Ky. Dam before it was a dam

**rnvinc** · 07-30-2009, 03:31 PM

I found these pics in my dad's collection...He was born (1930) and raised at Gobbler's Knob which use to be located just up on the hill on the south side of what is now Ky. Dam Marina....

He has told me stories of walking to Gilbertsville school every day across "the bottom peanut patch" which is now the bottom of Ky Dam Marina...

All of these pics are in (I think) 1938....which is 1 year after the "big flood of '37" and right before TVA started construction of KY. Dam....

Ky Dam site from the north looking south.....notice "27 mile island" that starts just south of the RR bridge and farther south you can make out "3 mile island"...these islands still show on present day topo maps of Ky. Lake...of course they are under water now....

Notice the town of "Old Gilbertsville" at bottom center of pic...this town was moved farther down HWY 282 toward Calvert City to allow for the construction of the dam....

Closer pic of Ky Dam site from the north looking south....notice the type of river barge access bridge on the west (right) side of the river was a "spin" type (I have no idea what the actual name is) where the first two sections of bridge spans were attached to an "axle" bridge support that spun 90 degrees to allow barge access thru the brigde...I was told that this section was moved somewhere south and used in some other location for years....

This pic must be right at the start of dam construction because it shows the coffer dam just south of the RR bridge that was built at the section of river that went around the east side of "27 mile island"

Ky Dam site from south looking north...

This is the aerial view of "Old Gilbertsville" which was moved farther west down HWY 282 during the dam construction....

This is a downtown pic of "Old Gilbertsville" ....notice the sign on the side of the brick building in the right hand side of pic..."Overalls...R.D. Smith Gilbertsville KY.....

This is the RR trestle in the bottom right of the aerial photo of "Old Gilbertsville" that led up to the RR bridge that crossed the Tennessee River..

If anyone has more pics relating to this era before Ky. Dam was built please add to this post...I"m really interested in finding aerial photos of the Marshall Co. town of "Old Birmingham" that was just south of "3 mile island"....

**opie13** · 07-30-2009, 05:20 PM

Those are some neat pictures. It's always neat to see stuff like that before it was covered up. They seem to still be in great shape to. Thanks for putting them up.

**frank lawhead** · 07-30-2009, 07:00 PM

Great Pictures-enjoyed Looking At Them

**Hanr3** · 07-30-2009, 07:52 PM

Great pics, thanks for sharing.

I didn't see the sign you mentioned. I did however see the Falstaff beer sign. I remember that beer. A little before my time, but I remember it. :D

**Quicksilver1958** · 07-30-2009, 09:31 PM

Wow, thanks for sharing..

Sure brings back some memories. I grew up just a few miles from Ky. Dam. I can remember fishing below the dam when I was barely big enough to hold a rod. We kept an old steel fishing boat at the boat dock that used to be just north of the Dam on the Gilbertsville side. I remember that old boat surviving the cyclone that hit that marina in the mid 60's..

Gobbler's Knob, Yep, off of old sledd creek road.. It was a popular "parking" spot when I was growing up.

Thanks again, Great pics!

**rnvinc** · 07-31-2009, 08:31 AM

Originally Posted by Hanr3

Great pics, thanks for sharing.

I didn't see the sign you mentioned. I did however see the Falstaff beer sign. I remember that beer. A little before my time, but I remember it. :D

It's the faded sign just to the right of the Falstaff sign...it's hard to make out...

**rnvinc** · 07-31-2009, 08:46 AM

Lucky for me I also have a set of aerial photos of this site from 2000 ft looking straight down.....

There are 5 separate 9in. X 9in. aerial photos...when pieced together they show the pre-kydam section of the TN. river from the "Old TN. river boat ramp" (north of the RR bridge) all the way south to "3 mile island"....

If I can find a way to scan each of these pics and then "stitch" them together to show the entire section, I will post them....separately it's hard to comprehend what each pic is showing, but "stitched" together they make a very neat looking aerial view of the TN river (pre-kydam)...

I'm still interest in finding any pre-kydam photos of the town of "old Birmingham"....

**M R Dux** · 07-31-2009, 10:03 PM

My maternal grandparents were from old Gilbertsville and lived at Birmingham until they flooded the lake. I remember going to the Gilbertsville reunions as a kid.

Quicksilver, was the marina the boat basin or Van Winkles?

**rnvinc** · 08-01-2009, 08:24 AM

Originally Posted by mrdux

My maternal grandparents were from old Gilbertsville and lived at Birmingham until they flooded the lake. I remember going to the Gilbertsville reunions as a kid.

mrdux (cousin)...you and I have the same grandparents....Floyd and Arlene..

**M R Dux** · 08-01-2009, 06:52 PM

Brain fart alert!!

I didn't even see who the thread was posted by. You are most correct, cuz!

Loved the photos to say the least.

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