Citizens

Cuyahoga River

Industry

Architecture

Leisure Time

Did You Know?

Documents & Records

History Books

Cuyahoga River

Anchor Rock was first incorporated into the Chuckery Dam of the Portage Canal Mfg. Co., then into the Marathon Rubber. Co. dam. Stone wall at left is not part of the dam. It is the bulkhead built by the Marathon Rubber Co. to prevent water from escaping down the old Chuckery Darn. Marathon took power from the west end of the dam.

This photo is looking south at the location of the Chuckery Dam (Portage Canal & Mfg. Co. at Cascade, Ohio) and, later, the Marathon Rubber darn which was built much in the same manner as the Chuckery dam which preceded it. The so-called Anchor Rock was used by both dam builders as the east abutment. Evidence of the masonry tie-in is clearly visible on the rock. Both dams were of wood cribbing filled with stones (upper face was smoothly and tightly planked) with masonry abutments.
The "part of the dam" seen at left is the wall erected by Marathon to pre- vent water from escaping down the old Chuckery Race. The race (hydraulic) and turbine for Marathon were on the west end of the dam and side of gorge.
As I understand it Marathon's turbine shaft was enclosed in a vertical, tubular, steel housing to the top of the gorge. A steel, spiral stairway was attached to the shaft housing to allow quick access to the turbine at the bottom. - Carl Ehmann June 8, 1998 Canal Historian