click zoom to display a high-res image
Property Location
Property Features
The Marinette and Menominee Paper Company Park Mill Dam was constructed in 1920. It is a concrete gravity dam that
crosses from a narrow island in the Menominee River to the north (Michigan) side of the river. It measures 28 feet high
and 538 feet, 7 inches long. From north (Michigan) to south (Wisconsin), the dam consists of one section of overflow
agee spillway, a section with seven tainter gates, an 18-foot wide log sluice and fishway (over which a small maintenance
shed was constructed sometime after 1979), and a six-part overflow agee spillway. Concrete piers separate the agee
spillway sections and frame the tainter gates. A 4-foot walkway with steel rails spans the dam. Over the tainter gates,
rails and a steel superstructure allow the hoist mechanism to lift the gates.
The property is notable as the remains of the Marinette and Menominee Paper Company which
was established in Marinette in 1881. The company's first paper mill was located west of Hattie Street, along Riverside
Avenue. The company moved to its existing location in 1920 and continued to operate as such through two changes in
ownership (including the Continental Paper Company and the current owner, the Scott Paper Company). Although the
property continues to function as a paper plant today, most of the historic elements of the complex are no longer extant,
including all of the buildings that housed the original paper production machinery and equipment. Only the 1920 office,
dam, and power channel lock remain; the remainder of the existing complex was constructed in the 1970s and 1980s.
Although the Marinette and Menominee Paper Company was a significant contributor to the city's economy and industrial
history, the loss of the historic buildings that housed the physical operations of the facility render it an incomplete
representative of this history.
No evidence was found to suggest that the dam or power channel lock represents any notable engineering innovations or unique capacities. The dam and lock were both previously surveyed in 2014.
National And State Register Of Historic Places Listings
Architecture & History Inventory
The Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory (AHI) is a digital source of information on historic buildings, structures, and objects that have been surveyed by the State Historic Preservation Office in Wisconsin. Each property has a digital record providing basic information about the property and images.
Questions?
Wondering about if your property is eligible or notice some information on this property needs to be updated, reach out today!
Email UsAttribution
For a credit line: Wisconsin Historical Society, Creator, Title, Unique Identifier.
The Unique Identifier can be found at the top or bottom of the page for each item. The name of a downloaded file is NOT the unique identifier.
For bibliographic citations please consult the UW-Madison Libraries Citation Research Guide to ensure compliance with appropriate style guidelines.
Access Property Records
Some properties have more materials (correspondence, clippings, historical information, etc.) not in the digital record. If a 'Site File' exists, it's noted in the 'Additional Comments' field. Contact us for an appointment to view these materials.
Mississippi Lock and Dam No. 5a
Mississippi River
Located on Mississippi River mile 728.5 near Fountain City, Wisconsin, Lock and Dam No. 5a was constructed in 1932 and placed in operation in 1936. The dam consists of a concrete structure 682 feet...
Mississippi Lock and Dam No. 6
Mississippi River
Located on Mississippi River mile 714.1 at Trempealeau, Wisconsin, Lock and Dam No. 6 was constructed and placed in operation in June 1936. The dam consists of a 893-foot long concrete structure wi...
MENOMINEE RIVER .1 MI W OF HATTIE ST BRIDGE
23009
Located in Marinette, Marinette County
