Nooksack Falls Hydroelectric Power Plant
Nooksack Falls Hydroelectric Power Plant is a power station built in 1906 along the Nooksack River near Glacier in Washington. The facility directs water through metal penstocks to drive a Pelton wheel turbine, which spins a generator to produce electricity for the region.
Built in 1906 by the Bellingham Bay Improvement Company and later acquired by Stone & Webster, the plant supplied electricity to Bellingham over long-distance lines. Major upgrades in 1910 and 1931 improved the turbine and water system, keeping the facility operational for more than a century.
The name comes from the Nooksack River and the waterfall, natural features that shaped the area for generations. The plant reflects how early communities viewed water as a resource to harness for growth and development.
The site is located along Route 542 near Glacier and can be visited on foot, offering views of original machinery and water structures beside the waterfall. The grounds are forested with dense trees, so sturdy footwear helps navigate the terrain.
The original generator from the early 1900s still stands on site, a direct product of Stone & Webster engineering from Massachusetts. Notably, the plant once had a small worker community around it with a school, hotel, and shops, most of which has now disappeared.
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