Folsom Powerhouse: Electrifying California and beyond

Añadido: 2026-05-23

[00:00:02]ANOTHER DISTURBING DEMANDS.

[00:00:13]ANOTHER DISTURBING DEMANDS.

[00:00:13]ANOTHER DISTURBING DEMANDS. 4.37 RIGHT NOW THIS MONTH, FOX 4.37 RIGHT NOW THIS MONTH, FOX 4.37 RIGHT NOW THIS MONTH, FOX 40 CELEBRATING AMERICA AHEAD 40 CELEBRATING AMERICA AHEAD 40 CELEBRATING AMERICA AHEAD OF THE 200 AND 50TH BIRTHDAY OF THE 200 AND 50TH BIRTHDAY OF THE 200 AND 50TH BIRTHDAY BY SPOTLIGHTING SOME OF THE BY SPOTLIGHTING SOME OF THE BY SPOTLIGHTING SOME OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL MOMENTS IN MOST INFLUENTIAL MOMENTS IN MOST INFLUENTIAL MOMENTS IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA HISTORY.

[00:00:22]NORTHERN CALIFORNIA HISTORY.

[00:00:22]NORTHERN CALIFORNIA HISTORY. FOX FORTY'S CHLOE CURTIS TAKES FOX FORTY'S CHLOE CURTIS TAKES FOX FORTY'S CHLOE CURTIS TAKES US BACK IN TIME TO SHOW US HOW US BACK IN TIME TO SHOW US HOW US BACK IN TIME TO SHOW US HOW THE FOLSOM POWERHOUSE CHANGED THE FOLSOM POWERHOUSE CHANGED THE FOLSOM POWERHOUSE CHANGED HOMES AND BUSINESSES ACROSS HOMES AND BUSINESSES ACROSS HOMES AND BUSINESSES ACROSS AMERICAN FOREVER.

[00:00:32]AMERICAN FOREVER.

[00:00:32]AMERICAN FOREVER. >> ON JULY, 13TH 18, 95 A >> ON JULY, 13TH 18, 95 A >> ON JULY, 13TH 18, 95 A SWITCH FLIPPED IN AMERICAN SWITCH FLIPPED IN AMERICAN SWITCH FLIPPED IN AMERICAN HISTORY. HAS ELECTRICITY HISTORY. HAS ELECTRICITY HISTORY. HAS ELECTRICITY FLOATING COPPER CABLES AT THE FLOATING COPPER CABLES AT THE FLOATING COPPER CABLES AT THE FULL SOME POWERHOUSE AND FULL SOME POWERHOUSE AND FULL SOME POWERHOUSE AND TRAVEL. 22 MILES TO THE TRAVEL. 22 MILES TO THE TRAVEL. 22 MILES TO THE CAPITAL CITY ON A SCALE OF ONE CAPITAL CITY ON A SCALE OF ONE CAPITAL CITY ON A SCALE OF ONE TO 10. WHAT IS THE HISTORICAL TO 10. WHAT IS THE HISTORICAL TO 10. WHAT IS THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PLACE? SO SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PLACE? SO SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PLACE? SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF A THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF A THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF A HIDDEN HISTORY KIND OF SPACE.

[00:00:51]HIDDEN HISTORY KIND OF SPACE.

[00:00:52]HIDDEN HISTORY KIND OF SPACE. THE FOLSOM POWERHOUSE IS THE FOLSOM POWERHOUSE IS THE FOLSOM POWERHOUSE IS DEFINITELY UP THERE. I'D GIVE DEFINITELY UP THERE. I'D GIVE DEFINITELY UP THERE. I'D GIVE IT PERSONALLY A 9 OR A 10. IT IT PERSONALLY A 9 OR A 10. IT IT PERSONALLY A 9 OR A 10. IT WAS THE BIGGEST POWER PLANTS WAS THE BIGGEST POWER PLANTS WAS THE BIGGEST POWER PLANTS IN THE WORLD WHEN IT OPENED IN IN THE WORLD WHEN IT OPENED IN IN THE WORLD WHEN IT OPENED IN 18. 95. BUT NIAGARA FALLS 18. 95. BUT NIAGARA FALLS 18. 95. BUT NIAGARA FALLS SNAGGED THE TITLE JUST A FEW SNAGGED THE TITLE JUST A FEW SNAGGED THE TITLE JUST A FEW MONTHS LATER.

