On Saturday, September 29, 2012, Powerhouse Re Gen LLC will host a 100th Anniversary public gathering to celebrate the history of the Bull Run Powerhouse in the City of Sandy. The event is from 1:00 to 5:00 pm, with shuttles leaving frequently from the Roslyn Lake parking area, just past the Bull Run Elementary School at 41515 SE Thomas Road in Sandy.

The Portland Water Bureau will host a booth with information about the Bull Run watershed.

The 100-year old hydroelectric plant sits six miles north of Sandy on the Bull Run River. Closed officially in the mid 2000’s, the defunct powerhouse boasts an extensive past and is an important part of Oregon’s history.  Construction began on the powerhouse in the early 1900’s.  It was designed by the J.G. White Engineering Company and was built into the wall of the Bull Run River canyon. In 1912, the powerhouse began producing electricity to light the growing City of Portland. At the time, the powerhouse generated up to 30 megawatts, enough to provide electricity to about 12,000 homes.

In 2008, the powerhouse was decommissioned along with the removal of Marmot Dam and the drainage of Roslyn Lake, in order to restore historic fish runs to the Sandy River. The powerhouse was then slated for demolition. Through a turn of events, Powerhouse Re Gen LLC purchased and took ownership of the facility, working now to protect the history of the property and the structures located there.

Interested in learning more about this historic icon?  Grab your family, friends and camera and join Powerhouse Re Gen LLC this weekend to learn about the history of the powerhouse, the town of Bull Run, and how the 100-year old hydroelectric plant has stolen the heart of the community. 

There will be exclusive tours through the powerhouse’s generator room and machine shop as well as live musical performances by the bands The Wainwright Brothers, from Eugene, and The Future Historians, from Portland.  

See a part of an amazing history!

Lindsay Wochnick
Community Information and Involvement