Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Niagara Falls Power Company Photographs
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of History of Technology
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Work and Industry
Niagara Falls Power Company
NMAH.AC.0949
Archival Resource Key
7 Cubic feet
14 boxes
1899 - 1919
The collection consists of bound photograph albums and loose photographs documenting the construction of the Adams Power Station (hydroelectric plant) and allied structures of the Niagara Falls Power Company, 1899-1919.
English
.
Biographical / Historical
In 1853, the Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power & Manufacturing Company was chartered. The company purchased the water rights and began construction of a canal (1860-1861) and was the first company to generate hydroelectric power from Niagara Falls.
The Niagara Falls Power Company was founded on September 19, 1889 after being re-organized and renamed from it's predecessor company, the Niagara River Hydraulic Tunnel, Power and Sewer Company. Edward Dean Adams, a New York financier became president of the company. Adams created a subsidiary company, the Cataract Construction Corporation to build a power tunnel before deciding on a method of power distribution. Adams also secured the help of financiers, J.P. Morgan, John Astor, and William Vanderbilt.
In 1893, alternating electrical current (AC) was selected as the standard to used and the Cataract Construction Company began using AC for power generation and transmission. From 1892 to 1894, the Niagara Falls Power Company built two powerhouses, Powerhouse #1 (1892-1894) and Powerhouse #2 (1901-1903). In 1895, the Niagara Falls Power Company began placing contracts with the Westinghouse Company for long distance electric transmission development and implementation.
In 1927, by resolution of the board of directors of the Niagara Falls Power Company, the power-houses and sub-stations were renamed in appreciation of the men who pioneered the power industry and developed it. Niagara Power Stations Number One and Two were renamed the Edward Dean Adams Statuon. Also known as the Adams Power Station. The Adams Power Station built in 1895 was not the first hydro power station at Niagara, but it was one of the largest hydroelectric power generators of it's time and it was the first large scale application of AC power in North America. General Electric and Westinghouse collaborated on the project. Engineers Thomas Evershed, George Forbes, Benjamin G. Lamme, Oliver Shallenberger, Nikola Tesla, William Stanley, Dr. Louis Bell, and Charles P. Steinmetz contributed.
Sources
http://www.edisontechcenter.org/Niagara.htm (last accessed on May 3, 2016)
Adams, Edward Dean. Niagara Power History of the Niagara Falls Power Company, 1886-1918, Volumes I-II. Niagara Falls, N.Y., printed for the Niagara Falls Power Co., 1927
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into two series.
Series 1: Photograph Albums, 1899-1919
Series 2: Photographs by Subject, 1899-1908
Processing Information
Processed by Alison Oswald, archivist, 2016.
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of bound photograph albums and loose photographs documenting the construction of the Adams Generating Station #2 (hydroelectric plant) and allied structures of the Niagara Falls Power Company, 1899-1919. The images depict generators, wheel pits, governors, plant interiors, river views, transmission lines, turbines, and unidentified people.
The albums are arranged numericaly from one to thirty. Albums 13, 19 and 20 are missing. Each photograph has a number, date, and caption located in the lower left of the image. Typescript indices are included at the beginning of each album and the full index is linked to this finding aid.
Preferred Citation
Niagara Falls Power Company Records, 1899-1919, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The collection was donated to the National Museum of American History's Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering (now Division of Work and Industry) by the Niagara-Mohawk Power Corporation, through E.B. Strowger, System Project Engineer in 1965.
Custodial History
Transferred to the Archives Center by the Division of Work and Industry in 2007.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Conditions Governing Use
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Other Finding Aids
Inventory for photographs available.
Water-wheels
Power stations
Tonawanda (NY)
Niagara Falls (N.Y. and Ont.)
