The Resurrection of Scoville Dam

It's been buried for nearly ninety years, but now the Scoville Bridge and Dam, the first dam built across the Arroyo Seco, is emerging anew.  The Scoville family built the impressive structure to irrigate orchards on both sides of the Arroyo between 1887 and 1903.

In the last month the Arroyo Brigade, an intrepid group of volunteers including Ray Dashner, Gary Cowles, Barbara Dahn, Tony from Alhambra and Tim Brick, has been digging away the compacted dirt and debris and yanking out the treacherous poison oak to reveal that more remnants of the dam still remain than anyone imagined. 

Last month we posted the first pictures from the site just north of the Colorado Street Bridge.  Here's the report on the initial work: Scoville - Step One.

Below are some more recent pictures as the crew makes its way up the hill to uncover the impressive stairs and rockwork that one held back the Arroyo stream.

Click here for vintage pictures of the dam and bridge

More stairs and the pump house are now evident

 

 

 

 

 

Tony is a determined new volunteer from Alhambra

From This --

To This!

Trees Growing Out of Concrete

Roy Begley - RIP