With my first weekend in Folsom, I decided to explore the small Sacramento area town. I found one place of interest was the famous Folsom Powerhouse .
The 1895 plant, one of the oldest hydroelectric facilities in the world, was the nation's first power system to provide high-voltage alternating current over long-distance transmission lines for may municipal and industrial uses. Located on the west bank of Lake Natoma at the edge of Old Folsom, the plant generate electricity by falling water and transmitted 22 miles to Sacramento to power the city's streetcars, factories, street lights, etc. The Powerhouse operated until 1952, when the new Folsom Dam was created and the old dam which supplied the Powerhouse was destroyed. The Powerhouse is now a museum.
I arrived during the end of a scheduled tour. Most of the times the musuem is open at 12pm until 4pm on Wednesday to Sunday. There is a self guided tour with signs on various areas of the msuem. The Powerhouse area consist of three areas. The Powerhouse Forebay where water flowed from 2miles of canal. Then the large pipes of the Penstocks drop the water 55feet unto the turbines which spin the shafts of the generators. The generators and control systems are located on a very nice and tall brick building.
It was great to see such old equipment and how they were used. Some of the old generators where made at the General Electric Plant in Schenectady, New York, which was funny as I worked in Albany for years with many former machinist at GE. I walked up to Forebay area with the old wooden Spillway Gate still there. Next to the Powerhouse is a one story wooden building which was the Blacksmith shop and factory.
The Docent talked with me after her schedule tour and explained alot of the history of the Powerhouse. She was very nice and knowledgeable of both the Powerhouse and other historic sites in the Sacramento Area.
Some pictures can be seen below
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=49082&id=1507778102&l=ed15cb1e34
The 1895 plant, one of the oldest hydroelectric facilities in the world, was the nation's first power system to provide high-voltage alternating current over long-distance transmission lines for may municipal and industrial uses. Located on the west bank of Lake Natoma at the edge of Old Folsom, the plant generate electricity by falling water and transmitted 22 miles to Sacramento to power the city's streetcars, factories, street lights, etc. The Powerhouse operated until 1952, when the new Folsom Dam was created and the old dam which supplied the Powerhouse was destroyed. The Powerhouse is now a museum.
I arrived during the end of a scheduled tour. Most of the times the musuem is open at 12pm until 4pm on Wednesday to Sunday. There is a self guided tour with signs on various areas of the msuem. The Powerhouse area consist of three areas. The Powerhouse Forebay where water flowed from 2miles of canal. Then the large pipes of the Penstocks drop the water 55feet unto the turbines which spin the shafts of the generators. The generators and control systems are located on a very nice and tall brick building.
It was great to see such old equipment and how they were used. Some of the old generators where made at the General Electric Plant in Schenectady, New York, which was funny as I worked in Albany for years with many former machinist at GE. I walked up to Forebay area with the old wooden Spillway Gate still there. Next to the Powerhouse is a one story wooden building which was the Blacksmith shop and factory.
The Docent talked with me after her schedule tour and explained alot of the history of the Powerhouse. She was very nice and knowledgeable of both the Powerhouse and other historic sites in the Sacramento Area.
Some pictures can be seen below
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=49082&id=1507778102&l=ed15cb1e34
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