LIBBY - People turned out to celebrate the Libby Dam's 50th anniversary on Saturday.
Watch: Community turns out to mark the 50th anniversary of the Libby Dam:
“Fifty years ago on August 24th, 1975, President Gerald Ford stood right here to dedicate this engineering marvel,” USACE Seattle District Commander Col. Kathryn Sanborn said in a speech.
It had already been a long road before President Ford made his trip. Congress authorized the construction of the dam in 1951, and ten years later, construction was permitted after the signing of the Columbia River Treaty.
Since then, the dam has given so much for the surrounding community and beyond.
“All the things that it provides, from clean, efficient hydro power energy to recreation with the beautiful Lake Koocanusa," Sanborn told MTN.
The ceremony even took time to honor the twelve people who lost their lives during the building of the dam, unveiling a new plaque.
“Their legacy flows through every drop of power generated, every flood prevented, and every moment of beauty preserved here.”
For the past 50 years, the Libby Dam has been a testimony of what can be accomplished through years of dedication and it will continue to be in the years to come.
