Garrison Dam

Construction of Garrison Dam began in 1947 and was completed in 1954 at a cost of $300 million dollars. It is one of the largest earthen dam structures in the world, with a volume of 66.5 million cubic yards of rolled earth fill. The dam is 2 1/2 miles long, 1/2 mile wide at the base, 60 feet wide at the top, and 210 feet high. Carrying all of its fill would require a train 16,000 miles long or 2 million freight cars. In June 1953, an estimated 15,000 people assembled at the dam site to hear U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower speak at the closing ceremonies, while another 10,000 gathered along the route of the presidential procession to Bismarck. Twenty-five highway patrol and 175 members of the national guard were stationed at intersections between Minot, the dam, and Bismarck.

North Dakota · United States