Most people are familiar with Pike's Peak in Colorado, named after Zebulon Pike. What is lesser known is that Pike, an Army Lieutenant, lead an 1805 expedition to find the headwaters of the Mississippi River. Along the way, Pike ran into winter near Little Falls. The expedition established a small fort and stayed the winter. That location was flooded out when the Blanchard Dam was erected in 1925. Just before the fort site was flooded, a marker was placed so it could be found again in the future. As it happens, the Blanchard Dam was drained in 1984 for repairs. While the water level was low, historians were able to locate the site of the fort and do a new excavation. The walls and buildings were mapped out and documented before the dam repairs were finished. The dam was unexpectedly drained again in 1985 for pipeline work. Historians were able to do additional excavation, this time, finding a musket from the 1805 expedition.
The photo above is a view of the dam and power house during the spring high water season. The sound and spray of the water surging through the dam is incredible. The photo below is an overview of the dam site as seen from the Soo Line Trail bridge. The bridge was not yet open to the public when these spring photos were taken, but was open when the summer photos below were shot. The Soo Line Trail bridge is located just below the Blanchard Dam and features spectacular views of the structure.
