„q-Iistory Trails Baltimore County Historical Society F.; SY 59

Agriculture Building 9811 Van Buren Lane Cockeysville, MD 21030

ISSN 0889-6186 Editors: JOHN W. McGRAIN and WILLIAM HOLLIFIELD VOL. 30 SUMMER 1996 NO. 4

— Baltimore County Public Library The new Prettyboy Dam in the 1930s.

The concern for a good, clean water supply in Balti- Prettyboy Dam more began in the early nineteenth century. In 1848 it was noted that "Baltimore is most inadequately supplied by Lauren Archibald with water,” and that "the time had arrived for a move- ment to be made towards diverting the water of Gwynn's The Prettyboy Dam and Reservoir are located in north- Falls, the Gunpowder, or some other falling streams of ern Baltimore County, just outside Gunpowder Falls State the vicinity, for this purpose." Park. As it is a watershed, the area is relatively pristine Construction of the first water works began in 1858 and is surrounded by rolling hills and forests. when a dam was erected across Jones Falls eight miles COMPLETING 30 YE1 PAGE 14 HISTORY TRAILS SUMMER 1996 outside the city. By 1881, Lake Roland, Hampden Reser- voir, Druid Lake High Service Reservoir, and Mount Royal Reservoir had been constructed along Jones Falls, and three reservoirs—Clifton Lake, Montebello Lake, and Loch Raven—had been constructed along the Gunpowder River. It was claimed then that "completion of the Gun- powder Permanent Water-supply gives Baltimore a sys- tem of water-works unequaled in the United States, af- fording a supply of water nearly double that of the great city of New York . . ." The Gunpowder Falls water system proved inadequate and in 1893 a larger dam was constructed upstream from Loch Raven. Its height was further increased in 1912. That dam was not completed until 1922. However, the system was greatly improved by the completion of Prettyboy Dam in 1933. Constructed by the City of Balti- more between 1930 and 1933, Prettyboy was the north- ernmost reservoir in the city's system. The Prettyboy Dam complex consists of three princi- pal components: a concrete gravity dam, a gatehouse, and a closed-spandrel concrete arch bridge. The four- span bridge crosses the length of the dam crest, which partially supports it. A long series of stone steps leads down on the west side of the bank to an overlook, where visitors can view the panorama of the dam and bridge. At the base of the spillway are two concrete fountains which spray water upward in juxtaposition to the downward flow of the water on the spillway of the dam. The foun- tains, the elegant arches of the bridge, the rocky banks along the Gunpowder River, and the narrow river itself form a spectacular and colorful sight. The complex is essentially unchanged from the time it was completed. The concrete dam, which is of the free overfall or straight drop type, is nearly 700 feet long. It was appar- Photographs from the Stiffler family collection showed the ently built in nine sections, each ten feet thick with 24- by 8-inch bonding grooves. The spillway is covered with concrete slabs which give a smooth-finished appearance. There are two concrete fountains, shaped like the urns On the reservoir side, the dam is reinforced with steel similar to those found in early twentieth century gardens, plates at all vertical expansion joints. Most dams over 50 at the top of the dam apron, at the level of the stilling feet long require these expansion and contraction joints. pool. From the stilling basin, water flows south down the The concrete dam was laid on rock. According to the Gunpowder River. engineering records, a channel machine at least six feet The reinforced arch bridge over the dam is a closed wide was used to make a cut-off trench downward into spandrel type with a closed balustrade. The bridge has the rock to prevent seepage of water under the dam. Seep- four arches with contraction-expansion joints at each age is always an important concern in dam construction. span. The arches are paired, and the pairs flank a broad, The curved crest of the dam has a peak elevation of central buttress. The buttress was designed with two 520 feet. It employs a relatively simple design whereby pylons topped with slim pilasters along the sides. The water flows over the crest and directly under the four concrete arches are divided by oval-shaped piers. Each concrete arches of the bridge. The spillway crest serves pier has a decorative cap, or "nose," on the top. Since the as an overflow which automatically releases water when- piers are at the top of the dam spillway, passersby on the ever the reservoir surface rises too high. In addition to bridge may look down and view them from above. The this automatic overflow over the crest, the dam also has decorative caps are reminiscent of the classical revival gates and valves to control and direct the flow of water anthemion, with a palmetto leaf design radiating in a clus- from the reservoir. ter. The design also resembles the sunrise-burst motif At the base of the overfall, on the east side of the dam, characteristic of the Art Deco embellishments that had is a stilling pool or basin. It was built as an extension of reached the United States by the early 1930s. the concrete apron and was poured directly over the rock The surface of the road deck is somewhat unusual, as bottom of the stream. Stilling basins are usually required it is laid with vitrified red brick paving. This paving, which in order to prevent scouring of the streambed. is in fairly good condition, lies on a sand cushion under- RS OF PUBLICATION SUMMER 1996 HISTORY TRAILS PAGE 15

