Alabama Power celebrated Lay Dam’s 100^th year by welcoming back the families of those who helped build the state’s first large-scale hydroelectric project.

On Saturday, Oct. 18, families of those who lived at the village during Lay Dam’s construction or after the dam went into service in 1914 were treated to tours of the dam and sections of the village that have been preserved by the company.

“These families were central to creating the legacy of Lay Dam – a legacy of providing power to Alabama’s rural landscape by harnessing the low-cost, renewable power of its rivers,” said Jim Heilbron, senior production officer for Alabama Power.

The initial construction at Lay Dam in 1912 sparked six decades of projects, resulting in 14 hydroelectric facilities  on the Coosa, Tallapoosa and Warrior Rivers. These facilities also created reservoirs that have provided recreational and economic opportunities for generations of visitors, lake residents and communities. 

“As the first project of its size in the region, building Lay Dam was a monumental task,” said Bill Tharpe, corporate archivist for Alabama Power. “Before work on the dam could begin, a workers’ village had to be constructed. And by the height of construction, the village was the largest community between Birmingham and Montgomery.”

Lay Dam continues to serve Alabama Power customers, providing clean, cost-effective energy as part of the company’s electric system. Recent turbine upgrades at Lay Dam, completed with support from the U.S. Department of Energy, have helped improve the efficiency of the facility so it can produce even more electricity using the same amount of water.