[00:01:07]MONTHS LATER.

[00:01:07]MONTHS LATER. >> THAT DIDN'T MAKE WHAT >> THAT DIDN'T MAKE WHAT >> THAT DIDN'T MAKE WHAT HAPPENED HERE. ANY LESS HAPPENED HERE. ANY LESS HAPPENED HERE. ANY LESS EXTRAORDINARY. WHAT'S EXTRAORDINARY. WHAT'S EXTRAORDINARY. WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THAT IS THAT IMPORTANT ABOUT THAT IS THAT IMPORTANT ABOUT THAT IS THAT IS THE KIND OF ELECTRICITY IS THE KIND OF ELECTRICITY IS THE KIND OF ELECTRICITY THAT WE USE RUNNING ALONG OUR THAT WE USE RUNNING ALONG OUR THAT WE USE RUNNING ALONG OUR BIG POWER LINES TODAY. THIS BIG POWER LINES TODAY. THIS BIG POWER LINES TODAY. THIS WAS THE FIRST POINT TO PROVE WAS THE FIRST POINT TO PROVE WAS THE FIRST POINT TO PROVE THAT YOU COULD DO SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD DO SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS AT SCALE. IT STARTED LIKE THIS AT SCALE. IT STARTED LIKE THIS AT SCALE. IT STARTED WITH HORATIO GATES LIVERMORE.

[00:01:21]WITH HORATIO GATES LIVERMORE.

[00:01:22]WITH HORATIO GATES LIVERMORE. >> A LEVER PIONEER CAME TO >> A LEVER PIONEER CAME TO >> A LEVER PIONEER CAME TO CALIFORNIA DURING THE GOLD CALIFORNIA DURING THE GOLD CALIFORNIA DURING THE GOLD RUSH. AND AS THE FIRST RUSH. AND AS THE FIRST RUSH. AND AS THE FIRST RAILROAD IN THE WEST WAS BEING RAILROAD IN THE WEST WAS BEING RAILROAD IN THE WEST WAS BEING BUILT FROM SACRAMENTO TO BUILT FROM SACRAMENTO TO BUILT FROM SACRAMENTO TO FOLSOM AND THE WATER IN THE FOLSOM AND THE WATER IN THE FOLSOM AND THE WATER IN THE AMERICAN RIVER. WHILE IT AMERICAN RIVER. WHILE IT AMERICAN RIVER. WHILE IT SYMBOLIZED POWER TO SO THEY SYMBOLIZED POWER TO SO THEY SYMBOLIZED POWER TO SO THEY BUILT A 2 MILE LONG CANAL THAT BUILT A 2 MILE LONG CANAL THAT BUILT A 2 MILE LONG CANAL THAT GOES ALL THE WAY UP TO WORK GOES ALL THE WAY UP TO WORK GOES ALL THE WAY UP TO WORK FULL FROM PRISON NEWS TODAY FULL FROM PRISON NEWS TODAY FULL FROM PRISON NEWS TODAY AND GET STRETCHED TOO RIGHT AND GET STRETCHED TOO RIGHT AND GET STRETCHED TOO RIGHT BEHIND US HERE IN THE FROM BEHIND US HERE IN THE FROM BEHIND US HERE IN THE FROM POWER. WE GO OVER TO OUR POWER. WE GO OVER TO OUR POWER. WE GO OVER TO OUR ELECTRIC SITES, WE'RE GOING TO ELECTRIC SITES, WE'RE GOING TO ELECTRIC SITES, WE'RE GOING TO GENERATE OR CITY.

[00:01:50]GENERATE OR CITY.

