- City:
- Grafton, WV
- Site Type:
- Infrastructure and Utilities, Dams
- New Deal Agencies:
- Public Works Funding, Public Works Administration (PWA)
- Quality of Information:
- Very Good
- Site Survival:
- Extant
Description
According to the West Virginia Department of Commerce:
“Construction of Tygart Dam started in 1935 and was completed in 1938. It was one of the first Public Works Administration (PWA) projects initiated to reduce unemployment through the construction of massive, labor intensive projects. Veterans, as well as men from Taylor, Barbour, Preston and other surrounding counties, were given employment preference. At its peak in May of 1936, 1,701 men were employed. The pay was set at 45 cents per hour for non-skilled labor and $1.10 for skilled at a maximum of 30 hours a week. Tygart Dam is currently operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The dam overlook area is open to the public from sunrise to sunset and free public tours are available Fridays in June, July & August.”
According to a sign near the dam, Tygart Dam is used for flood control and water conservation.
The area around the dam offers many recreational opportunities—both on the water and at Tygart Lake State Park (see reference list with web links below)
Source notes
(1) West Virginia Department of Commerce, https://www.wvcommerce.org/travel/travelplanner/attraction/Tygart-Dam-Grafton/6598/default.aspx, accessed November 9, 2012.
(2) Information sign near the dam.
(3) U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, https://www.lrp.usace.army.mil/rec/lakes/tygartla.htm, accessed November 9, 2012. (4) Tygart Lake State Park, https://www.tygartlake.com/, accessed November 9, 2012.
(4) National Archives Record Group 69-PWA
Site originally submitted by Brent McKee on November 9, 2012.
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C harles J Marshall
Gabriel Milner
I need some information, please. I am setting up a tour of the Tygart Dam for our Class of 1965 Reunion. The office informed me that Photo IDs were necessary for everyone included in tour. I believe they said that a photo copy of a current drivers license was sufficient but they said copy of the front and the back. Is that correct? Front and backed copied or just the front.
We cannot provide this information. Our site just chronicles the dam’s New Deal provenance.