The Medina Dam is a hollow-masonry type dam built in 1911 and 1912 by the Medina Irrigation Company in what became Mico, Texas, USA. Medina Lake extends north of it in northeastern Medina County and southeastern Bandera County. The dam and irrigation project was designed and financed by Dr. Frederick Stark Pearson, an American engineer, with extensive British financial backing. The construction took over 1500 men two years to build while working 24 hours a day. They were mostly skilled Mexican workers with experience building other dams for Pearson. They received two dollars for a day's work, which were good wages for the time.[2][3] Pearson's Medina Irrigation Company (MICO) built a camp to house the workers and their families; the company town was first called MICO after its acronym. The community is now known as Mico, Texas.
When the dam was completed in 1913, it was the largest hydraulic engineering project west of the Mississippi River and the fourth-largest dam in the US.[4] It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its significance as an infrastructure project and its contributions to economic development of the county. Author of Ripples from Medina Lake, Rev. Cyril M. Kuehne claims a total of 70 lives were taken during the dam's construction, however, he only managed to locate 27 death certificates. Dr. Oscar B. Taylor, dentist of near-by settlement Hondo, Texas, was quoted by Kuehne as saying "sixty-six [unmarked] graves" were counted at a cemetery 3 miles away.[5]
The dam contains over 292,000 cubic yards (223,000 m³) of concrete and measures 164 feet high by 128 feet (39 m) wide at the base by 1,580 feet (482 m) long. It is 25 feet (8 m) wide at the top, which is 1076.2 feet (328 m) above sea level, and the spillway is 1,064.2 feet (324 m) above sea level.[6] The dam provides irrigation to over 34,000 acres (138 km²) to Blackland Prairie farmlands below the Balcones Escarpment around Castroville, Texas, and also supplies water to the Medina River Ultrafiltration Water Treatment Plant owned and operated by the San Antonio Water System.[7]
Medina Dam was once a publicly accessible, one-lane roadway that connected to County Road 260. In 1980, vehicle traffic was closed and rerouted to a new road known as County Road 264; although temporary use of the dam as a road continued in 1990.[9]
Located on the dam are three state-placed historical markers. These markers are currently inaccessible to the public after foot traffic was disallowed following the September 11 attacks in response to terrorism concerns. [10]
1936 Mountain Valley markeredit
The earliest of the three markers is a 1936 state marker that acknowledges the previous Mormon settlement, Mountain Valley that was built in 1854 and was destroyed in 1913 during construction of the dam.[11] The Mormon settlement Mountain Valley is now located underneath Medina Lake.[9]
"Established in 1854 by 16 families of Mormons under the leadership of Lyman Wight (1796-1858). They abandoned their homes and mills in 1858 as the result of Indian depredations. Their lands are now beneath the waters of Medina Lake. Erected by the State of Texas - 1936."[12]
1978 Texas Historical Commission Markeredit
The next is a marker placed in 1978 by the Texas Historical Commission that designated the dam as a state historical landmark.[13]
"Henri Castro, who colonized this area in the 1840s, envisioned irrigated farms along the Medina River. The project was delayed, however, until after the turn of the century, when Dr. Fred Stark Pearson, an internationally known engineer, persuaded British investors to finance construction of a dam at this site. Completed in 1912, Medina Dam was hailed as the largest in Texas and the fourth largest in the United States. Limestone boulders from a nearby quarry added bulk to the massive concrete structure. Four miles downstream, a small diversion dam conducted water into a system of irrigation canals. Gravitational force delivered the water to fields. The outbreak of World War I (1914) disrupted ties with British investors. Seeking new capital, Dr. Pearson and his wife left for England in 1915 on the "Lusitania" and were killed when a German submarine torpedoed the ship. The irrigation network created by Medina Dam brought new prosperity to this region. Vegetables raised in irrigated fields became a valuable crop. Water and electricity were made available to rural residents. In 1925 voters established the Bexar-Medine-Atascosa Counties Water Improvement District No. 1 to manage the project. 1978."[14]
1991 Texas Historic Civil Engineering Markeredit
Placed in 1991, a marker declared the dam a Texas Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.[9]
Reopening of the Damedit
The Medina Lake Preservation Society is undertaking efforts to get the dam reopened to the public, or to at least have the historical markers moved so people can see them.[15]
^"About the USA". usa.usembassy.de. Retrieved 2019-03-25.
^Using average annual wage from a 1910 census, $574, and dividing by 365 days (a year) gives us an average daily wage of $1.57. $2/day is 127% of the average daily wage
^Ruben E. Ochoa, "Medina County", Handbook of Texas Online, accessed 3 Aug 2010
^. Archived from the original on 2019-03-24. Retrieved 2019-03-24.
