The history of the Ford Dam is the result of a 50 year struggle between Minneapolis and St. Paul to exploit hydro power and navigation rights on the great river. The original project was for two low-water dams. Lock & Dam #2 was to be built just north of Lake Street, and Lock & Dam #1 was to be built just south of Ford Parkway. Lock & Dam #2 was started around 1897, and finished in 1907. It featured a single small steamship-sized lock. Locals now call this Meeker Island Lock & Dam since it was built at the site of the former Meeker Island. Lock & Dam #1 was started about 1912. Just as the low water dam and locks were finished, the US Government stepped in and declared that the Lock & Dam #1 would become a high-water power dam. The result is that Lock & Dam #2, which has been in operation only 5 years, was closed and demolished. The downriver dam was rebuilt, and a power house was installed. While the logic of having one high water dam with a single set of locks makes great sense, it is too bad that all the work was invested in building and later demolishing the Meeker Island Lock & Dam.
The locks at this dam were closed from August 1, 2007 to October 5, 2007, following the collapse of the I-35W bridge. The river was closed above this lock & dam during the recovery and bridge clean-up operations.
