Where Is This And What's It's Story?

[Willis]

Just tootlin' around the county and came across this interesting structure. Where did I find it and what the heck was its purpose? Boyoboy, the water was beautiful today!

click the picks for larger views

[Tony]

For extra credit, I think this is a repost. But darned if I'm going to try to find it!

[STR1KER]

I know, I know! Dam at HF

[KellyR]

Its the old damn off Bakerton Road above Harpers Ferry on the Potomac.

[Willis]

Str1ker and KellyR are right. The structure is on what I used to call "Potomac Street Extended" which is now gated by the NHP but at one time led from lower Harpers Ferry to the Bakerton Underpass along the river. A sign warns that it's a water intake. Since Bolivar/Harpers Ferry now derives drinking water from Elks Run, am I to assume that this intake was used in years past? While the concrete and other materials seem relatively recent, stonework looks as tho it's from the antebellum era. Was this also originally part of the canal system at the armory as seen below?

[Tony]

Str1ker and KellyR are right. ... A sign warns that it's a water intake.

Oh. Which of them said it was a water intake?

[treehugger]

It is a water intake, but not to supply drinking water. I know it was used by the old power plant but I'm not sure it was used when the armory was in operation.

[Willis]

used by the old power plant but I'm not sure it was used when the armory was in operation.

I need to do some homework

[Willis]

I need to do some homework

Ha, partly done. I found some pics
HERE
Including the intake sign

Near which I was standing when I took the photos up thread.

Now the question is what happened and when to spell its doom. The link includes the info:

The Potomac Power Plant was an innovative small hydroelectric facility that operated from 1899 to 1991