April 12, 1914

Alabama Power built Lay Dam, its first hydroelectric plant, which was completed on December 31, 1913, and went into service on April 12, 1914. The facility was called Lock 12 Dam until November 1929, when it was named in honor of William Patrick Lay, organizer of Alabama Power and a proponent of developing the navigation and electrical potential of the Coosa River. After the dam was completed, as with other dams in the state, the dam operators and their families continued to live in the company village. Although the village had fewer residents, a guest house was maintained and a club house was added. For a small fee, other Alabama Power employees could catch a special train from Birmingham and spend weekends and vacation at the club house.

Read more at Encyclopedia of Alabama.

William Patrick Lay (1853-1940) was the founder and first president of Alabama Power Company. A Cherokee County native, Lay piloted riverboats before founding the company in 1906. (From Encyclopedia of Alabama, courtesy of Alabama Power Company)

Lay Dam. (Alabama Power Company Archives)

An archival photo shows the dedication of Lay Dam. (Alabama Power Company Archives)

For more on Alabama’s Bicentennial, visit Alabama 200.