[00:01:50]GENERATE OR CITY. >> IT WAS MEANT TO RUN A >> IT WAS MEANT TO RUN A >> IT WAS MEANT TO RUN A SAWMILL WAR. BIGGER HYDRO SAWMILL WAR. BIGGER HYDRO SAWMILL WAR. BIGGER HYDRO POWER EQUIPMENT. BUT POWER EQUIPMENT. BUT POWER EQUIPMENT. BUT LIVERMORE'S PLANS FOR THE LIVERMORE'S PLANS FOR THE LIVERMORE'S PLANS FOR THE DAMAGE NOW ARE COSTLY AND DAMAGE NOW ARE COSTLY AND DAMAGE NOW ARE COSTLY AND TIME-CONSUMING EVENTUALLY PUT TIME-CONSUMING EVENTUALLY PUT TIME-CONSUMING EVENTUALLY PUT MAMMON. CHARLES LIVERMORE MAMMON. CHARLES LIVERMORE MAMMON. CHARLES LIVERMORE PICKED UP THEIR DAD'S LEGACY PICKED UP THEIR DAD'S LEGACY PICKED UP THEIR DAD'S LEGACY AND PUT A LITTLE SPIN ON IN 18 AND PUT A LITTLE SPIN ON IN 18 AND PUT A LITTLE SPIN ON IN 18 MONTHS. THEY PIVOT AND THEY MONTHS. THEY PIVOT AND THEY MONTHS. THEY PIVOT AND THEY CONSTRUCT THE BOTH OUR HEALTH CONSTRUCT THE BOTH OUR HEALTH CONSTRUCT THE BOTH OUR HEALTH DEPENDS STOCKS, THE GENERATOR DEPENDS STOCKS, THE GENERATOR DEPENDS STOCKS, THE GENERATOR BORDER, ALL THE EQUIPMENT FROM BORDER, ALL THE EQUIPMENT FROM BORDER, ALL THE EQUIPMENT FROM THE EAST COAST AND THEY BUILD THE EAST COAST AND THEY BUILD THE EAST COAST AND THEY BUILD THE STRUCTURE HERE.

[00:02:14]THE STRUCTURE HERE.

[00:02:15]THE STRUCTURE HERE. >> FUTURISTIC FOR THE TIME THE >> FUTURISTIC FOR THE TIME THE >> FUTURISTIC FOR THE TIME THE POWERHOUSE COULDN'T FEEL POWERHOUSE COULDN'T FEEL POWERHOUSE COULDN'T FEEL FARTHER FROM THAT TODAY. A FARTHER FROM THAT TODAY. A FARTHER FROM THAT TODAY. A STEP INSIDE FEELS MORE LIKE A STEP INSIDE FEELS MORE LIKE A STEP INSIDE FEELS MORE LIKE A STEP BACK INTO WHAT LIFE WAS STEP BACK INTO WHAT LIFE WAS STEP BACK INTO WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE MORE THAN 130 YEARS AGO LIKE MORE THAN 130 YEARS AGO LIKE MORE THAN 130 YEARS AGO THAT HAVING LITTLE TINY THAT HAVING LITTLE TINY THAT HAVING LITTLE TINY GENERATORS ALL OVER THE PLACE, GENERATORS ALL OVER THE PLACE, GENERATORS ALL OVER THE PLACE, YOU COULD DO ONE BIG LOCATION YOU COULD DO ONE BIG LOCATION YOU COULD DO ONE BIG LOCATION AND SEND THAT OUT AND THEN AND SEND THAT OUT AND THEN AND SEND THAT OUT AND THEN DISTRIBUTED TO USERS ON THE DISTRIBUTED TO USERS ON THE DISTRIBUTED TO USERS ON THE OTHER SIDE. JUST LIKE WE DO OTHER SIDE. JUST LIKE WE DO OTHER SIDE. JUST LIKE WE DO TODAY AND BEFORE LONG TODAY AND BEFORE LONG TODAY AND BEFORE LONG MODERNIZATION BECAME A MODERNIZATION BECAME A MODERNIZATION BECAME A MAGNIFYING FORCE FOR THE MAGNIFYING FORCE FOR THE MAGNIFYING FORCE FOR THE POWERHOUSE BEFORE THE DAM POWERHOUSE BEFORE THE DAM POWERHOUSE BEFORE THE DAM EXISTED. ENGINEERS HAD TO EXISTED. ENGINEERS HAD TO EXISTED. ENGINEERS HAD TO ADAPT WITH AMERICAN RIVER ADAPT WITH AMERICAN RIVER ADAPT WITH AMERICAN RIVER WATER LEVELS, WHICH MEANT WATER LEVELS, WHICH MEANT WATER LEVELS, WHICH MEANT DURING A PARTICULARLY DRY DURING A PARTICULARLY DRY DURING A PARTICULARLY DRY SEASON.

