Midway Steam Plant: A Case Study in Early Twentieth Century - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Midway Steam Plant:

A Case Study in Early Twentieth Century California Industrial and Electrical Development

Midway Steam Plant, Buttonwillow, Kern County

Polly Allen and Michelle Cross October 1, 2014

“Electricity is destined to be one of the most powerful factors entering our social condition”

• Electrical Engineer,1890

Night Illumination, Panama Pacific International Exposition, 1915 Los Angeles Electric Rail, 1909

San Joaquin Light and Power Corporation

• Established in 1895 as

San Joaquin Electric Company.

• 37 Mile Transmission

Line from Powerhouse #1 on the San Joaquin River to Fresno, longest in world at construction.

• By 1920, the company
• perated 11

powerhouses and served 7 Counties.

• Strong Promoter of

agricultural interests and electrical pumping.

Hydro Under Pressure:

Navigating Drought, Demand, and Development

California Press 1918-1921

A Rush For Infrastructural Expansion

Report of the California State Railroad Commission, 1921

Siting of the Midway Steam Plant:

Proximity to Load Centers, Fuel Supplies, and Low-Priced Land

Standard Hay Number 7, Elk Hills Miller and Lux Versus Southern Pacific, PG&E Archives, Bakersfield

Pushing Midway Online

PG&E Archives Bakersfield

Layout of the Midway Steam Plant

• Steam Plant
• Cooling

Pond

• Cooling

tower

• Machine

Shop

• Warehouse
• Spur
• Wells
• Gas Pipeline
• Workers

Cottages

An Irrigated Eden:

Steam Plant Salesmanship

19/07/2016

Circa 1930 Plans for Midway Steam Plant Landscaping, (PGE Archives Bakersfield).

Operating Midway Steam Plant:

Demographic and Social Development

United States Federal Census, 1930

A Step of Unusual Importance:

The Pacific Service Merger and Ongoing Energy Consolidation

Post-War Expansion and Industry Transition

From Midway Steam Plant to Midway Substation

1966 Demolition of Midway Steam Plant (Buttonwillow Times) 1966 Midway Substation Expansion (PG&E Archives Bakersfield)

Evolving Energy Infrastructure: Midway Today

Pacific Gas and Electric Company Substation Security Upgrade Project 2014

View of Metcalf Substation located in Santa Clara County, California 19/07/2016

Scope – Substation Security Upgrade Project

19/07/2016

The Midway Substation, Kern County

View of former San Joaquin Light and Power Company Warehouse at the location of the Midway Substation, Kern County, California 19/07/2016

Previous Archaeological Investigations and Studies of the Midway Steam Plant

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Previous Archaeological Investigations and Studies of the Midway Steam Plant

19/07/2016

Previous Archaeological Investigations and Studies of the Midway Steam Plant

19/07/2016

Approach to Archaeological Testing

19/07/2016

Georeferenced Historic Plan Map

19/07/2016

Results: What did we find?

19/07/2016

Redefined Site Boundaries

19/07/2016

Potential Significance Under NRHP Criteria:

• A: Associated with important advances in electrical generation and steam

plant development.

• C: Reflective of a cohesive operational and industrial design that is

representative of period electrical generation facilities.

• D: Has the potential to present important information regarding electrical

generation and operations as well as social and domestic environmental conditions of the period.

Potential Significance Undermined by Lack of Integrity:

• No new information potential/data that cannot already be deduced from the

archival/historical records;

• Extant features, subsurface archaeological deposit, and associated historic

materials do not convey significant information that would inform the available and robust archival record regarding the Midway Steam Plant.

Archaeological Evaluation:

Ineligible for Listing in the NRHP or CRHR

19/07/2016

Approach to Architectural Inventory and Evaluation

19/07/2016

• 1. Warehouse
• 2. Remnant slab associated

with Powerhouse and Machine Shop

• 3. Remnant portions of

perimeter of Cooling Pond

• 4. Remnant rails associated

with SPRR Midway Steam Plant Spur

• 5. Remnant utility features

associated with Midway Steam Plant Worker Cottages

Site Inventory

Storage Warehouse

Site Inventory

Steam Plant Remnants

Site Inventory

Southern Pacific Railroad Spur

Site Inventory

Cooling Pond

Site Inventory

Water Delivery Infrastructure, Worker Cottage Area

Site Inventory

Remnants of Landscaping

Potential Significance Under NRHP Criteria:

• A: Associated with important advances in electrical generation and steam plant

development.

• C: Reflective of a cohesive operational and industrial design that is representative of

period electrical generation facilities.

• D: Has the potential to present important information regarding electrical generation

and operations as well as social and domestic environmental conditions of the period.

Potential Significance Undermined by Lack of Integrity:

• Materials
• Workmanship
• Design
• Setting
• Feeling
• Association
• Location

Architectural Evaluation:

Ineligible for Listing in the NRHP or CRHR

• Importance of Cultivating and Exploring Multiple

Archival Sources

• Utility Sites with Ongoing Development Contexts

May Hold Multiple Evaluative Frameworks

• Timely updating of DPR documentation necessary
• Importance of detailed and exhaustive Historic

Context to make determinations on eligibility for BOTH Archaeology and Architectural History

• Importance of Physical Integrity in a Property’s

Ability to Convey Significance.

General Conclusions / Lessons Learned