Rapide Croche Lock and Dam Historic District

Fox R. at the Outagamie--Brown County line, Wrightstown, Wisconsin

Eighth lock and dam upriver from Green Bay

Photos

Rapide Croche Dam

Photo taken by J.R. Manning

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Map

Coordinates:
+44.31660, -88.19505
44°18'60" N, 88°11'42" W

Quadrangle map:
Wrightstown

Description

Rapide Croche ("Eighth Rapids") is a complex comprised of a dam, a hydro-electric powerhouse and a lock to navigate around the dam. The lock is permanently closed, it was sealed in 1988. As of this writing, the lock is not available for viewing. It is closed and de-watered, acting as a barrier to aquatic invasive species (AIS) that could travel from Green Bay into the Lake Winnebago ecosystem.

A future plan calls for a transfer station to replace the lock that will lift watercraft from downriver, subject it to a 110º bath to kill off hitchhiking species, then return the craft to the upriver position.

The lock provided a 9.4' lift. It was built in 1859, rebuilt between 1931 and 1939, and permanently sealed in 1988.

The dam is maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the powerhouse is operated by Kaukauna Utilities, the lock is under the control of the Fox River Navigational System Authority. (Control of the locks passed from the Corps of Engineers to the State of Wisconsin in 2004. The Fox River Navigational Authority was created in 2005.)

National Register information

Status: Posted to the National Register of Historic Places on December 7, 1993
Reference number: 93001326
Areas of significance: Transportation; Engineering
Level of significance: State
Evaluation criteria: A - Event; C - Design/Construction
Property type: District
Historic functions: Water-related; Single dwelling
Current function: Water-related
Period of significance: 1925-1949
Significant years: 1931; 1934
Number of properties: Contributing buildings: 2
Contributing structures: 3
Non-contributing buildings: 2

Update Log

May 2, 2015: Updated by J.R. Manning: Updated Status, Added Description, Adjusted Appropriate Categories and Added Photos

Sources

J.R. Manning - Lugnuts969 [at] gmail [dot] com
Rapide Croche Lock - Description of the lock and plans for a transfer station to replace the sealed lock.
Kaukauna Utilities - Rapide Croche Powerhouse Page
National Register database - Reference number 93001326 (Search for documents)