In the early 1920’s, the Youghiogheny Hydro-Electric Company received permission to build four dams across Deep Creek and the Youghiogheny River to generate electricity for industrial activities in western Pennsylvania, but only the Deep Creek Dam was completed. Construction began in 1923, the lake began filling in March 1925, and the power plant started operating on May 26 of that year. Preparations for the project included purchasing about 8,000 acres of farmland, building a 12 mile railroad spur, and establishing a local rock quarry. The roughly two year effort employed more than 1,000 workers and cost about $9M, and the two bridges now called the 219 bridge and the Glendale bridge were built during the same period. The earthen dam, built with a concrete core, is 1340 feet long, rises 86 feet above bedrock, and is about 450 feet wide at the base, narrowing to about 24 feet at the top. It was designed for a lake crest level of 2470 feet above sea level, and a tunnel about 7000 feet long with a 440 foot vertical drop carries water to the power plant turbines and generators. Fed by Deep Creek and other streams and creeks, Deep Creek Lake became Maryland’s largest lake, creating recreational and residential opportunities while remaining an important source of hydroelectric power. The lake is 11.6 miles long, covers roughly 4000 acres, has about 70 miles of shoreline with many coves, and averages 29 feet in depth, and it is considered full when the surface reaches 2,462 feet above sea level. Since 2000, the lake has been owned by the State of Maryland, while the hydroelectric plant has been owned and operated by Brookfield Renewable, US, and the shoreline buffer strip helps preserve scenic beauty and natural features.