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Built in 1837, this is the first dam on the St. Joe River. On the far side of the dam an additional channel was dug to initially house water wheels which provided mechanical power for early Mishiwaka factories producing flour, lumber, woolen goods, iron, boots, and shoes. The water wheels were replaced by electric generators in the early 1900s. The dam is only feet high and is designated as a low head dam, or LHD. LHDs pose a significant hazard because it creates a strong hydraulic rotation and back current at the downstream base of the dam. Since the drop is not to high, the danger is often not perceived. Kayakers and other boaters that stray beyond the warning buoys and go over get trapped in the hydraulic often perishing before they can escape.
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The United States is one of the most diverse countries on earth, jam packed full of amazing sights from St. Patrick's cathedral in New York to Mount Hollywood California.The Northeast region is where it all started. Thirteen British colonies fought the American Revolution from here and won their independence in the first successful colonial rebellion in history. Take a look at these rolling hills carpeted with foliage along the Hudson river here, north of New York City.The American south is known for its polite people and slow pace of life. Probably they move slowly because it's so hot. Southerners tend not to trust people from "up north" because they talk too fast. Here's a cemetery in Georgia where you can find graves of soldiers from the Civil War.The West Coast is sort of like another country that exists to make the east coast jealous. California is full of nothing but grizzly old miners digging for gold, a few gangster rappers, and then actors. That is to say, the West Coast functions as the imagination of the US, like a weird little brother who teases everybody then gets famous for making freaky art.The central part of the country is flat farmland all the way over to the Rocky Mountains. Up in the northwest corner you can find creative people in places like Portland and Seattle, along with awesome snowboarding and good beer. Text by Steve Smith.