Call Number:

02

Repository:

St. James' Community History Center

Extent:

1.5 linear feet

Language:

English

Date:

1960-1975 (inclusive)

Creator:

Bayfield, Ralph Wesley

Abstract:

In the 1960s, the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters began planning a 86 foot dam in the Skippack Valley area of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Local opposition, including several members of St. James' Episcopal Church, was strong, and the Evansburg dam was never built. The Edward Platts and Ralph Bayfield collection on the Evansburg dam, 1960-1975, consists of five scrapbooks, several government reports, research on dams, and a map.

In the 1960s, the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters began planning a 86 foot dam south of Ridge Pike in the Skippack Valley area of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The proposed dam, known as "Project 70," would have resulted in a 6-mile long lake with 22.7 miles of shore line. The main proponent of the dam was Dr. Maurice Goddard, then Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters.

Various protestors mobilized in opposition to the Project 70, including the Montgomery County Commissioners, a state Senator and Representative, and a group called "Citizens to Save Skippack Valley." They argued that many families would be affected and some historical homes would be lost--the Evansburg Area was placed on the National Register of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in January, 1971. Scientists from several universities testified that the dammed-up water would have an adverse ecological effect, and that the 8.1 billion gallon lake would eventually contain mostly silt as well as provide a tremendous breeding ground for mosquitoes. The most thorough and widely accepted study was done by Ian McHarg, an internationally known ecologist and planner, with a $90,000 contract authorized by the Montgomery County Commissioners. The year-long study was announced in June 1970 when the study first was revealed.

In spite of all the scientific facts, the objections of county and local officials, and the citizens, the high dam was approved in Harrisburg. 3300 acres of land in the townships of Lower Providence, Skippack, Worcester, Lower Salford, and Towamencin were condemned. The dam was never built, however, mainly due to under-estimating the cost of land acquisition and failure to include the cost to replace the historical Germantown Pike bridge and the one on Ridge Pike over Skippack Creek,

Two rectors of St. James' Episcopal Church in Lower Providence Township were very active in "Citizens to Save the Skippack Valley": Reverend Edward Platts, whose involvement began in 1960, and the Reverend Ralph Bayfield, who was active in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Reverend Edward Platts served as vicar of St. James' Episcopal Church from 1941 to 1953 and as rector from 1953 to 1968. Reverend Ralph Bayfield succeeded him as rector.

Bibliography:

Document found in collection, prepared for May 18, 1986.

The collection of these materials was begun by Rev. Edward Platts in 1960, and continued by Rev. Ralph Bayfield. Both were rectors at St. James' Episcopal Church in Lower Providence Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. This collection contains five scrapbooks of clippings and correspondence (1960-1975), about one-half dozen state reports on the proposed project, historic resources survey of the Perkiomen region, research on dams, and a map of Evansburg state park.