(KLIX) – If you’re heading to Swan Falls to play this summer, you also can learn a little history about the area.

Idaho Power Co. says its Swan Falls Dam powerhouse museum is open to the public on Saturdays now through the end of August.

According to information from the company, Swan Falls was built in 1901 to supply electricity to the nearby mines. It is the oldest hydroelectric project on the Snake River.

The original powerhouse was decommissioned in 1994 and replaced with a new powerhouse that still generates electricity for Idaho Power customers. Part of the old powerhouse is now a museum where visitors can see some of the plant's original equipment and even get close to an old turbine.

An old boarding house sits at the park above the dam. It currently is closed to the public, but renovation is underway.

The museum is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

Swan Falls sits on the Snake River about 40 miles south of Boise and offers a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities such as boating, fishing, geocaching, and mountain biking. Day-use picnic shelters also are available.

Lying withing the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area, it also is a great place to see a variety of birds of prey. Eagles, falcons, hawks and owls all make their home here.

 

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