Homestake Hydroelectric Photograph Collection
Scope and Contents of the Collection
The collection consists of reproduced black-and-white photographs.
Dates
- Creation: 1908 - 1910
Overview of Organization
Homestake Mining Company was founded in 1877. The company owned the Homestake Mine, at Lead, South Dakota, which became the largest gold mine in North America. Hydroelectric plants and a sawmill operated by the company supported mining and milling operations. The mine ceased operations in 2001.
Extent
1 Boxes ; 0.46 cubic feet
Language of Materials
English
Summary
The Homestake Mining Company was in need of a source of electricity for its mining and milling operations to replace steam power. Spearfish Creek was to be the source for generating the power, running through land already owned by the company in Spearfish Canyon. As explained in Powering Homestake by Paul Higbee:
"Water would be diverted from the creek at a point seven miles south of Spearfish, at a spot called Maurice after an old mining camp that once stood there. The elevation drop from the diversion point to the plant was 700 feet. The mine expressed hope that it could capture all creek water at the diversion point."This photograph collection includes images of Spearfish Creek and Spearfish Canyon from 1908-1910, with many images of in-progress construction of the diversion dam, tunnel, and related structures.
Organization of the Collection
By date
Administrative Information
Receipt date and compiler of the collection is unknown.
Subject
- Homestake Mining Company (Organization)
- Title
- Guide to the Homestake Hydroelectric Photograph Collection
- Subtitle
- At the Leland D. Case Library for Western Historical Studies
- Author
- Lori Terrill
- Date
- September 2020
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Leland D. Case Library for Western Historical Studies Repository
Leland D. Case Library for Western Historical Studies
Black Hills State University
1200 University Street, Unit 9676
Spearfish South Dakota 57799-9676 USA
605-642-6361
Lori.Terrill@BHSU.edu