Snoqualmie Falls Hydroelectric Plant, Power plant in the United States
The Snoqualmie Falls Hydroelectric Plant is a power station in King County that generates electricity using water from Snoqualmie Falls. The facility contains two power buildings: the first was constructed in 1899 deep underground within solid rock and was the first fully subterranean hydroelectric plant in the world, while the second was built in 1910 downstream and expanded later to increase its output.
The plant began producing electricity on July 31, 1899, when an 18-month-old girl named Dorothy Baker activated the switch to transmit power over long distances in the region for the first time. Engineer Charles Baker conceived the facility after seeing the Niagara Falls power station, while his father William T. Baker, a wealthy businessman, financed this ambitious undertaking.
The facility sits just north of Snoqualmie and is easily accessible from nearby roads, with walking trails and viewing platforms around the site. Visitors can explore the area comfortably, with visitor centers and day-use facilities making it easy to access the historic structures and the working power plant.
The 1899 underground facility was a pioneering project as the world's first fully underground hydroelectric plant, built directly within the rock beneath the waterfall. This design innovation protected the machinery from weather exposure and demonstrated early engineering creativity in harnessing natural forces for power generation.
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