View of a lock looking upstream at La Colle Falls

Bio/historical note: The Ruins at La Colle Falls - At the turn of the 20th century, the City of Prince Albert undertook an ambitious project to generate hydroelectric energy on the North Saskatchewan River by erecting a large turbine dam. Due to some logistical and engineering problems, the project was abandoned in 1914 only five years after construction first began. The city of Prince Albert nearly went bankrupt trying to pay off the $3 million white elephant. It would take half a century to pay off the debt. Today, all that remains of the massive construction project is a concrete labyrinth on the banks of the river east of Prince Albert. Travel to the site is not advised as the road is not maintained. Those choosing to proceed to the site do so at their own risk, as per the Virtual Prince Albert tourist website: http://www.virtualprincealbert.com/lacolle.htm (accessed March 10, 2010). These particular photographs were taken by an unidentified Engineer working on the project and donated by Prince Albert City Hall to the Prince Albert Historical Society

View of a lock looking upstream at La Colle Falls

Bio/historical note: The Ruins at La Colle Falls - At the turn of the 20th century, the City of Prince Albert undertook an ambitious project to generate hydroelectric energy on the North Saskatchewan River by erecting a large turbine dam. Due to some logistical and engineering problems, the project was abandoned in 1914 only five years after construction first began. The city of Prince Albert nearly went bankrupt trying to pay off the $3 million white elephant. It would take half a century to pay off the debt. Today, all that remains of the massive construction project is a concrete labyrinth on the banks of the river east of Prince Albert. Travel to the site is not advised as the road is not maintained. Those choosing to proceed to the site do so at their own risk, as per the Virtual Prince Albert tourist website: http://www.virtualprincealbert.com/lacolle.htm (accessed March 10, 2010). These particular photographs were taken by an unidentified Engineer working on the project and donated by Prince Albert City Hall to the Prince Albert Historical Society

View of lock walls at the La Colle Falls construction project

Bio/historical note: The Ruins at La Colle Falls - At the turn of the 20th century, the City of Prince Albert undertook an ambitious project to generate hydroelectric energy on the North Saskatchewan River by erecting a large turbine dam. Due to some logistical and engineering problems, the project was abandoned in 1914 only five years after construction first began. The city of Prince Albert nearly went bankrupt trying to pay off the $3 million white elephant. It would take half a century to pay off the debt. Today, all that remains of the massive construction project is a concrete labyrinth on the banks of the river east of Prince Albert. Travel to the site is not advised as the road is not maintained. Those choosing to proceed to the site do so at their own risk, as per the Virtual Prince Albert tourist website: http://www.virtualprincealbert.com/lacolle.htm (accessed March 10, 2010). These particular photographs were taken by an unidentified Engineer working on the project and donated by Prince Albert City Hall to the Prince Albert Historical Society

View of the La Colle Falls construction project looking downstream on the North Saskatchewan River. Unidentified workmen at left

Bio/historical note: The Ruins at La Colle Falls - At the turn of the 20th century, the City of Prince Albert undertook an ambitious project to generate hydroelectric energy on the North Saskatchewan River by erecting a large turbine dam. Due to some logistical and engineering problems, the project was abandoned in 1914 only five years after construction first began. The city of Prince Albert nearly went bankrupt trying to pay off the $3 million white elephant. It would take half a century to pay off the debt. Today, all that remains of the massive construction project is a concrete labyrinth on the banks of the river east of Prince Albert. Travel to the site is not advised as the road is not maintained. Those choosing to proceed to the site do so at their own risk, as per the Virtual Prince Albert tourist website: http://www.virtualprincealbert.com/lacolle.htm (accessed March 10, 2010). These particular photographs were taken by an unidentified Engineer working on the project and donated by Prince Albert City Hall to the Prince Albert Historical Society

Looking downstream from La Colle falls

Bio/historical note: The Ruins at La Colle Falls - At the turn of the 20th century, the City of Prince Albert undertook an ambitious project to generate hydroelectric energy on the North Saskatchewan River by erecting a large turbine dam. Due to some logistical and engineering problems, the project was abandoned in 1914 only five years after construction first began. The city of Prince Albert nearly went bankrupt trying to pay off the $3 million white elephant. It would take half a century to pay off the debt. Today, all that remains of the massive construction project is a concrete labyrinth on the banks of the river east of Prince Albert. Travel to the site is not advised as the road is not maintained. Those choosing to proceed to the site do so at their own risk, as per the Virtual Prince Albert tourist website: http://www.virtualprincealbert.com/lacolle.htm (accessed March 10, 2010). These particular photographs were taken by an unidentified Engineer working on the project and donated by Prince Albert City Hall to the Prince Albert Historical Society

View of dam site construction from "jail towers." Uncertain what this means (Prince Albert jails were not in the vicinity, possibly a nickname?)