^"USGS 08179500 Medina Lk nr San Antonio, TX". United States Geological Survey. 25 October 2016.
^. San Antonio Water System. Archived from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
^ abcMacCormack, Zeke (February 9, 2014). "Medina Lake fans want landmark dam reopened to pedestrians". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
^MacCormack, Zeke (2014-02-10). "Medina Lake fans want landmark dam reopened to pedestrians". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
^OCHOA, RUBEN E. (2010-06-15). "MOUNTAIN VALLEY, TX". tshaonline.org. Retrieved 2019-03-24.
^"Details - Mountain Valley - Atlas Number 5325003505 - Atlas: Texas Historical Commission". atlas.thc.state.tx.us. Retrieved 2019-03-24.
^"Medina Dam – Mico, Texas - Water Dams on Waymarking.com". www.waymarking.com. Retrieved 2019-03-24.
^"Details - Medina Dam - Atlas Number 5325003314 - Atlas: Texas Historical Commission". atlas.thc.state.tx.us. Retrieved 2019-03-24.
^. Archived from the original on 2019-03-24. Retrieved 2019-03-25.
Further readingedit
Cyril Matthew Kuehne, S.M., Ripples from Medina Lake, San Antonio, TX: Naylor, 1966.
Huffstutler Norton, Rebecca and Karen Downing Ripley, Images of America: Medina Lake, Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2012. ISBN978-0-7385-8547-5
medina, hollow, masonry, type, built, 1911, 1912, medina, irrigation, company, what, became, mico, texas, medina, lake, extends, north, northeastern, medina, county, southeastern, bandera, county, irrigation, project, designed, financed, frederick, stark, pear. The Medina Dam is a hollow masonry type dam built in 1911 and 1912 by the Medina Irrigation Company in what became Mico Texas USA Medina Lake extends north of it in northeastern Medina County and southeastern Bandera County The dam and irrigation project was designed and financed by Dr Frederick Stark Pearson an American engineer with extensive British financial backing The construction took over 1500 men two years to build while working 24 hours a day They were mostly skilled Mexican workers with experience building other dams for Pearson They received two dollars for a day s work which were good wages for the time 2 3 Pearson s Medina Irrigation Company MICO built a camp to house the workers and their families the company town was first called MICO after its acronym The community is now known as Mico Texas Medina DamU S National Register of Historic PlacesTexas State Antiquities LandmarkMedina Dam in 2010Medina DamShow map of TexasMedina DamShow map of the United StatesNearest cityCastroville TexasCoordinates29 32 25 N 98 56 2 W 29 54028 N 98 93389 W 29 54028 98 93389Area4 1 acres 1 7 ha Built1911 1911 Built byFred Stark PearsonNRHP reference No 76002050 1 TSAL No 468Significant datesAdded to NRHPMarch 15 1976Designated TSALMay 28 1981 When the dam was completed in 1913 it was the largest hydraulic engineering project west of the Mississippi River and the fourth largest dam in the US 4 It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its significance as an infrastructure project and its contributions to economic development of the county Author of Ripples from Medina Lake Rev Cyril M Kuehne claims a total of 70 lives were taken during the dam s construction however he only managed to locate 27 death certificates Dr Oscar B Taylor dentist of near by settlement Hondo Texas was quoted by Kuehne as saying sixty six unmarked graves were counted at a cemetery 3 miles away 5 The dam contains over 292 000 cubic yards 223 000 m of concrete and measures 164 feet high by 128 feet 39 m wide at the base by 1 580 feet 482 m long It is 25 feet 8 m wide at the top which is 1076 2 feet 328 m above sea level and the spillway is 1 064 2 feet 324 m above sea level 6 The dam provides irrigation to over 34 000 acres 138 km to Blackland Prairie farmlands below the Balcones Escarpment around Castroville Texas and also supplies water to the Medina River Ultrafiltration Water Treatment Plant owned and operated by the San Antonio Water System 7 The reservoir behind the dam is called Medina Lake and is a major recreation area It discharges into the Medina River which also contains a diversion dam four miles downstream The dam was featured in the 1919 serial The Masked Rider 8 Medina Dam was once a publicly accessible one lane roadway that connected to County Road 260 In 1980 vehicle traffic was closed and rerouted to a new road known as County Road 264 although temporary use of the dam as a road continued in 1990 9 Contents 1 Historical State Markers on the Dam 1 1 1936 Mountain Valley marker 1 2 1978 Texas Historical Commission Marker 1 3 1991 Texas Historic Civil Engineering Marker 2 Reopening of the Dam 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksHistorical State Markers on the Dam