Elkhart’s rise as an early industrialized community was tied directly to its rivers and the power they provided. Water flowing through a system of dams and raceways, known as hydraulics, generated power for many types of industry. In 1840, Elkhart's founding father, Dr. Havilan Beardsley, constructed a dam on Christiana Creek near what is now the Water Works property, and from there a canal was dug south to the St. Joseph River. The canal divided into two races, one for a flour mill and the other for a paper mill, and remnants of the paper mill race still remain near the intersection of Beardsley and Edwardsburg Avenues. Three other major hydraulic developments also shaped Elkhart’s history. Two dominated the lowlands area between the St. Joseph and Elkhart Rivers. The first, developed by Vincent Voisinet in 1870 and later sold to Clark Lane, stood on the east bank of the Elkhart River between East Jackson Blvd. and Elkhart Ave., and over the years its raceway powered a flour mill, plow works, a woolen factory, and a paper factory. In 1868 the Elkhart Hydraulic Co. constructed a dam across the St. Joseph River, creating the second hydraulic works, where major industries included G. Conn Band Instruments, Elkhart Knitting Co., and Sage Brothers Harvest Queen flour mill. The third development, called the St. Joseph Hydraulic Co., stood on the north side of the St. Joseph River and drew power from raceways above the same dam. Later, in 1892, the Home Electric Light and Power Co. erected a power plant on this race below the dam near the mouth of Christiana Creek and became an early provider of electrical power to the city. The hydraulics and the industries they powered began to decline in the 1890's because of frequent flooding, fires, and eventual conversion to alternative power sources.