Fontana Dam, constructed during the early part of World War II, is the highest dam east of the Mississippi, and at one time, was the fourth highest dam in the world.  The dam was part of  FDR's Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) plan to stop flooding and bring power and jobs to this poor region of Appalachia.  As World War II loomed, however, a sense of urgency compelled the early completion of construction, as the power houses below the dam supplied power to Oak Ridge, TN where much of the United States' experimental nuclear program was located. 

Click an image for a larger view. Click here to return to previous page.

The Little Tennessee River	The Dam Site	A Tent City	The Support Buildings	The Railroad Extension
Site of the Primary Rock Crusher	The Compressor Plant	The Construction Camp	The Hospital and Dormitory	Cofferdam Construction
More housing	The converted Lodge	Blasting	1st Diversion Tunnel	2nd Diversion Tunnel
The dam under construction	Finished!	The dam at night	A view from the air	Workers' admiration