Mississippi River power plant and lock, Keokuk, IA, 1934

About this postcard

An aerial view of the Mississippi River power plant, government lock, and dry dock at Keokuk, Iowa. The dam and powerhouse stretch across the river, with railroad tracks, industrial buildings, and a red brick building in the foreground. The Keokuk dam and powerhouse were built at the Des Moines Rapids to generate hydroelectric power, and the lock carried river traffic past the dam. The lock and dry dock were federal works, part of the navigation improvements at Keokuk. By the 1930s the complex was a familiar industrial landmark on the upper Mississippi.