| The system was named "Pathfinder" in honor of General John C. Fremont, the great explorer, who made the Platte valley, in what is now Wyoming, the scene of his most interesting travels and investigations, and it was at about where the dam is located that Fremont's boats capsized. The Astorians gave this canyon the name of "Fiery Narrows." (WPA) "In the spring of 1903, general plans for storage of water and irrigation from North Platte River, based on the surveys and investigations then made, were prepared. The plans as outlined in a letter by the Director of the Geological Survey to the Secretary of the Interior, dated March 7, 1903, included the storing of water in a reservoir on Sweetwater River and irrigation of lands along the North Platte River. It was recommended that development of the general project as outlined be approved, that the examination of irrigable lands, reservoirs, etc., be continued, and that work be carried on in greater detail for the ascertainment of facts necessary for the preparation of specifications and the letting of contracts for the construction of irrigation works. On March 14, 1903, the Secretary of the Interior approved the general project as recommended and authorized the preparation of plans and specifications for construction to be submitted to him for approval. In 1904 recommendations were made for the construction of a reservoir on the North Platte River below the mouth of Sweetwater River in place of the reservoir first proposed on the Sweetwater River. The reservoir selected received the name of "Pathfinder" on account of a tradition that General John C. Fremont, popularly known as the "Pathfinder," passed through the canyon at the reservoir site on one of his exploring expeditions. Contingent on favorable reports on details of construction and of lands proposed to be reclaimed, authority for the construction of a dam at the Pathfinder site was granted by the Secretary of the Interior on May 3, 1904." (Annual Report, 1909-1910, Reclamation Service) "The Pathfinder Dam is built of granite random rubble masonry with coursed rubble faces. It is curved to a radius of 150 feet, has a total length of 432 feet, a height of 218 feet above lowest foundation, a top width of 10 feet, an up-stream batter of 15 per cent and a down-stream batter of 25 per cent. It is located about 3 miles below the junction of the North Platte and Sweetwater Rivers, where the canyon is about 90 feet wide at the bottom and 200 feet wide at the top, the sides for the upper 75 feet being nearly vertical. The depth from the top of the canyon to bedrock in the foundation is about 200 feet. Above this canyon the valleys of both streams widen out and form a reservoir site of large capacity. The site is called the "Pathfinder," on account of a tradition that Gen. John C. Fremont, popularly known as "The Pathfinder," passed through this canyon on one of his exploring trips." (Arthur Powell Davis in "Irrigation works constructed by the United States Government," 1917) |
