Historic Dam On Watauga River Demolished by Keri Brown
2:52pm May 28, 2021 A crew removes a section of the Ward Dam. The demolition was completed in mid-May. Picture courtesy of MountainTrue/Watauga Riverkeeper
A historic dam on the Watauga River is no longer standing. Environmentalists say the removal will increase the overall health of the waterway.
The former Ward Mill Dam sat just outside of Boone. It was first built in the 1890s and was used to power nearby grist and sawmills. Over the years, the structure went through a lot of changes, but the hydroelectric dam was demolished earlier this month.