Stairs Hydroelectric Power Plant

By the 1890s Salt Lake City wanted electric light, and the power for it came off a mountain creek. Built in 1894–96 on the Stairs cascade of Big Cottonwood Creek — a natural drop that could spin a turbine — the Stairs plant was the first hydroelectric station to light Salt Lake City, and one of the first in Utah to send its current a long distance rather than only to the neighborhood. That last part mattered: it ran on alternating current, the technology that let power travel miles from where the water fell to where the lamps burned.

What the plaque says

The Stairs Project was built in 1894-96 as the first hydroelectric power plant to provide electricity to Salt Lake City. It was also one of the first plants in Utah to transmit power long distance, using alternating current rather than direct current. In addition to the powerhouse, other elements of the historic complex include the dam, conduit, and penstock—all critical components of a hydroelectric plant. The power plant is ideally located to take advantage of the Stairs cascade on Big Cottonwood Creek. During the late nineteenth century, a combination of technological developments, capitalist enterprise, and economic demands led to the creation of Utah’s hydroelectric power industry. Small utility companies around the state built water power plants to generate electricity, mostly for streetcar systems, mines, and other industries. Cities and small towns also consumed power for municipal, commercial, and domestic use. By the early twentieth century, a merger and consolidation movement among Utah's utilities culminated in the formation of the Utah Power & Light Company (UP&L). In 1989, UP&L merged with PacifiCorp, an Oregon corporation, which continues to operate the Stairs Project.

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Snowbird — 5.9 mi
  The aerial-tram resort of Little Cottonwood Canyon, with steep terrain, deep snow, and one of the longest seasons in the country.
• Alta Ski Area — 6.8 mi
  One of America's oldest and snowiest ski areas — ski-only, fiercely independent, and built on an old silver camp.
• Solitude Mountain Resort — 8.7 mi
  The uncrowded, Alterra-owned resort at the head of Big Cottonwood Canyon, with Honeycomb Canyon's bowls and a quiet village base.
• Brighton Resort — 9.2 mi
  The Salt Lake Valley's longtime local ski hill — big snow, lots of night skiing, and high-speed quads to everything.

More markers nearby

• Cottonwood Paper Mill — 2.4 mi
• Emmaville — 3.1 mi
• Temple Granite Quarry — 3.7 mi
• The Blind Miner/Big Cottonwood Mining (2) — 4.3 mi