![]() ![]() When you board an Outland Expeditions, Inc. The structures are not open for tours but are easily seen from Hwy 64 (Ocoee Scenic Byway). Each summer possibly millions of people experience the thrill of traversing the. This written history is courtesy of the Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association. The Flume Gorge is one of the White Mountains premiere tourist attractions. In 1941 TVA began construction of Powerhouse Number 3 to serve increased power demands during World War II. In 1939 Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) purchased the powerhouses, dams, and flume line. Its purpose is to capture the Ocoee River as it pauses at the Diversion Dam, and then force the waters through the narrow flume to the powerhouse to turn the turbines. Constructed of tongue-and-groove California longleaf pine, it resembles a wooden trough snaking along the rock bluffs that line the Ocoee River. The gorge is highly exposed to the sun and although there is only one viewpoint of the falls from an observation platform, you really should not miss this. Considerably sunnier than its nearby neighbor, Liberty Cascade is perfect for photographs. The Ocoee Flume is a unique structure, the only one of its kind in the nation. This waterfall is a 70-foot clear-water horsetail. Image courtesy of Tennessee Overhill Ocoee Flume Officially named the Diversion Dam, old-timers still refer to it as “The Stick Dam.” Biking down the Franconia Notch Bike Path is one of the best ways to see the natural wonders and attractions of the notch while getting some much needed exercise. A second dam was built upriver to hold the waters destined for the Flume. Up to two miles self-guided nature walk, stairs, uphill and downhill walking. To provide adequate water volume to drive the turbines, a wooden flume line was constructed to carry the river waters to the powerhouse. Natural granite gorge extending 800 feet at the base of Mount Liberty. Construction of Ocoee Powerhouse Number Two, located just a few miles upriver from Powerhouse Number One, began in 1912. Ocoee Number One is the oldest dam in what is today the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) system. Locals referred to it as “The Big Concrete Dam,” a term that was common then but seldom used today. Upon its completion it was named Parksville Dam, and the new powerhouse dubbed Ocoee Powerhouse Number One. Ocoee Dam Number One was built over the site of the old farming community of Parksville, with workers housed in what amounted to a small city. Constructed by Eastern Tennessee Power Company, this series of historic hydroelectric structures are tucked into the narrow Ocoee River Gorge, all located within a stretch of only 12 miles. The Ocoee powerhouses, dams and flume line, are parts of an ambitious hydroelectric power project that began in 1910. ![]()
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