“The Rise and Fall of the Pike River Power Plant”

It’s a favorite stop for families—kids and grandkids love to check if water is roaring over the spillway. Many locals affectionately call it “Root Beer Falls.”

Once the source of Tower’s electricity, the old Pike River power dam and hydroelectric plant on Lake Vermilion now sparks curiosity among visitors and draws the interest of history buffs.

According to Tower-Soudan Historical Society curator Richard Hanson, “Before 1890, Tower’s lighting system was composed of oil lamps hanging over the intersections of each block. The first electric power plant was built in 1890 near the present-day depot. That plant burned wood to create steam power, later converted to coal, but it still couldn’t produce enough electricity for the entire city.”

Then came the support for the hydroelectric project as a movement toward sustainable energy.

To explore this chapter of local history, join us for “The Rise and Fall of the Pike River Power Plant” on Saturday, August 9, at 10:00 a.m. at the Herbert R. Lamppa Civic Center in Tower.

The program will be presented by Tucker Nelson of Virginia, a local history enthusiast, former editor of Hometown Focus, and past museum director for the Virginia Area Historical Society. Tucker will describe early uses of the Pike River, the beginnings of hydroelectric generation in Tower, and how the river eventually became an unreliable source of power.

Admission is $5, which supports videography for the History Talks on Main Street series. These events, sponsored by the Tower-Soudan Historical Society, connect our community with the rich history of the Tower-Soudan-Lake Vermilion area. “Since 1963, the Historical Society has grown to play an important role in our community’s preservation, education, and tourism,” said TSHS President Nancy Larson.

Tucker has a personal connection to Tower. He is the son of Brian Nelson (Tower-Soudan High School Class of 1987) and the grandson of the late James “Jim” Nelson, who operated Nelson’s Hardware in Tower from 1977 to 2002.

“Tower has always been a special place for me,” Tucker said. “I rode over the Pike River countless times when visiting my grandpa’s home on Pike Bay. Researching the dam’s history was fascinating, and I hope others enjoy learning about this short, unique part of Tower’s past.”

Tucker’s three-part series on the Pike River hydroelectric plant appeared in Hometown Focus in April and May 2022. His research into period newspapers offers a glimpse into a time when Tower’s population topped 1,000, Highway 77 didn’t exist, and cows wandered the streets. This brief energy experiment tells a larger story of small-town life and the resourceful ways Iron Range pioneers met the challenges of their day.