Bio/historical note: The Ruins at La Colle Falls - At the turn of the 20th century, the City of Prince Albert undertook an ambitious project to generate hydroelectric energy on the North Saskatchewan River by erecting a large turbine dam. Due to some logistical and engineering problems, the project was abandoned in 1914 only five years after construction first began. The city of Prince Albert nearly went bankrupt trying to pay off the $3 million white elephant. It would take half a century to pay off the debt. Today, all that remains of the massive construction project is a concrete labyrinth on the banks of the river east of Prince Albert. Travel to the site is not advised as the road is not maintained. Those choosing to proceed to the site do so at their own risk, as per the Virtual Prince Albert tourist website: http://www.virtualprincealbert.com/lacolle.htm (accessed March 10, 2010). These particular photographs were taken by an unidentified Engineer working on the project and donated by Prince Albert City Hall to the Prince Albert Historical Society

View of the La Colle Falls construction project looking upstream along the North Saskatchewan River

Bio/historical note: The Ruins at La Colle Falls - At the turn of the 20th century, the City of Prince Albert undertook an ambitious project to generate hydroelectric energy on the North Saskatchewan River by erecting a large turbine dam. Due to some logistical and engineering problems, the project was abandoned in 1914 only five years after construction first began. The city of Prince Albert nearly went bankrupt trying to pay off the $3 million white elephant. It would take half a century to pay off the debt. Today, all that remains of the massive construction project is a concrete labyrinth on the banks of the river east of Prince Albert. Travel to the site is not advised as the road is not maintained. Those choosing to proceed to the site do so at their own risk, as per the Virtual Prince Albert tourist website: http://www.virtualprincealbert.com/lacolle.htm (accessed March 10, 2010). These particular photographs were taken by an unidentified Engineer working on the project and donated by Prince Albert City Hall to the Prince Albert Historical Society

View of the La Colle Falls construction project looking upstream along the North Saskatchewan River

Bio/historical note: The Ruins at La Colle Falls - At the turn of the 20th century, the City of Prince Albert undertook an ambitious project to generate hydroelectric energy on the North Saskatchewan River by erecting a large turbine dam. Due to some logistical and engineering problems, the project was abandoned in 1914 only five years after construction first began. The city of Prince Albert nearly went bankrupt trying to pay off the $3 million white elephant. It would take half a century to pay off the debt. Today, all that remains of the massive construction project is a concrete labyrinth on the banks of the river east of Prince Albert. Travel to the site is not advised as the road is not maintained. Those choosing to proceed to the site do so at their own risk, as per the Virtual Prince Albert tourist website: http://www.virtualprincealbert.com/lacolle.htm (accessed March 10, 2010). These particular photographs were taken by an unidentified Engineer working on the project and donated by Prince Albert City Hall to the Prince Albert Historical Society

View from the La Colle Falls construction project looking upstream along the North Saskatchewan River

Bio/historical note: The Ruins at La Colle Falls - At the turn of the 20th century, the City of Prince Albert undertook an ambitious project to generate hydroelectric energy on the North Saskatchewan River by erecting a large turbine dam. Due to some logistical and engineering problems, the project was abandoned in 1914 only five years after construction first began. The city of Prince Albert nearly went bankrupt trying to pay off the $3 million white elephant. It would take half a century to pay off the debt. Today, all that remains of the massive construction project is a concrete labyrinth on the banks of the river east of Prince Albert. Travel to the site is not advised as the road is not maintained. Those choosing to proceed to the site do so at their own risk, as per the Virtual Prince Albert tourist website: http://www.virtualprincealbert.com/lacolle.htm (accessed March 10, 2010). These particular photographs were taken by an unidentified Engineer working on the project and donated by Prince Albert City Hall to the Prince Albert Historical Society

View of construction at La Colle Falls looking upstream

Bio/historical note: The Ruins at La Colle Falls - At the turn of the 20th century, the City of Prince Albert undertook an ambitious project to generate hydroelectric energy on the North Saskatchewan River by erecting a large turbine dam. Due to some logistical and engineering problems, the project was abandoned in 1914 only five years after construction first began. The city of Prince Albert nearly went bankrupt trying to pay off the $3 million white elephant. It would take half a century to pay off the debt. Today, all that remains of the massive construction project is a concrete labyrinth on the banks of the river east of Prince Albert. Travel to the site is not advised as the road is not maintained. Those choosing to proceed to the site do so at their own risk, as per the Virtual Prince Albert tourist website: http://www.virtualprincealbert.com/lacolle.htm (accessed March 10, 2010). These particular photographs were taken by an unidentified Engineer working on the project and donated by Prince Albert City Hall to the Prince Albert Historical Society

