Saffold Dam facts for kids
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Saffold Dam
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Saffold Dam in 2013
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 Saffold Dam
Location in Texas
Saffold Dam
Location in the United States
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| Location | Off SH 123, Seguin, Texas |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1853 |
| NRHP reference No. | 79002950 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 15, 1979 |
The Saffold Dam is a special dam and man-made waterfall in Seguin, Texas. It's located at a place once known as the Flores Crossing. The dam is named after William Saffold, who was a veteran of the Civil War and a successful businessman in the area. Because of its history and unique design, the dam was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 15, 1979.
This dam started out as a natural rock formation in the river. Over many years, people built it up to make it bigger and stronger. In 1895, a man named Henry Troell added special machines to the dam. These machines used the power of the water to make electricity for his mill and for the town of Seguin! The city of Seguin bought the dam and its power plant in 1907, and they still own it today.
The Saffold Dam is not very tall, but it is wide and has a beautiful "S" shape. This curved design is quite rare for a dam. It's a very unique structure on the Guadalupe River, and maybe even in all of Texas. The dam you see now was built as part of Max Starcke Park. The park was designed by Robert Hugman, who is famous for creating the San Antonio River Walk. Young people working for the National Youth Administration helped build the dam and the park in 1938. This was a big celebration for the town's 100th birthday!
The Saffold Dam is on the west side of Texas State Highway 123 Business. It's about ten blocks south of downtown Seguin. One side of the dam is next to Max Starcke Park and the city's water plant. On the other side, there's an old, unused power plant.
Contents
A Look Back: Early History of the Dam Site
The area around Saffold Dam has a very long history. Thousands of years ago, Native American Paleo-Indians (who were early people living in North America) used to gather pecans here. They were hunter-gatherers, meaning they found their food by hunting animals and gathering plants.
Recently, workers found almost 1,000 old tools and items while doing yard work near the dam! This shows that many people lived here a long, long time ago. This site is now known as a Paleo-Indian Archeological site. It's also where a special tool called the Guadalupe Bi-face was found. Archeologists are still digging and learning more about this ancient place.
The Flores Crossing and Early Settlers
Before the dam was built, this spot was a shallow part of the Guadalupe River. It had natural rocks and gravel, making it easy to cross the river. This crossing was called the Flores Crossing. In 1838, a man named Manuel N. Flores started his ranch on the south side of the river, right across from Seguin. His ranch was one of the biggest in the area at that time.
A German naturalist (someone who studies nature) and geologist (someone who studies rocks and the Earth) named Ferdinand von Roemer visited the ranch in 1846. He wrote about how beautiful and clear the river and the crossing were in his books.
How the Dam Got Its Name
The dam is named after William Saffold. His father, Bird Saffold, came from Georgia. In 1853, Bird Saffold bought the land here from Manuel N. Flores. Manuel Flores was a hero from the battle of San Jacinto and was the brother-in-law of Juan Seguin, the person the town of Seguin is named after.
In 1865, William Saffold built his home on this large piece of land. He became a very successful businessman and ran a store nearby. He also built a small mill. A mill uses the power of water to grind grain into flour. William Saffold could see the natural dam from his porch. He started adding large rocks to it to make the water flow faster and stronger through his mill. This helped his gristmill (a mill for grinding grain) work better.
In the 1870s, the crossing below the dam became known as the Saffold Crossing. It was an important spot for cattle drives. Cowboys would guide large herds of cattle across the river here as they moved them north.
Improvements by Henry Troell
The dam was made even better after Henry Troell bought it in the 1880s. Troell added more rocks to make the dam taller. This raised the water level, which created more power for his cotton gin (a machine that separates cotton fibers from their seeds).
In 1895, Troell added hydroelectric capabilities to the dam. This meant the dam could now make electricity using the force of the water. This was a big deal because it provided the first pumped water and electricity system to the city of Seguin! It was one of the very first hydroelectric plants in Texas.
Later, Troell moved his mill operations. In 1907, the City of Seguin, with help from Ferdinand C. Weinert, bought Troell's property. They wanted to use the river's power to make even more electricity for the growing city.
The Dam in the 20th Century
During the 1930s, workers from the National Youth Administration covered the old rock dam with concrete. This was part of building Max Starcke Park, which opened in 1938. The park and the dam were designed by Robert H.H. Hugman, who also designed the famous River Walk in San Antonio.
The river water held back by the dam is officially called the Max Starcke Reservoir. However, most people just call this small body of water Lake Seguin or Lake Starcke. It's like other nearby reservoirs on the Guadalupe River, such as Lake Dunlap, Lake McQueeney, and Lake Placid.
The old power plant at the dam hasn't made electricity for many years, but much of its original machinery is still inside. The city has leased the building to a restaurant called The Power Plant Grill. It's also a place where people can start their trips for floating down the river in tubes.
See also
In Spanish: Cataratas de Flores para niños
