Austin Dam, Partially destroyed dam in Keating Township, Pennsylvania.
Austin Dam is a partially destroyed dam in Keating Township, Pennsylvania. The remaining concrete blocks rise from the riverbed and show cracks spreading across the entire surface, while rusted reinforcement bars protrude in several places.
The structure was built in 1909 to supply water to a paper mill and generate electricity. Two years later the construction failed completely during a storm and released a flood wave that devastated downstream communities.
The name recalls the Texas capital, though the structure stands in rural Pennsylvania. Visitors today see the exposed ruins along the river, which remain in memory as a warning of technical failure and are often used by hikers as a reflective stopping point.
Access is via an unpaved path leading down from the roadside that can become slippery in wet weather. Information panels near the ruins explain the construction method and the events surrounding the collapse.
Some concrete sections lie at an angle in the riverbed and form small waterfalls that are a popular spot for cooling off on hot days. Geologists occasionally use the exposed layers for field studies on sediment deposits and erosion patterns.
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