The Story of Big Creek
The Story of Big Creek

Author: David H. Redinger

Publisher: Pickle Partners Publishing

Published: 2018-12-05

Total Pages: 339

ISBN-13: 178912560X

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Nature never intended Southern California to be anything but desert, so they said. But settlers turned it into farms, factories and living areas for millions of people. The key to that development was 300 miles north, in the High Sierra, where the company that became the Southern California Edison Company undertook the creation of one of the great water power developments in the world. They called it Big Creek. Completed in 1929, this work of engineering art involved six dams, eight tunnels (one 13 miles long), three major artificial lakes and five powerhouses—all created to ensure electric power for a rapidly growing Los Angeles and suburbs. Author David H. Redinger was Resident Engineer for the Big Creek Hydroelectric Project, one of the most extensive in the world. In this fascinating book, he recounts the obstacles encountered in building a railroad in the High Sierra, from carving roads and tunnels through rough terrain, to enduring snowstorms at high altitudes, and generally accomplishing near-miracles with brainpower, mulepower, steampower, and manpower.

Henry E. Huntington and the Creation of Southern California
Henry E. Huntington and the Creation of Southern California

Author: William B. Friedricks

Publisher: Ohio State University Press

Published: 1992

Total Pages: 264

ISBN-13: 0814205534

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Henry E. Huntington, nephew and protégé of Southern Pacific Railroad magnate Collis Huntington, decided to invest his fortune in developing interurban railroads serving the Los Angeles Basin, beginning in 1898 and working through 1920. With enough capital to put railroads where he felt they would work best, he exerted considerable influence on the early growth of Southern California. He also invested in a number of other regional industries, and as an avid collector of rare books and art, he and his second wife Arabella created a notable cultural legacy as well.

Water and Power
Water and Power

Author: William L. Kahrl

Publisher: Univ of California Press

Published: 1982

Total Pages: 605

ISBN-13: 0520050681

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It is not the purpose of this work to propose a specific format for the settlement of the city's current difficulties with the valley, to resolve the environmental questions associated with Los Angeles's proposed groundwater pumping program, or to promote any cause associated with the developing situation in the Owens Valley. But by performing the essential historical task of separating what happened from what did not, and by distinguishing in this way the choices which have been made from those which have yet to be decided, it is my hope that this effort will help to establish that common basis for understanding which is essential for the debate over specific issues to proceed most effectively. This book, then, is scarcely the last word on the Owens Valley conflict: the final chapter, after all, has yet to be written. The story that has emerged here is at once very different and more troubling than the conventional treatments of the conflict as a simplistic political morality play. Any attempt to deal with so controversial a subject, however, is almost certain to spark controversy itself. For that reason, with the exception of a small collection of private letters, this work is constructed entirely from the published documents and other materials available to the general public, anchoring the narrative in sources the reader can consult to trace the line of my argument on any point with which he or she may disagree. In addition, the work as a whole has been reviewed for technical accuracy by officials of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, although the department is in no way responsible for the content of this study or the conclusions drawn from it.

Historic Spots in California
Historic Spots in California

Author: Douglas E. Kyle

Publisher: Stanford University Press

Published: 2002-09-06

Total Pages: 2302

ISBN-13: 0804778175

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The only complete guide to the historical landmarks of California, this standard work has now been thoroughly revised and updated. The edition is enriched by some 200 photographs, most of which were taken by the reviser and all of which are new to this edition. Since the last revision in 1990, enormous changes have taken place within the state: many landscapes and buildings have been greatly altered and some are no longer in existence. Every effort has been made, through personal observation, to record the present condition of the landmarks and to provide clear and accurate descriptions of their locations. The text is written with the idea that the reader might use the book while traveling around the state, and thus mileage and signposts have been given where it was thought helpful. For this new edition, the reviser has added additional information on the state's geography, the presence of Native Americans, and state and local museums. To provide historical background, the reviser has written a short historical overview. The chapters of the book are organized by county, in alphabetical order. A rough chronology is followed for each county, beginning with pertinent facts on geography, continuing with Native American life, the coming of the Spaniards and other Europeans, the American conquest of the 1840s, and, in those areas where it had a major impact, the gold rush. The text then continues into the period of intensive agricultural development, railroads, industrialization, the growth of cities, the effects of World War II, and on into more recent times. The bibliography, like the text, has been updated to 2001 and includes some of the established classics in California history as well as more recent material. Reviews of the Fourth Edition "Prodigious in detail and scope, this is the definitive guide to historical landmarks in California and a valuable resource not only for travelers but also for anyone interested in California history." —California Highways "This is an outstanding and accessible piece of scholarship, one that every student of California will value." —San Francisco Chronicle "Kyle and Stanford University Press are to be lauded for this monumental undertaking." —Southern California Quarterly

The San Joaquin
The San Joaquin

Author: Gene Rose

Publisher: Quill Driver Books

Published: 2000

Total Pages: 182

ISBN-13: 9781884995200

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While nearly all of America's major rivers have been compromised, few have been so misused as the San Joaquin. In its comparatively brief history, it has been dammed, diverted, and depleted beyond comprehension. Here, in colourful and informative prose, veteran author Gene Rose identifies the forces and figures who have shaped, altered, and corrupted this once mighty waterway which some now view as "a river betrayed".

Pastoral and Monumental
Pastoral and Monumental

Author: Donald C. Jackson

Publisher: University of Pittsburgh Press

Published: 2017-03-15

Total Pages: 345

ISBN-13: 0822978598

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In Pastoral and Monumental, Donald C. Jackson chronicles America's longtime fascination with dams as represented on picture postcards from the late nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century. Through over four hundred images, Jackson documents the remarkable transformation of dams and their significance to the environment and culture of America. Initially, dams were portrayed in pastoral settings on postcards that might jokingly proclaim them as "a dam pretty place." But scenes of flood damage, dam collapses, and other disasters also captured people's attention. Later, images of New Deal projects, such as the Hoover Dam, Grand Coulee Dam, and Norris Dam, symbolized America's rise from the Great Depression through monumental public works and technological innovation. Jackson relates the practical applications of dams, describing their use in irrigation, navigation, flood control, hydroelectric power, milling, mining, and manufacturing. He chronicles changing construction techniques, from small timber mill dams to those more massive and more critical to a society dependent on instant access to electricity and potable water. Concurrent to the evolution of dam technology, Jackson recounts the rise of a postcard culture that was fueled by advances in printing, photography, lowered postal rates, and America's fascination with visual imagery. In 1910, almost one billion postcards were mailed through the U.S. Postal Service, and for a period of over fifty years, postcards featuring dams were "all the rage." Whether displaying the charms of an old mill, the aftermath of a devastating flood, or the construction of a colossal gravity dam, these postcards were a testament to how people perceived dams as structures of both beauty and technological power.

Dams
Dams

Author: Donald C. Jackson

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2017-05-15

Total Pages: 644

ISBN-13: 135194651X

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Dams have been used to control water for thousands of years, with the oldest known dam being a small earthen structure in present-day Jordan dating to c.4000 BCE. Since then, cultures throughout the world have practised the art of dam-building and the technology has evolved in myriad ways. The papers selected here examine the key technical issues influencing dam construction from ancient times to the early 20th century. In addition they illustrate why various human societies have built dams and how ’social’ (or seemingly ’non-technical’) factors have influenced the process of dam design. Though hydraulic engineering is the primary focus of the book, it also reveals a keen interest in questions of water resources and environmental history.