Thomas Aldwell, Date of Birth, Date of Death

Thomas Aldwell

civil engineer

Date of Birth: 14-Jun-1868

Date of Death: 01-Jan-0001

Profession: engineer, civil engineer

Zodiac Sign: Gemini

Thomas Aldwell (14 June 1868 – 1954) was a Canadian entrepreneur and businessman who developed and gained financing for a project to build the Elwha Dam on the Elwha River in Washington State, approximately 4.9 miles upstream from the mouth of the river at the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Working at a variety of jobs in the frontier town of Port Angeles, he quietly bought land at his proposed site of the dam.
With a partner he founded the Olympic Power and Development Company to gather commitments from potential users for the power he would generate.
Construction began in 1910 and the dam was completed in 1913.
Its reservoir of Lake Aldwell was named after him.
Later the Glines Canyon Dam was built several miles upriver by other private interests to generate more electricity for the northern Olympic Peninsula.