SPRING VALLEY – After the 1942 flood and a number of water disasters, it was decided that something had to be done to protect the people of Spring Valley from being washed away. The Corps of Engineers came up with a plan to place a dam at the end of the valley to hold the water back, allowing it to move down the Eau Galle River more slowly, protecting the village from future disastrous water events.

The grand marshals for the 2022 Dam Days represent some of the crew that built and finished the dam from 1965 to 1968. A few of the crew met in July for coffee and doughnuts to share some of their experiences. Paul Kangas was originally from Tripoli, Wis. His dad was on the crew as a mechanic and welder. He suggested Paul apply for a job working on the dam. He would meet Dawn and stay in Spring Valley. Paul shared about Bill, his dad, who was a lead operator. Bill ran a tight crew and expected the group to work hard. Paul told how Bill taught him how to run a scooper in one lesson; after that he was expected to be a pro. Paul also shared how Bill didn’t tolerate long hair. One time two guys came on the job with long hair, and at the end of the week after they were paid, they were told to cut it or don’t come back. The next week their hair was cut.

Richard Johnson from Spring Valley quit a job that paid $57 per week to work for Underground Waters, where he was paid $3.05 per hour and double on the weekends.

Richard shared about his brother Adolph Johnson, a local from the area who also worked on the dam’s construction. According to Richard, his brother Adolph was a bit of a trickster. Adolph was a rock picker and he was very good at spying agates. One day he brought a pock et full of shined up agates – he hid them in the rock and would “happen” to find them while picking. Everyone was amazed and they wanted to find agates like these, so they too were on the hunt. Adolph was a colorful character.

Larry Madson from Spring Valley was contracted by Ken Raasch to work for $100 a week. He handled the jackhammer that drilled holes for clearing the stone for the spillway that goes to the park area. If you look at the wall of the spillway you can see those drill marks.

Others worked their summers on the dam, such as Joe Johnson who is originally from Spring Valley. He worked two summers on the dam. The second summer, he worked driving dump trucks. This experience would lead him to work for Sweeney Brothers Incorporated, a local construction company. Joe said while erecting fencing around the dam, they put poles in the ground, which was very hard to do because of having to bore down into the stone wall. The crew would cut levels, or butts, off the poles, leaving them on the ground. When the water rose, it caused the butts to float downstream and the Corps was not happy.

Don Blegen, another local, worked summers when he was on summer break from his teaching job in Elmwood. His job was picking up rock and sand.

Tom White was from Menomonie. He worked while going to school at Stout. He graduated and went on to teach at Elmwood with Don Blegen. His job was also picking rock.

Finally, Dale Strom from Spring Valley only worked three weeks, and while working drove dump truck. Floyd Helgeson offered him a job driving dump truck for $68 a week, so he left and went to work for Helgeson’s Trucking.

Others who have worked on the dam are Butch Wendtlandt, Dave Ducklow,Dean Blegen, Dennis Blegen, Leslie Larson, Jerry Mattison, Bruce Gunderson, Chuck Greg and Gilbert Rice (Whimp).

Special thank you to Mark Mattison for providing a truck and trailer to bring the 2022 grand marshals down the parade route on Sunday at 2 p.m.

Submitted by Elizabeth Erickson, Spring Valley Lions Club