Once called the “Dynamo of Dixie,” Ocoee No. 1 has generated electricity dependably and efficiently for most of the twentieth century. Built in 1912, when hydroelectric power in the United States was still in its infancy, it originally used five generators designed to produce 18,000 kilowatts of electricity, and those generators were later upgraded to produce 19,200 kilowatts. Over the years, the powerhouse electrical and mechanical equipment was replaced with newer turbine-generators and controls. The 256-meter-long concrete dam, built to supply water to the five powerhouse turbines, reliably performed its function from 1911 to early 1970, and in the early seventies it was renovated to meet modern design standards. Although the dam was still performing as designed in the early twentieth century, the renovation strengthened and resurfaced it. The powerhouse was also renovated, updated controls were installed, and control panels that had once been located on a balcony overlooking the powerhouse floor were moved to a separate area.