Cascade

Cascade emerged in the late 1890s as a bustling railway construction town that claimed 17 hotels at its height. Its location along the Canada-U.S. border made it strategic for mining, freighting, and hydro-electricity. The Columbia & Western Railway is credited with Cascade’s early development, but the town became best known for hydro-electricity that powered the Boundary district. The Cascade Water, Power and Light Company powerhouse and dam were built between 1899 and 1902 and served as the proving ground for Nicola Tesla’s 3-phase, 60-cycle power. Although the town has disappeared and the powerhouse stands abandoned, Cascade Gorge remains as impressive today as it was more than a century ago.

British Columbia · Canada