Water-power
Power generation
Drawings
Business records -- 1900-1950
Photographs -- 1900-1920
Photographs -- 19th century
Business records -- 1850-1900
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of History of Technology
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering
Tonawanda Power Company
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Work and Industry
Photograph Albums
Series 1
Archival Resource Key
1899 - 1919
Album #1
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
10" x 13"
1899 November 21-1900 March 8
1
1
Scope and Contents
Construction of Adams Generating Station #2, #673-#723
Album #2
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
10" x 13"
1900 January 29-1900 April 12
1
2
Scope and Contents
Construction of Adams Generating Station #2, #724-#771
Album #3
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
10" x 13"
1900 April 13-1900 June 19
2
1
Scope and Contents
Construction of Adams Generating Station #2, #772-#820
Album #4
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
10" x 13"
1900 June 20-1900 August 24
2
2
Scope and Contents
Construction of Adams Generating Station #2, #821-#872
Album #5
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
10" x 13"
1900 August 27-1900 November 14
3
1
Scope and Contents
Construction of Adams Generating Station #2, #873-#922
Album #6
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
10" x 13"
1900 October 6-1901 February 5
3
2
Scope and Contents
Construction of Adams Generating Station #2, #923-#970
Album #7
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
10" x 13"
1901 February 6-1901 April 16
4
1
Scope and Contents
Construction of Adams Generating Station #2, #971-#1015
Album #8
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
10" x 13"
1901 April 17-1901July 19
4
2
Scope and Contents
Construction of Adams Generating Station #2, #1016-#1065
Album #9
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
10" x 13"
1901 July 2-1901 Spetember 9
5
1
Scope and Contents
Construction of Adams Generating Station #2, #1066-#1112
Album #10
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
10" x 13"
1901 September 10-1901 November 11
5
2
Scope and Contents
Construction of Adams Generating Station #2, #1113-1160
Album #11
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
10" x 13"
1901 November 13-1902 January 27
6
1
Scope and Contents
Construction of Adams Generating Station #2, #1161-#1209
Album #12
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
10" x 13"
1902 January 28-1902 April 11
6
2
Scope and Contents
Construction of Adams Generating Station #2, #1210-#1259
Album #14
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
10" x 13"
1902 June-1902 July 22
7
1
Scope and Contents
Construction of Adams Generating Station #2, #1310-#1356
Album #15
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
10" x 13"
1902 May 23-1902 September 2
7
2
Scope and Contents
Construction of Adams Generating Station #2, #1357-#1396
Album #16
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
10" x 13"
1902 September 3-1903 January 1
8
1
Scope and Contents
Construction of Adams Generating Station #2, #1397-#1436
Album #17
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
10" x 13"
1903 February 6-1903 December 22
8
2
Scope and Contents
Construction of Adams Generating Station #2, #1437-#1479
Album #18
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
10" x 13"
1903 December 22-1904 June 23
9
1
Scope and Contents
Construction of Adams Generating Station #2, #1480-1503
Album #21
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
10" x 13"
1901 July 22-1905 May 12
9
2
Scope and Contents
Construction of Adams Generating Station #2, #1524-1556; K-38 to K-41; M1 to M-4; M-9 to M28;
Album #22
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
10" x 13"
1891 - 1905
9
3
Scope and Contents
Construction of Adams Generating Station #2, #1557-#1578; Numbers 1-31
Album #23
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
10" x 13"
1905 August 25-1907 November
10
1
Scope and Contents
Construction of Adams Generating Station #2, #1579-#1593; #1600-#1632
Album #24
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
10" x 13"
1907 Novembetr 10-1908 June 14
10
2
Scope and Contents
Construction of Adams Generating Station #2, #1633-#1746
Album #25
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
10" x 13"
1908 June 14-1909 June 21
11
1
Scope and Contents
Construction of Adams Generating Station #2, #1747-#1816
Album #26
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
10" x 13"
1909 July 2-1911 February 3
11
2
Scope and Contents
Construction of Adams Generating Station #2, #1817-#1867
Album #27
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
10" x 13"
1911 February 3-1913 January 29
11
3
Scope and Contents
Construction of Adams Generating Station #2, #1868-#1916
Album #28
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
10" x 13"
1913 February 4-1914 July 14
12
1
Scope and Contents
Construction of Adams Generating Station #2, #1917-#1968
Album #29
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
10" x 13"
1914 July 7-1916 December 8
12
2
Scope and Contents
Construction of the Adams Generating Station #2, #1969-#2017
Album #30
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
10" x 13"
1917 April 3-1919 May 16
12
3
Scope and Contents
Construction of the Adams Generating Station #2, #2018-#2047
Photographs by Subject
Series 2
Archival Resource Key
1899 - 1908
Turbines and miscellaneous machinery
Archival Resource Key
1901 - 1906
13
1
Transmission Lines and Users
Archival Resource Key
1900 - 1906
13
2
Main generators
Archival Resource Key
1900 - 1905
13
3
Forebay, tunnel and wheel pit
Archival Resource Key
1900 - 1903
13
4
Canal and river views
Archival Resource Key
1903 - 1905
13
5
General views of powerhouse
Archival Resource Key
1903 - 1905
13
6
General view of falls
Archival Resource Key
1908
13
7
General views of floor with generators
Archival Resource Key
1899 - 1901
13
8
Governors
Archival Resource Key
1901
14
1
Miscellaneous views, people, and drawings
Archival Resource Key
1901 - 1908
14
2
Tonawanda Power Company
Archival Resource Key
1900
14
3
Later construction, not the Adams Station
Archival Resource Key
undated
14
4
Canal at power house
Archival Resource Key
1900 - 1907
14
5
Local unidentified canal
Archival Resource Key
1902 - 1905
14
6