Greers Ferry Dam is located on the
Little Red River in
Cleburne County in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sov ...
of
Arkansas
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage la ...
. It impounds
Greers Ferry Lake. The dam is located north of
Little Rock.
Building the dam
Construction of the dam began in March 1959 and was completed in December 1962. The lake serves the
Heber Springs
Heber Springs is a city in and the county seat of Cleburne County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 7,165 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Heber Springs is located near the center of Cleburne County at (35.494329, −92.039168). Arkansa ...
area flood control, and is a site for recreation and power generation. When construction began on the dam in 1956, hundreds of workers showed up looking for work. The newly hired workers then rented empty houses next to the construction site, and workers were even building their own homes next to the soon-to-be lake. Once all the workers arrived, people and business owners saw an opportunity in this construction and built motels, shops, and stores next to the construction site so workers would have a place to shop and relax. Farmers also felt the benefit of the construction, as work on the lake created demand for livestock and agriculture.
Dedication
After completion, the lake was dedicated on October 3, 1963 by
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...
. The trip was his last major public appearance before his fateful trip to
Dallas
Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County ...
on Nov. 22, 1963, where he was assassinated. This event marks the only time a sitting president has visited
Cleburne County. In his remarks in Heber Springs, Kennedy explained that the Greers Ferry project and others like it were investments in Arkansas and the nation's future. He was right - after the lake filled, tourism boomed, many businesses opened and reopened, and Greers Ferry Lake became one of Arkansas' leading destinations. Today, many resort communities dot the shores of Greers Ferry Lake.
Power plant
The dam supports a power plant with two generating units rated at 48,000 kilowatts per unit.
See also
*
List of Arkansas dams and reservoirs
Following is a list of dams and reservoirs in Arkansas.
All major dams are linked below. The National Inventory of Dams defines any "major dam" as being tall with a storage capacity of at least , or of any height with a storage capacity of .
Da ...
References
{{Reflist, refs=
External links
Encyclopedia of Arkansas - Greers Ferry Dam and LakeEncyclopedia of Arkansas - Greers Ferry DamGreers Ferry Dam overview
USACE - Greers Ferry Lake - Elevation Fact SheetUSACE - Greers Ferry Dam 50th Anniversary Dedication Celebration Ceremony
Dams in Arkansas
Hydroelectric power plants in Arkansas
Dams completed in 1962
Buildings and structures in Cleburne County, Arkansas
United States Army Corps of Engineers dams
Little Red River (Arkansas)
1962 establishments in Arkansas