Location: Taylor County

The Tygart Dam, located in Grafton was one of the first projects initiated by the Public Works Administration (PWA) to help reduce unemployment in Taylor County and the surrounding counties of Barbour and Preston. A very labor intensive project, at the peak of construction in 1936 the project employed 1,701 men who earned 45 cents per hour if they were non skilled employees and $1.10 if they were skilled laborers. Finished in 1938, the dam took three years to complete.

The Tygart River Dam is currently operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers however the overlook area is open to the public from sunrise to sunset, and free public tours are available Fridays in June, July and August. In 1995 the Tygart River Reservoir Dam was listed to the National Register of Historic Places for its significance to New Deal Policies, Maritime History and also Engineering History. 

For more information:

1. National Registry of Historic Places listing
2. Clio Entry