The Dorena Dam project was initiated in the 1930’s but World War II put off construction until the mid 1940’s. The Dam was built primarily for flood control. Over 500 men worked on the construction and 100 homes were moved or dismantled to make way for the reservoir. The Dam was completed in 1949.
I was very young, but remember clearly going to the dam with my grandfather, Ralph Kirk. He held me on his hip and pointed out over the water and said, “There was the land they took from us, Katie.”. Tho the dam was necessary, it broke the hearts of many who settled there.