Seattle City Light dedicates Diablo Dam, at the time world's highest, on August 27, 1930.

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On August 27, 1930, Seattle City Light dedicates Diablo Dam. Diablo Dam, at 389 feet the world's highest dam at the time, is located in southeast Whatcom County along the Skagit River.

Seattle officials attended a ceremony including speeches from a flag-draped platform. A band played patriotic music.

The dam did not produce electricity until 1936, when the first of two massive 78,000-kilowatt generators was installed.

Sources:
Paul C. Pitzer, Building the Skagit: A Century of Upper Skagit Valley History, 1870-1970 (Portland: The Galley Press, 1988), 54.

By David Wilma, August 27, 2003

Travel through time (chronological order):
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This essay made possible by:
Rivers in Time Project, King County, Seattle City Light, Seattle Public Utilities

Seattle City Light dams along the Skagit River, 1986
Map by Chris Goodman

Diablo Dam, world's highest dam in 1929
Postcard (Photo by Seattle City Light)