80 feet below the crest of the dam at an intermediate point along the spillway. The bridge and gatehouse are reminiscent of the clas- sical revival style, and the fountains are also character- istic of classical revival garden furniture of the early twen- tieth century. During the latter part of the first quarter of the century and through the Great Depression years, this was a common architectural style for a variety of public buildings, including courthouses, banks, schools, and post offices. Applied to the Prettyboy gatehouse, the styl- ing makes this small and simple structure seem elegant and dignified. The City Beautiful movement also probably influenced the siting and design of Prettyboy as a complex. That movement was an attempt to make cities and their envi- rons more attractive, green, and pleasing for people. At Prettyboy, a magnificent fall of water was created, 500 feet above the stream, with steep and craggy banks on either side. This was juxtaposed with a broad, tranquil lake to the north as far as the eye can see. Thus, the siting and construction of Prettyboy incorporated both rustic and serene qualities in landscape design. The twentieth century concrete gravity dams, such as the one at Prettyboy, are relatively simple to design and were derived from the masonry gravity dams pioneered by French engineer M. De Sazilly about 1850. Since the Prettyboy dam was to be used for storage and because it was a massive gravity-type darn, it was relatively costly to build. Funds to construct the dam and reservoir were raised over a nine-year period from loans approved by Baltimore voters. A "Public Improvement Commission" was created in 1920 and it began raising — Courtesy of Andrew C. Clemens funds in 1924. The darn required 192,000 cubic yards of 1771, under construction in a terrain resembling Upper Egypt. concrete, and the cost of construction was $2,383,732. However, this did not include the purchase and clearing of land for the reservoir, the building of roads, other lain by a concrete slab. The narrow concrete sidewalks bridges, and culverts, and numerous engineering ex- along the road deck are visibly deteriorating, and small penses. The total cost for the entire project was pieces of concrete have spalled off. Originally, two finely $4,110,135. Closed-spandrel bridges, such as the one at detailed lampposts resembling classical columns stood Prettyboy, are more expensive to build than open-span- on the east and west abutments of the bridge; however, these have been removed. drel types, since they require much more concrete. The gatehouse has a facade of smoothly finished Chief water engineers for Prettyboy Darn included oolithic limestone, with rusticated limestone quoining on Baltimore City employees Charles F. Goob, Edward G. all four sides. It has a flat roof with dropped and molded Rost, and Leon Small. Bernard L. Crozier and C. B. Cornell cornice. The structure has a symmetrical facade with a were the construction engineers; James W. Armstrong double-leaf door and full surrounds and pediment, was the filtration engineer; and John H. Gregory was the flanked on each side by a large window. The door and consulting engineer. The architect was Frank 0. Heyder windows are presently boarded up. The original design and the contractor for the project was the J. A. Laporte included eight-pane casement windows, a hollow metal Corporation. door and four-light transom overtop with a decorative When the Gunpowder Valley was flooded for the bronze grille. Prettyboy Reservoir, a number of residences were inun- Inside the gatehouse is a stairway leading down to the dated. The area throughout the valley had been used main floor. From there 175 concrete steps descend to the principally for farming, cattle raising, and small milling cone-valve and needle-valve rooms in the interior of the operations. There were excellent mill sites in the area and dam structure, where water is drawn from the reservoir the best-known and most prolific milling activity was the through large pipes. Valves or control gates are typically Hoffman paper mills. Near the Hoffman mills, which be- used in dams such as this one, where full water flow gan in 1776, a store, school, church, and millworkers' predominates. The control mechanisms are located about houses were erected, and the community became known PAGE 16 HISTORY TRAILS SUMMER 1996

