🏞️ Lake Cushman & The Cushman Dam Project

Cushman Hydro Project - Tacoma Public Utilities

Cushman Dam No. 1: A Landmark of Northwest Innovation

One of the first major dams in the Pacific Northwest, Cushman Dam No. 1 was dedicated in 1926 in a nationally celebrated event--President Calvin Coolidge activated the dam remotely from the White House, marking a milestone in hydroelectric development.
Located on the North Fork of the Skokomish River near Hood Canal, the dam stands:

• 275 feet high
• 1,111 feet long

Behind it lies Lake Cushman, a stunning reservoir with 23 miles of shoreline, originally formed by glacial activity and later expanded to support Tacoma’s growing energy needs.

Lake Cushman is a 4,010-acre (16.2 km²) lake and reservoir located on the North Fork of the Skokomish River in Mason County, Washington. Originally formed in a glacial trough and dammed by a terminal moraine during the Vashon stage of the last ice age, the lake was later expanded as part of a major hydroelectric project.
⚡ Historical BackgroundIn 1893, Tacoma Public Utilities was established when the city purchased the privately owned Tacoma Light and Power Co. By the early 1900s, the utility began seeking new sources of power to meet growing demand.
Under the leadership of Ira S. Davisson (Commissioner, 1918–1940), Tacoma Power initiated the Cushman Hydroelectric Project in 1919, following post-WWI economic and housing expansion.
🏗️ Cushman Dam No. 1

• Construction began: 1924 near Potlatch, WA
• Activated: March 23, 1926 by President Calvin Coolidge via remote ceremony from the White House
• Design: Concrete arch, gravity, and embankment
• Dimensions:
  • Height: 275 feet
  • Length: 1,111 feet
  • Base width: 50 feet
  • Top width: 8 feet
  • Concrete volume: 90,000 cubic yards
• Lake Cushman shoreline: 23 miles
• Power transmission: 40-mile line including a 6,244-foot suspension across the Tacoma Narrows

🏞️ Cushman Dam No. 2

• Completed: December 1930
• A smaller dam built to supplement the original powerhouse and expand hydroelectric capacity.