Pickwick Landing Dam, Hydroelectric dam in Hardin County, Tennessee, United States
Pickwick Landing Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Tennessee River in Hardin County, Tennessee. The structure is 113 feet (34 m) high and 7,715 feet (2,352 m) long, with a concrete spillway and a lock system for boats.
Pickwick Landing Dam was built in the 1930s as part of a New Deal initiative to create a continuous navigation channel on the Tennessee River and bring economic development to the area. Construction began in 1935, and the dam was completed in 1938, with dredging work continuing until 1941.
The name comes from a community that once stood near the dam site, which was named after the main character in Charles Dickens's novel The Pickwick Papers. Today, the dam and its lake are part of daily life for people in the region, who use the water for boating, fishing, and power.
The dam is in a rural area, and Tennessee State Route 128 crosses its top, so you can drive or walk across for views of the river and lake. The site is best visited in mild weather, as the concrete offers little shade and the area can be hot in summer.
The dam's original turbines were among the largest propeller-type turbines in the world when installed. Its lock, with a lift of 63 feet (19 m), was also among the highest in the world when it opened in 1938.
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