I See by the Papers . . .

Lecture Repeated —By urgent request, Chaplain McCabe will repeat his highly interesting lecture on the "Bright Side of Life in Libby Prison," at Hunt's M.E. church, Thursday evening, May 18th, at 7:45 o'clock. The lecture is to be accompanied with the Chaplain's matchless sing- ing. Tickets 25 cents.

— Baltimore County Union, Towson, May 13, 1876

"I've been to Govanstown," said a fellow whose eyes were both swollen shut on Monday morning last. No fur- ther explanation was necessary.

— Courtesy of Andrew C. Clemens — Baltimore County Union, Towson, May 20, 1876 Harry T. Campbell & Sons Company's Bucyrus Erie power shovel at work on December 6, 1929. The "belt" police are on the alert for Sunday base-ball players, and youths who go from the city to indulge in the sport are no more secure there than on vacant lots inside the limits. Officer Weinhold made a descent Sun- day upon a crowd, capturing one boy and three coats. Justice Dorsey made an example of the offender. —The Argus, Catonsville, May 10, 1884

Locusts on Toast On Monday, 9th inst., Mr. Lowndes, of the firm of Brown & Lowndes, Baltimore, carried to the city some 17-year locusts from his place, near the Relay. He took them to the Merchants club, where they were cooked and served up on toast to several of his friends. Mr. Lowndes did not indulge, as he said roast beef was good enough for him. The locusts' wings were taken off and they were — Courtesy of Andrew C. Clemens stewed in a cream sauce. In appearance they resembled Relatively modern earth moving equipment was available roaches, but as they tasted like soft crabs the gentlemen in 1929 for grading. From the Sttffler family collection. seemed to enjoy their novel repast greatly. —The Argus, Catonsville, June 20, 1885 as Hoffmanville. The paper mills continued in operation for a century. The Prettyboy Dam is significant locally and region- Mrs. Thomas Shipley of Randallstown is the recipient ally as a fine example of a classical revival bridge and of many compliments on the artistic piece of work which gatehouse, while the overall siting and design of the dam is to be seen on the confectionary table at the bazaar now exemplify the twentieth century City Beautiful aesthet- in progress in Relic Hall, Maryland Line Confederate Sol- ics. The Prettyboy Dam complex was not only an unusual diers' Home, Pikesville.The affair is for the liquidation of engineering achievement but it was an accomplishment the debt on the heating plant lately installed in Stone that combined natural beauty and civil engineering to Chapel, and Mrs. Shipley has built a duplicate plant in make a magnificent public structure. miniature on a cake. The plant is perfect to the most minute detail. 0 0 0 — Baltimore County Union, Towson, October 21, 1911

Ms. Archibald's article was written under a contract from Gen. I. R. Trimble, whose beautiful country residence the Maryland Historical Trust to MAAD, Inc., of Newark, is situated at the head of Dulany's Valley, and who is Delaware, which has given us permission to publish it in now about 80 years of age, is the oldest living graduate of History Trails. The name "Prettyboy" may be derived from the West Point Military Academy. He lost a leg during his a land survey of "Prettyboy Hills' made in 1808 for Thomas service in the Confederate army. Gist. —.John McGrain —Baltimore County Union, Towson, June 21, 1884