• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Library of Lore for Cliffside, North Carolina

Since 2002

Remember Cliffside

History
MENUMENU
  • Home
  • Explore
    • Galleries
    • History
    • In The News
    • Landmarks
    • Media
    • Memories
    • Odds & Ends
    • Photos of the Month
    • Rutherford County
    • Society
    • Where People Lived
  • What's New
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Where are we?
  • Guest Book
  • Contact Us
  • Search
  • Help
  • Donate
Home » History » Articles and Stories » Meet the Dam Builder

Meet The Dam Builder

By Reno Bailey

George E. Ladshaw
George E. Ladshaw

He was George E. Ladshaw, a Spartanburg civil and hydraulic engineer and well-known authority on the design and construction of hydraulic masonry dams.

Cover of Ladshaw's book
Cover of Ladshaw’s book

In 1906, he wrote the book on dams, or at least he wrote a book. Titled “The Differential Arch Dam,” it was “An elementary treatise on masonry dams for the use of parties interested in water power development.” In it, he listed a number of dam types, the designs for which he held patents. If you’re about to build a dam, call George. He’ll either build it, or sell you a plan.

The book is elementary, maybe, but not for you and me. It is filled with formulas, arcane drawings and technical talk about different designs and methodology.

Although it contains photos of dams he built in Cliffside, Caroleen, Henrietta, Lawndale, Asheville and many other places, he never discusses them.

At least we get this old photo of our mill in its very early stages. Note the grove of trees where the store building and Memorial Building would eventually be built. This is the only photo we’ve seen that shows the back and side of the first community building (the white, two-story structure at right). It housed the post office, store and meeting hall, among other things.

The back cover of the book, a wide view of the early Cliffside mill.
Mill photo on back cover of the book.

Book courtesy Shirley Crawford Thompson

Primary Sidebar

History Sections

  • Special Projects
  • Articles and Stories
  • Profiles
  • Town Map

© 2002–2023 · Cliffside Historical SocietyScroll To Top