The sounds of a busy small city fade quickly as you walk upstream from Spearfish’s
commercial district, through its city park and old federal fish hatchery grounds, and along its creek
toward Spearfish Canyon. Spearfish Creek’s rushing waters drown all competing noise for a
while. Then you become conscious of a constant hum, the spinning of great turbines, and within a couple
minutes that sound overpowers the water’s noise. Slowly, through thick creekside foliage, the shape of a
century-old, poured-concrete industrial building emerges. It’s the source of the hum, and since its
completion in 1912 it’s usually been called simply Hydro No. 1.
Click here to read the full publication (pdf)
A Publication of Spearfish Historic Preservation Commission – visit website
