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All the United States Washington Marblemount Temple of Power

Temple of Power

This sci-fi gazebo located in a Washington power town is made from old bits of industrial electrical equipment.

Marblemount, Washington

Added By
Eric Grundhauser
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Temple of Power   hey skinny on Flickr
Temple of Power   hey skinny on Flickr
  Aty Trocious / Atlas Obscura User
  Aty Trocious / Atlas Obscura User
  Aty Trocious / Atlas Obscura User
  Aty Trocious / Atlas Obscura User
  Aty Trocious / Atlas Obscura User
  MikeInSanFrancisco / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Located in the company town of Newhalem, Washington, the evocatively named Temple of Power is a public gazebo monument dedicated to the town's history of providing power. 

The oddly futuristic pavilion is the work of artist Don Corson under the employ, like the rest of the town, of the Seattle City Light power company. The company owns the entire town of Newhalem in fact, using it to house the workers from the Skagit River Hydroelectric Plant. The piece of public art was created to honor the town's long history of providing electricity to Seattle.

Built using large industrial parts from the old Diablo switching station, the structure was designed to resemble a Victorian garden fascination. According to the artist, the roof is curved into a dome (although not actually a complete covering) to evoke the ceiling of the Roman Pantheon, earning it its grandiose name.

While comparing the Temple of Power to the Roman Pantheon may be a bit hyperbolic, it does stand out as quite a strange sight in the midst of Newhalem's lush forest surroundings.   

Related Tags

Art Electricity Electrical Oddities Monuments

Community Contributors

Added By

EricGrundhauser

Edited By

Martin, MikeInSanFrancisco, Aty Trocious

  • Martin
  • MikeInSanFrancisco
  • Aty Trocious

Published

March 2, 2015

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Sources
  • http://www.roadsideamerica.com/search/tip?offset=35&tip_AttractionName=seattle
  • http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM4C56_Temple_of_Power_Seattle_City_Light_Newhalem_WA
  • http://www.markhitstheroad.com/us/wa/north-cascades-np-newhalem.html
Temple of Power
Newhalem Street
Marblemount, Washington, 98267
United States
48.672538, -121.252216
Get Directions

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Photo of Washington

Washington

United States

Places 323
Stories 38

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Ladder Creek Falls and Gardens

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miles away

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Washington

Washington

United States

Places 323
Stories 38

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