| Additional Information: | A 'site file' exists for this property named 'Princeton Lock, Dam, and Canal'. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the Wisconsin Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office.
The Princeton Lock, Dam, and Canal were constructed between 1877 and 1897 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in an effort to provide navigable waters for commercial steamboats and freight barges between the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers. Along the Upper Fox River, lock and dam systems were constructed at Governor’s Bend, Montello, Grand River (dam no longer extant), Princeton, White River (dam no longer extant), Berlin, and Eureka. Each dam was about 180 feet long and was constructed of timber cribs with rock fill and covered by wood planking with a concrete cap. Canals (also referred to as lock chambers) typically measured between 35 and 45 feet wide and 100 feet or more in length; these were constructed of large sandstone blocks and were originally lined with wood planking. The system of locks and dams along the Upper Fox River were operated for more than fifty years until the arrival and expansion of railroad networks throughout the state rendered river navigation obsolete. In 1962, the USACE transferred ownership of the Upper Fox River locks and dams to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Today, Princeton Lock and Dam (like the other former dam sites) is managed for recreational use, providing boat access to the Fox River.
2024 - The dam is approximately 180 feet long. It is constructed of timber cribs with rock fill, covered by wood planking with a concrete cap. Cut stone abutments are located along the riverbank. The canal, which is also referred to as a lock chamber, is between 35 and 45 feet wide and 100 feet or more in length. It is constructed of large sandstone blocks that were originally lined with wood planking. Electric fish fencing runs across the river, both upstream and downstream from the dam. Only one of the two locks remains, and its steel gates are sealed shut. A chain link and barbed wire fence encloses the lock structure. A wood bridge has been constructed over the lock that leads to the island on the south side of the canal.
The proposed Princeton Lock and Dam Historic District, which includes the lock, dam, and canal, continues to retain sufficient integrity and significance to be eligible for listing in the NRHP under Criterion A in the area of Transportation and under Criterion C for Engineering. The proposed district is part of a series of nineteenth-century locks, canals, and dams along the upper Fox River that improved the navigability of the river. Even though one of the locks has been removed and the gates of the remaining lock have been sealed, the proposed Princeton Lock and Dam Historic District has sufficient integrity to convey its historic significance. |
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