Above: The scale of the dam rebuilding project after the 1911 flood, Feb. 8, 1912.
After days of heavy rain, rising floodwaters and logs swept downstream threatened the recently completed Marathon Paper Mill. To divert the water and protect the mill, workers dynamited approximately 400 feet of the dam on Oct. 7, 1911.
The flood caused an estimated $200,000 in damage, but the mill’s paper machines resumed operation within four to six weeks. Crews then began rebuilding the dam — an early demonstration of the determination and resilience that would shape the Rothschild Mill’s history.
Explore more mill history: Discover how the Rothschild Dam and Marathon Paper Mill were built between 1909 and 1912 on our Mill & Dam History page.