Cheoah Hydroelectric Development
Why it's listed
Built on the Little Tennessee River between 1916 and 1919, the Cheoah Hydroelectric Development was the first of four Alcoa-built facilities in the Tapoco Hydroelectric Project. The complex includes a gravity-type concrete arched dam 225 feet high and 750 feet long, a reinforced concrete powerhouse, a penstock building, two concrete gatehouses and a steel gantry crane. Operation began in April 1919, and the dam was then the highest overflow dam in the world, while its powerhouse held the largest hydroelectric generating units. The power generated was carried 28 miles by transmission lines to the aluminum reduction plant at Alcoa, Tennessee. A fifth turbine was added in 1949. The development is significant for its engineering design and its role in supplying electricity to the regional aluminum industry. Its original concrete surfaces and powerhouse windows remain largely intact.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the development is significant under criterion A for its role in the industrial development of the region, supplying power to Alcoa's aluminum plants in Tennessee. It is also significant under criterion C for its engineering, as the dam was the highest overflow dam in the world when completed and its turbines were the largest in existence. The nomination states that the design became a model for later dams.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 04000464, listed May 21, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1512 Tapoca Rd., NC 129, Robbinsville |
|---|---|
| County | Graham County |
| Listed | May 21, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000464 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1919-1953 |
| Architect / builder | Power & Engineering Group of Alcoa, Pittsburgh, PA |
| Architectural style | Late 19th & early 20th century revivals / Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Architecture, Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 25 |
| Coordinates | 35.45024, -83.93586 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 04000464.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q723194
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.