How does this dam compare to the one in Williamsburg that broke and caused the catastrophic Mill River Flood of 1874?
The earthen dam in Williamsburg which held back the waters of a very large reservoir was designed by a surveyor, poorly constructed, and required the services of a hired gate-keeper to release water as directed by the mill owners. The water flowed into the Mill River and provided power to the many mills below. The villages and towns along the Mill River were densely populated with factories and homes, accounting for the many lives that were lost.
