail in 1942, but this time with no loss of life. After failing for a second time, the dam was abandoned. Ultimately, Bayless was held responsible for the disaster and had to pay a large sum of money to the victims. In addition to rebuilding the mill, Bayless also rebuilt the dam. By 1920, Austin’s population had decreased by 50% as residents moved away rather than rebuild. Damage caused by the failure of Austin Dam (Public Domain from The Library of Congress)Īustin and the Bayless Pulp and Paper Mill would rebuild, but things were never the same after the flood. However, once the waters settled, the waters from the burst dam had killed 78 and destroyed the town of Austin and Costello. If it hadn’t been for a young girl who ran through town yelling, “Dam!” the death toll might have been much worse. Austin was home to approximately 3,000 people and was in the direct path of the torrent. The Bayless Pulp and Paper Mill was the first thing to be destroyed, and all of the wood at the mill was picked up and carried along with the raging current as it headed straight for the community of Austin. However, on September 30, the weight of the water was too much for the dam, and it burst, sending all the water that it was holding back hurtling through the valley. In an attempt to maximize the capability of the dam, the mill allowed the dam to fill to capacity in September 1911. Within months of being completed, a visible bowing was noted in the dam and attempts to fix this proved ineffective. Despite being designed to be 30 feet thick, it was only built with a thickness of 20 feet. This dam was 50 feet in height and extended 540 feet across the valley. A small memorial to those who died when the dam failed. However, even this dam wasn’t enough, and they soon constructed a larger, concrete dam. ![]() Needing a more consistent water supply, they built a small earthen dam in 1909 to help supply their mill with water. The company had decided to build a paper mill in the Freeman Run Valley in 1900. Known today as Austin Dam Memorial Park, the park contains the remains of Austin Dam and memorializes the 78 people who died when the dam failed in 1911.Īustin Dam was built by Bayless Pulp and Paper Company. The ruins of Austin Dam sit in a very remote area of southwestern Potter County. When it comes to dam failures in Pennsylvania, the story of the Johnstown Flood is very well known. We will make a small commission from these links if you order something at no additional cost to you. ![]() Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links.
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