Marseilles Hydro Plant, historic hydroelectric power station in Marseilles, Illinois, USA
Marseilles Hydro Plant is a neoclassical building along the Illinois River in the town of Marseilles, constructed between 1906 and 1911. The structure is approximately 229 feet long and 40 feet wide with stone walls about 26 feet high that originally housed seven large turbines and generators made by Westinghouse and General Electric.
The facility was created in the early 1900s to meet growing electricity demands in the region and pioneered power supply for Illinois's first electric trains. After decades under Illinois Power Company control, the plant was shut down in 1989 and later listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The name comes from French settlers who established themselves in this area. The building reflects through its plain design the practicality and functional spirit of early industrial times.
The site is easily accessible and you can explore the exterior of the stone building and additional structures like the oil house and foundations of the old steam plant. The riverbank location offers a pleasant setting to observe early industrial architecture and understand how flowing water powered electricity generation.
The plant pioneered electricity supply for Illinois's first railroads, demonstrating early hydroelectric possibilities. Three original turbine-generator units from 1912 remain visible inside the building today, serving as reminders of the engineering achievements of this early industrial era.
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