Arrowrock City
Over one thousand people lived in Arrowrock City during the construction of Arrowrock Dam. The town site included: a hospital, bunkhouses, dormitories, U.S. Post office, cottages, guest house, general store with a soda fountain, ice plant, meat market, bakery, public bath, 70 horse stable, warehouses, cement testing laboratory, sand cement plant, lumber finishing mill, engine house, large kitchen, mess hall, club house and turntable for the locomotives. There was also a water and sewer system in place, as well as a volunteer fire department. Alcohol was not allowed in Arrowrock City.
Housing cost and design varied. Mechanics and foreman workers paid $2.00 per month; skilled laborers paid $1.50 per month; and engineers and office personnel paid $4 to $5 per month. The most expensive housing option was the 14 cottages that cost between $10 to $16 per month.
The large kitchen had an automatic dishwasher and the laborers’ mess hall fed 600 men at one time. The engineers had a smaller mess hall that feed 36 people. Before 1913, food was brought over from the large mess hall to the engineers’ hall, then starting Aug. 1, 1913, the engineer’s mess hall had their own cook and waitress.
Arrowrock City had a club house that was available to all employees from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Employees were able to enjoy music performed by a live band and watch movies that were played on a sheet which was used as a screen.
In 1916, debris was cleared from the reservoir and the construction camp was dismantled. The general store, post office, two cottages and an office remained intact. Then later the general store and post office were removed after they were closed. The remaining buildings were demolished after 1941.
