An early view of Hatfield captures the GB&W tracks and depot adjacent to the new dam under construction.

In 1907 a La Crosse Water Power Company dam was constructed just north of the Green Bay & Western tracks in Hatfield.  This fantastic picture captures both the dam construction and the west railroad bridge over the Black River with Lake Arbutus in the background.

On the west (left) side of the photo a flume to provide water to a downstream powerhouse is under construction.  The arrow points to the Hatfield depot.  This depot may very well go back to the original construction of the Green Bay & Lake Pepin Railroad in 1872.  The depot was replaced with a new one in 1909, built a little further west and on the other side of the tracks.  A third depot was built in 1947.

I have heard that the dam owners held an open house day in July that year to show people the dam and lake, then place a choice for the name of the lake. With all the people around, I wonder if this photo was taken on that day.

Related material

• More Hatfield Dam Photos (1907)
  More photos taken during the construction of the Hatfield Dam.
• Hatfield Bridge (1909)
  An eastbound train begins to cross the Black River bridge at Hatfield.
• Black River Bridge (1984)
  Eastbound Train No. 2 crosses over the bridge in front of the Lake Arbutus Dam at Hatfield, Wis.