editLocated on the dam are three state placed historical markers These markers are currently inaccessible to the public after foot traffic was disallowed following the September 11 attacks in response to terrorism concerns 10 1936 Mountain Valley marker editThe earliest of the three markers is a 1936 state marker that acknowledges the previous Mormon settlement Mountain Valley that was built in 1854 and was destroyed in 1913 during construction of the dam 11 The Mormon settlement Mountain Valley is now located underneath Medina Lake 9 Established in 1854 by 16 families of Mormons under the leadership of Lyman Wight 1796 1858 They abandoned their homes and mills in 1858 as the result of Indian depredations Their lands are now beneath the waters of Medina Lake Erected by the State of Texas 1936 12 1978 Texas Historical Commission Marker editThe next is a marker placed in 1978 by the Texas Historical Commission that designated the dam as a state historical landmark 13 Henri Castro who colonized this area in the 1840s envisioned irrigated farms along the Medina River The project was delayed however until after the turn of the century when Dr Fred Stark Pearson an internationally known engineer persuaded British investors to finance construction of a dam at this site Completed in 1912 Medina Dam was hailed as the largest in Texas and the fourth largest in the United States Limestone boulders from a nearby quarry added bulk to the massive concrete structure Four miles downstream a small diversion dam conducted water into a system of irrigation canals Gravitational force delivered the water to fields The outbreak of World War I 1914 disrupted ties with British investors Seeking new capital Dr Pearson and his wife left for England in 1915 on the Lusitania and were killed when a German submarine torpedoed the ship The irrigation network created by Medina Dam brought new prosperity to this region Vegetables raised in irrigated fields became a valuable crop Water and electricity were made available to rural residents In 1925 voters established the Bexar Medine Atascosa Counties Water Improvement District No 1 to manage the project 1978 14 1991 Texas Historic Civil Engineering Marker edit Placed in 1991 a marker declared the dam a Texas Historic Civil Engineering Landmark 9 Reopening of the Dam editThe Medina Lake Preservation Society is undertaking efforts to get the dam reopened to the public or to at least have the historical markers moved so people can see them 15 See also edit nbsp National Register of Historic Places portal nbsp Texas portal National Register of Historic Places listings in Medina County Texas Medina Valley Edwards Plateau Texas Hill CountryReferences edit National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service July 9 2010 About the USA usa usembassy de Retrieved 2019 03 25 Using average annual wage from a 1910 census 574 and dividing by 365 days a year gives us an average daily wage of 1 57 2 day is 127 of the average daily wage Ruben E Ochoa Medina County Handbook of Texas Online accessed 3 Aug 2010 Dam Memorial Medina Lake Preservation Society Archived from the original on 2019 03 24 Retrieved 2019 03 24 USGS 08179500 Medina Lk nr San Antonio TX United States Geological Survey 25 October 2016 SAWS Water Supply Projects Medina Lake San Antonio Water System Archived from the original on 17 July 2019 Retrieved 25 October 2016 Episode 6 commentary of Serial Squadron DVD a b c MacCormack Zeke February 9 2014 Medina Lake fans want landmark dam reopened to pedestrians San Antonio Express News Retrieved 7 March 2021 MacCormack Zeke 2014 02 10 Medina Lake fans want landmark dam reopened to pedestrians San Antonio Express News Retrieved 2022 01 20 OCHOA RUBEN E 2010 06 15 MOUNTAIN VALLEY TX tshaonline org Retrieved 2019 03 24 Details Mountain Valley Atlas Number 5325003505 Atlas Texas Historical Commission atlas thc state tx us Retrieved 2019 03 24 Medina Dam Mico Texas Water Dams on Waymarking com www waymarking com Retrieved 2019 03 24 Details Medina Dam Atlas Number 5325003314 Atlas Texas Historical Commission atlas thc state tx us Retrieved 2019 03 24 Dam Memorial Medina Lake Preservation Society Archived from the original on 2019 03 24 Retrieved 2019 03 25 Further reading editCyril Matthew Kuehne S M Ripples from Medina Lake San Antonio TX Naylor 1966 Huffstutler Norton Rebecca and Karen Downing Ripley Images of America Medina Lake Charleston SC Arcadia Publishing 2012 ISBN 978 0 7385 8547 5External links edit nbsp Media related to Medina Dam at Wikimedia Commons Historic American Engineering Record HAER No TX 130 Medina Dam Mico Medina County TX 2 data pages Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Medina Dam amp oldid 1179268446, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
