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Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Satellite imagery imposed on 1898 Kerrville

In my scrambling over the site of the old mill below the 800 block of Water Street in downtown Kerrville, I noticed there were two discharge channels from the old mill turbines.  From my collection of photographs I had assumed there was only one; but a closer inspection of the photographs, as well as a hike over the site, confirmed there were two.
Today I combined an image of the block (taken from a satellite above) with the old 1898 Sanborn Perris map of Kerrville.  They line up rather well, don't you think?  The two discharge channels line up nicely with the power shafts heading from the mills to the turbines below.  I'd like your comments -- this is all conjecture and speculation on my part.  Perhaps you can see a flaw in my thinking.
Click on any image to enlarge
Satellite image of the mill area, Kerrville, below the 800 Block of Water Street
Detail, August 1898 Sanborn Perris map of Kerrville.
Note the two power shafts at the bottom of map.
Combining the two. I've highlighted the two channels and also the old dam.
Surprising that you can make out the old dam from space.

6 comments:

  1. That's an amazing composite.

    On the far side of the river, there used to be a few of the old vertical posts that made up part of the old dam. They were visible up through the 1960's.

    The flood that took place in the 1970's probably washed them away, but perhaps not.

    Joe, are the posts still there?

    Great job - very interesting!

    ReplyDelete
  2. In the Nov.22 blog photos it looks to me like the dam would only encompass one of the channels. It looks like the dam ends right at Channel #1 to me.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Check out the October 14th post: http://joeherringjr.blogspot.com/2010/10/history-detective-does-any-of-old-mill.html

    The dam was extended by a little chute.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks, i can visualize it now. I just cant see it in the channel #1 photo. so the existing cement wall that is at the end of the walkway is part of that little chute(channel #2)?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Unfortunately there is quite a bit of litter where the channels were, mostly old construction trash. I saw one brick that was labelled "seguin", and wonder if theres any way to age that brick?

    ReplyDelete

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