A municipal swimming pool was established on this site in 1913. In an image of the pool commission, the members shown from left are J.R. Ragan, George Mead I, and Edgar Doudna. Consolidated Water Power Co.'s dam, built in a labor-intensive effort that began in 1903 and had to move quickly before the next spring runoff, was completed on March 29, 1904. Along the Wisconsin River, the company's dams today provide flood control and electric power for Central Wisconsin communities, while their flowages provide fish and wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities. Although many doubted the river's natural brown color made it suitable for papermaking, those doubts proved unfounded, and building a paper mill along with the dam was a wise decision. Consolidated later became a pioneer in developing coated printing papers. An early image also shows the Arpin mansion on the far right side.