View of a piece of machinery being lowered by a pulley system at La Colle Falls

Bio/historical note: The Ruins at La Colle Falls - At the turn of the 20th century, the City of Prince Albert undertook an ambitious project to generate hydroelectric energy on the North Saskatchewan River by erecting a large turbine dam. Due to some logistical and engineering problems, the project was abandoned in 1914 only five years after construction first began. The city of Prince Albert nearly went bankrupt trying to pay off the $3 million white elephant. It would take half a century to pay off the debt. Today, all that remains of the massive construction project is a concrete labyrinth on the banks of the river east of Prince Albert. Travel to the site is not advised as the road is not maintained. Those choosing to proceed to the site do so at their own risk, as per the Virtual Prince Albert tourist website: http://www.virtualprincealbert.com/lacolle.htm (accessed March 10, 2010). These particular photographs were taken by an unidentified Engineer working on the project and donated by Prince Albert City Hall to the Prince Albert Historical Society

View of a concrete or steel section being lowered by a pulley system at La Colle Falls. Unidentified worker atop the section

Bio/historical note: The Ruins at La Colle Falls - At the turn of the 20th century, the City of Prince Albert undertook an ambitious project to generate hydroelectric energy on the North Saskatchewan River by erecting a large turbine dam. Due to some logistical and engineering problems, the project was abandoned in 1914 only five years after construction first began. The city of Prince Albert nearly went bankrupt trying to pay off the $3 million white elephant. It would take half a century to pay off the debt. Today, all that remains of the massive construction project is a concrete labyrinth on the banks of the river east of Prince Albert. Travel to the site is not advised as the road is not maintained. Those choosing to proceed to the site do so at their own risk, as per the Virtual Prince Albert tourist website: http://www.virtualprincealbert.com/lacolle.htm (accessed March 10, 2010). These particular photographs were taken by an unidentified Engineer working on the project and donated by Prince Albert City Hall to the Prince Albert Historical Society

View of construction materials being lowered by rope and pulley to site at La Colle Falls. Unidentified workman in foreground

Bio/historical note: The Ruins at La Colle Falls - At the turn of the 20th century, the City of Prince Albert undertook an ambitious project to generate hydroelectric energy on the North Saskatchewan River by erecting a large turbine dam. Due to some logistical and engineering problems, the project was abandoned in 1914 only five years after construction first began. The city of Prince Albert nearly went bankrupt trying to pay off the $3 million white elephant. It would take half a century to pay off the debt. Today, all that remains of the massive construction project is a concrete labyrinth on the banks of the river east of Prince Albert. Travel to the site is not advised as the road is not maintained. Those choosing to proceed to the site do so at their own risk, as per the Virtual Prince Albert tourist website: http://www.virtualprincealbert.com/lacolle.htm (accessed March 10, 2010). These particular photographs were taken by an unidentified Engineer working on the project and donated by Prince Albert City Hall to the Prince Albert Historical Society

Lowering a section of wall at the La Colle Falls construction site. Unidentified workmen

Bio/historical note: The Ruins at La Colle Falls - At the turn of the 20th century, the City of Prince Albert undertook an ambitious project to generate hydroelectric energy on the North Saskatchewan River by erecting a large turbine dam. Due to some logistical and engineering problems, the project was abandoned in 1914 only five years after construction first began. The city of Prince Albert nearly went bankrupt trying to pay off the $3 million white elephant. It would take half a century to pay off the debt. Today, all that remains of the massive construction project is a concrete labyrinth on the banks of the river east of Prince Albert. Travel to the site is not advised as the road is not maintained. Those choosing to proceed to the site do so at their own risk, as per the Virtual Prince Albert tourist website: http://www.virtualprincealbert.com/lacolle.htm (accessed March 10, 2010). These particular photographs were taken by an unidentified Engineer working on the project and donated by Prince Albert City Hall to the Prince Albert Historical Society

La Colle Falls construction site showing unidentified workmen lowering a section of wall into place with ropes and pulleys

Bio/historical note: The Ruins at La Colle Falls - At the turn of the 20th century, the City of Prince Albert undertook an ambitious project to generate hydroelectric energy on the North Saskatchewan River by erecting a large turbine dam. Due to some logistical and engineering problems, the project was abandoned in 1914 only five years after construction first began. The city of Prince Albert nearly went bankrupt trying to pay off the $3 million white elephant. It would take half a century to pay off the debt. Today, all that remains of the massive construction project is a concrete labyrinth on the banks of the river east of Prince Albert. Travel to the site is not advised as the road is not maintained. Those choosing to proceed to the site do so at their own risk, as per the Virtual Prince Albert tourist website: http://www.virtualprincealbert.com/lacolle.htm (accessed March 10, 2010). These particular photographs were taken by an unidentified Engineer working on the project and donated by Prince Albert City Hall to the Prince Albert Historical Society