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History of Cedar Cliff Falls

Cedar Cliff Falls was constructed in 1887 as a stone dam for the Harbison Flour Mill,1 which sat just behind it on the south side of Massie Creek. The Falls replaced an old dam that had been destroyed in a flood.

The Falls were built with a slight curve upstream, as many dams are, to absorb the water pressure behind it. While it was being constructed, the water flowing from upstream was continually pumped using a cofferdam.

 

 

Fast Facts

The Falls are beautiful in the winter as well!

  • Approximately 30 ft wide2
  • Approximately 40 ft high3 (usually appears to be much less depending on water level)
  • Depth of water behind falls is about 25 ft
  • Stone wall is 2 – 2.5 ft thick
  • Stone wall downstream face is vertical; upstream face is sloped at a 2:1 ratio
  • Construction cost about $115,000.00 – which would be over $3 million today!

 

 

REFERENCES
  1. Leffel, J. (1978, September 19). Telephone Memorandum. Springfield, OH.
  2. Woolpert, R. L. (1977, April 1). Engineering Services. Xenia, OH.
  3. Hedeen, S. (n.d.). Water, Stone, and Ice. In The Little Miami – Wild & Scenic River Ecology & History (pp. 6–6). essay.

Content developed by Audrey Illig.

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