The many tales surrounding Conowingo Dam’s unique history take center stage in this video. From its construction atop the Susquehanna riverbed to ancient Native American carvings, to the drowning of a small upriver village, and a tense battle against a Storm of the Century.
Conowingo Dam’s saga is a tale that has waited decades to be told! Check out this amazing documentary. It is definitely worth the watch.
If the embedded video above is not working, click here to watch the full video on the Maryland Public Television webpage. If you have a smart TV, you can also watch it on the PBS streaming app.
Petroglyph Highlights
At around 11:56 minute mark, the documentary talks about the petroglyphs on the Lower Susquehanna. It spends several minutes at Safe Harbor interviewing Paul Nevin Zimmerman Center Director at Susquehanna National Heritage Area.
There is an interesting clip at the 14:56 minute mark of archaeologists working at Little Indian Rock. It shows how the petroglyph-covered rock looked pre-dam. Here are two screenshots from the documentary.
The first image in both slideshows highlights Little Indian Rock before the flooding caused by the dams of the Lower Susquehanna. The second shows current water levels when Lake Aldred is at “recreational depth.”
The following three images highlight Little Indian Rock before Holtwood was built (far right) and how it appears today (far left) from the front and back.
Adventure Awaits!
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The Lower Susquehanna before the dams. I have often wondered what the Lower Susquehanna looked like before the dams at Holtwood (1905) and Safe Harbor (1930) were built. This August 22, 1930 photograph taken during Safe Harbor’s construction gives us a glimpse into how the river once looked. Click here to learn more.
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William Wagner’s 1821 Map of Lancaster CountyPrice range: $24.99 through $44.99
Visiting Safe Harbor’s petroglyphs during a low water event. Click here to read about my voyage out to the Safe Harbor petroglyphs during a low water event.
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William Wagner’s 1821 Map of Lancaster CountyPrice range: $24.99 through $44.99
Where did Lake Aldred get its name? Click here to read more about where Lake Aldred (the body of water between Holtwood and Safe Harbor) takes its name.
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I was camping with my Girl Scout Troop in Williamsburg, VA when Hurricane Agnes hit. We had to head home. Home was Easton, PA, so we had to cross the Susquehanna. Conawingo was the one open crossing. At that point all the gates were open. It looked like we were driving over the top of Niagara Falls. Very scary but, very impressive. We left Williamsburg about 9:30 a.m. and arrived in Easton 13 hours later. I’m 68 and I don’t think I’ll ever forget that trip.
Today, I live in Bear, DE and we drive over the dam routinely to visit our son and his family in Belair, MD.