In the Salisbury Historical Society archives is an album containing newspaper articles touching on the original Army Corps of Engineers Blackwater Dam built in 1941 in Webster, which affected Salisbury.
Largely, however, the album contains newspaper articles about the very controversial and enormous project that was the source of a very contentious fight in the late 1960s into the early 70’s. The dam was already built 25 years prior, but this was a vast expansion of its use. This battle was between the citizens and the Federal government, and the citizens won! It is a fascinating read, and the album serves as a window to this fight.
#1- BLACKWATER DAM PROJECT 1940-1941
Restricting and Harnessing the Blackwater for Power, Flood Control, and Recreation.
Construction of the Blackwater Dam in Webster began in May 1940 and was completed in November 1941. and is 1,150 feet long and has a maximum height of 75 feet. It created a flood plain in Salisbury in the event of excess water flooding created by spring floods and weather. Residences were sold and dismantled, and two graveyards in Salisbury were moved and exist now next to Maplewood Cemetery on Route 4. They are the Bean /Smith’s Corner Graveyard and the Stevens Graveyard. There is barely a trace of the Smith’s Corner community that existed. Smith’s Corner
The original Blackwater project was a proposal that took over a decade to develop before 1941. Word must have reached Salisbury as the Union Meeting House was removed 12 years prior and reconstructed at Storrowton, Eastern States Exposition, Springfield, Mass. A newspaper article, date and paper unknown, lists the Union Meeting House as a landmark casualty of the dam development.
A newspaper article, presumably from the New Hampshire Morning Union before 1941, is titled “Contemplate Swelling Power of the Merrimack by Harnessing Blackwater.” This is a discussion to raise the dam for hydroelectric power.
It is detailed but states that Boston interests were contemplating the construction of a dam and a powerhouse at a cost of over $2,000,000. If the project is carried out will be one of the biggest of its kind in New England and is expected to develop hundreds of thousands of needed horsepower now going to waste in that section of the country.
Another article from the State Water Resource Board Survey in 1942 indicates that power development would be a costly proposition. An article titled “Blackwater Dam Best Fitted for Water Storage,” December 1947, New Hampshire Morning Union, expresses the summation based on research that the dam should remain as a flood control dam.
So the dam remained as it was built.
Fast forward to the 1960s.
#2- BLACKWATER LAKE PROJECT
Proposed 2,020 Acre Lake and Recommended Additional Acquisitions. Total Park acreage: 15,000 acres
In the album in the Salisbury Historical Society archives, many letters to the editor from local citizens are saved. All of the clippings are very interesting, but perhaps the most poignant is this from Fred Richardson via his sister Karen Richardson of Webster. We are happy to say Fred Richardson returned home. The letter to the editor is dated June 26, 1967, from Vietnam. It appears to be from the Concord Monitor. It is titled: “About Blackwater From Vietnam” with words from Karen & Fred Richardson at this link: Richardsons.
Brief Description of the Controversial Project
The US Army Corps of Engineers had recommended that a 2,020-acre recreational lake be created at the foot of Mount Kearsarge. The newspaper article in our archives (source unknown) states that “This lake would be the tenth largest in the state and the lake would become ‘one of New England’s favorite outdoor recreation attractions” with a potential of over 1 million visitors annually. “
Tents and camping areas were planned with the thought that they would be one of the most popular sites in New England.
A newspaper article explains that both governments (State and Federal ) would assume control over 15,000 acres in this project.
3,036 acres Mt Kearsarge Park, already in State control at the time.
2,500 acres at the foothills (part of Salisbury, according to a recent town map)
9,500 acres, including the conservation pool. The 2,025-acre conservation pool is on an expanded footprint of the Federal Flood Control Area but would be converted into a deep recreational lake.
Needless to say, this would have severely altered our town by drowning sections, changing its character, dividing it, confiscating land and homes at no doubt reduced value prices, and would have invited an overwhelming, sudden influx of visitors to a rural area.
Good access from the newly built interstate for the multitude would eventually be needed, as all local roads were and remain very rural.
The proposed water resource acquisition area is troubling when one looks a the maps. More research is needed to determine what the plan was for those additional 7,500 acres. Removal of historic homes on the high ground of Little Hill, included in the water Resource Acquisition area, suggests this large acreage around the lake would be uninhabited.
Would they be additional campground and hiking trail areas or water resources as stated? Watershed? Flooded area?
A ski area on Mt Kearsarge was also an idea floated at one point. Presumably, this would have been on the largely uninhabited southeastern slope/ foothill above the lake.
Also discussed was diverting the Smith River into this area!