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Property Location
| Location (Address) | Main St at Kickapoo River |
|---|---|
| County | Crawford |
| City/Village | Gays Mills |
| Township | |
| Unincorporated community | |
| Town | 10 |
| Range | 4 |
| Direction | W |
| Section | 28 |
| Quarter Section | |
| Quarter Quarter Section |
Property Features
| Year Built | 1925 |
|---|---|
| Additions | |
| Survey Date | 1998,2022,2025 |
| Historic Use | public utility/power plant/sewage/water |
| Architectural Style | Astylistic Utilitarian Building |
| Structural System | |
| Wall Material | Brick |
| Architect | |
| Other Buildings On Site | |
| Demolished | No |
| Demolished Date | |
| Additional Comments | A 'site file' exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Historic Preservation. HOOD AWNINGS COVER TOPS OF WINDOWS. NOW USED AS A PICNIC SHELTER. As of 2017, the middle building of the remaining dam buildings collapsed and the rubble has been removed. This leaves the outer buildings of the dam and the powerhouse intact. 2025: This property consists of a dam, powerhouse, storehouses, and a community park/campground located across two parcels currently known as Robb Park and Campground. The present lowhead dam was constructed in 1940. It spans the Kickapoo River just north of West Main Street. The dam is a reinforced concrete structure that is approximately 148 ft. long and seven ft. tall. At the east end of the dam, adjacent to the powerhouse, is metal Tainter gate with concrete walls. The Interstate Powerhouse was constructed between 1925-1926. It is a one-story, rectangular building with a raised concrete foundation, concrete water table, glazed brick exterior, and flat roof. The façade is symmetrically arranged with four bays on the north and south elevations and two bays on the east and west elevations. The bays are separated by pilasters that extend into the brick parapet surrounding the roof. The parapet is topped by concrete capstones. Each bay contains a full-height, multi-pane metal window covered by a metal awning and topped by a flat, corbelled brick arch. The glazing has been replaced with metal diamond mesh. The entrance is located on the east bay of the east elevation; it contains a set of metal doors topped by a large transom window. The building is accessed by a raised wooden deck located along the east elevation. A concrete catwalk runs along the north and west elevations; it is enclosed with a metal chain-link fence. The interior of the building is empty. It has a concrete floor, painted concrete walls, and exposed metal roof beams. The land surrounding the powerhouse on the east bank of the river consists of Robb Park and Campground, established in 1972. The park consists of a paved, looped driving path in a flat grassy area that extends northwest from West Main Street. There is a simple wood sign near the entrance of the park. Along the path is a circa 1972 concrete block toilet building. It is topped by a front-gabled, asphalt shingle roof with overhanging eaves. Entrances are located on the north and south elevations and there are fenestration openings on the east and west elevations. Further along the path are the RV and tent site hookups and fire pits. Located on the west bank of the river is a circa 1870 storehouse (AHI 243702), once attached to the now-demolished gristmill. In 1924, the Gays Mills flourmill and associated dam were sold to the Interstate Power Company of Dubuque (Interstate). Construction began on the powerhouse in late 1925 and was completed the following year for a cost of $150,000. The original 1880 wood dam was replaced with the present reinforced concrete structure in 1940. The Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL) purchased Interstate and its assets in November 1953. The dam and powerhouse were sold to the village of Gays Mills in 1960 and all the equipment was removed. After that, the powerhouse was briefly used as a park shelter. |
| Bibliographic References | LaCrosse Tribune 4/26/2004. 2025: - "Gays Mills Dam Being Re-built by Interstate," The Kickapoo Scout (newspaper), December 5, 1940, 1. - A.F. Herwig, "Fuller Measure of Service Given During Past Year," Wisconsin State Journal, December 31, 1926, 51. - Marjorie Jurgensen, "Question 'High Risk' Rating of Dam at Gays Mills," The Boscobel Dial (newspaper), November 17, 1977, 1. - "Big '53 Gays Mills Event was W.R. Shepherd Fete," The La Crosse Tribune, January 5, 1954, 8. - "Gays Mills Accepts Power Co.'s Offer of Dam and Site," Grant County Independent, December 22, 1960, 10. - Wednesday Literary Club. Robb Park: A Community Improvement Project of the Wednesday Literary Club. Gays Mills, Wis.: Wednesday Literary Club, 1972. |
National And State Register Of Historic Places Listings
| National/State Register Listing Name | Not Listed |
|---|---|
| National Register Listing Date | |
| State Register Listing Date | |
| Contributing |
Architecture & History Inventory
The Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory (AHI) is a digital source of information on historic buildings, structures, and objects that have been surveyed by the State Historic Preservation Office in Wisconsin. Each property has a digital record providing basic information about the property and images.
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Email UsAttribution
For a credit line: Wisconsin Historical Society, Creator, Title, Unique Identifier.
The Unique Identifier can be found at the top or bottom of the page for each item. The name of a downloaded file is NOT the unique identifier.
For bibliographic citations please consult the UW-Madison Libraries Citation Research Guide to ensure compliance with appropriate style guidelines.
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Some properties have more materials (correspondence, clippings, historical information, etc.) not in the digital record. If a 'Site File' exists, it's noted in the 'Additional Comments' field. Contact us for an appointment to view these materials.
Property Record
TURTON CREEK AT MILL ROAD
230535
Located in Arcadia, Trempealeau County
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