[00:02:47]SEASON.

[00:02:47]SEASON. >> IT COULD BE DIFFICULT TO >> IT COULD BE DIFFICULT TO >> IT COULD BE DIFFICULT TO POWER. ALL 4 GENERATORS IN THE POWER. ALL 4 GENERATORS IN THE POWER. ALL 4 GENERATORS IN THE MAIN POWER HOUSE. THAT'S WHY MAIN POWER HOUSE. THAT'S WHY MAIN POWER HOUSE. THAT'S WHY THE LOWER POWERHOUSE WAS THE LOWER POWERHOUSE WAS THE LOWER POWERHOUSE WAS CREATED BECAUSE ITS TURBINES CREATED BECAUSE ITS TURBINES CREATED BECAUSE ITS TURBINES COULD RUN WITH MUCH LOWER COULD RUN WITH MUCH LOWER COULD RUN WITH MUCH LOWER WATER LEVELS HELPING POWER THE WATER LEVELS HELPING POWER THE WATER LEVELS HELPING POWER THE GENERATOR HERE AND MAINTAIN GENERATOR HERE AND MAINTAIN GENERATOR HERE AND MAINTAIN SUPPLY. STARTING OUT THE SUPPLY. STARTING OUT THE SUPPLY. STARTING OUT THE POWERHOUSE THAT OF STREETCAR POWERHOUSE THAT OF STREETCAR POWERHOUSE THAT OF STREETCAR STREET LIGHTS AND SHOPS. HOMES STREET LIGHTS AND SHOPS. HOMES STREET LIGHTS AND SHOPS. HOMES WEREN'T WIRE JUST YET. SO WEREN'T WIRE JUST YET. SO WEREN'T WIRE JUST YET. SO PEOPLE HELD ON THE CANDLES AND PEOPLE HELD ON THE CANDLES AND PEOPLE HELD ON THE CANDLES AND OIL LAMPS FOR A LITTLE LONGER OIL LAMPS FOR A LITTLE LONGER OIL LAMPS FOR A LITTLE LONGER BEFORE ELECTRICITY BECAME BEFORE ELECTRICITY BECAME BEFORE ELECTRICITY BECAME BUILT INTO LIFE. AS WE KNOW BUILT INTO LIFE. AS WE KNOW BUILT INTO LIFE. AS WE KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN THE POWERHOUSE WHAT TO DO WHEN THE POWERHOUSE WHAT TO DO WHEN THE POWERHOUSE OPENED, THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT OPENED, THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT OPENED, THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ELECTRICITY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ELECTRICITY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ELECTRICITY EXISTED. IT WAS THIS WAS THEIR EXISTED. IT WAS THIS WAS THEIR EXISTED. IT WAS THIS WAS THEIR FIRST TIME SEEING ELECTRIC FIRST TIME SEEING ELECTRIC FIRST TIME SEEING ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

[00:03:21]LIGHTS.

[00:03:21]LIGHTS. >> FROM THE 3 MEGAWATTS >> FROM THE 3 MEGAWATTS >> FROM THE 3 MEGAWATTS PRODUCED BY THE POWERHOUSE.

[00:03:26]PRODUCED BY THE POWERHOUSE.

[00:03:26]PRODUCED BY THE POWERHOUSE. 190 MEGAWATTS PRODUCED BY THE 190 MEGAWATTS PRODUCED BY THE 190 MEGAWATTS PRODUCED BY THE FOLSOM DAM.

[00:03:28]FOLSOM DAM.

[00:03:28]FOLSOM DAM. >> A BRIGHT IDEAS WAY BACK >> A BRIGHT IDEAS WAY BACK >> A BRIGHT IDEAS WAY BACK WHEN CONTINUE TO LIGHT A PATH