Saffold Dam | |
 Saffold Dam in 2013 | |
  Saffold Dam  Saffold Dam | |
| Location | Off SH 123, Seguin, Texas |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 29°33′3″N 97°58′12″W / 29.55083°N 97.97000°W |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1853 |
| NRHP reference No. | 79002950[1] |
| TSAL No. | 300 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | November 15, 1979 |
| Designated TSAL | May 28, 1981 |
Saffold Dam at the Flores Crossing is a dam and man-made waterfall in the city of Seguin, Texas. Named for William Saffold, a Civil War veteran, a major landowner and local merchant.[2] The dam was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 15, 1979.
This dam began as a natural outcropping in the riverbed. After Henry Troell bought the mill, the dam was further built up over the years. In 1895, Troell installed hydroelectric generators to power his mill and the town. Then in 1907 he sold the dam and power plant to the City of Seguin, which owns them today.
The low but wide dam forms a graceful S curve, a rare structure for a dam. It is a unique design on the Guadalupe River, and perhaps in Texas. The dam we see today was built as part of Max Starcke Park, designed by Robert Hugman, the father of the San Antonio River Walk. The dam/waterfall, like the rest of the original section of the park, was built by the National Youth Administration, to Hugman's plans. The park was dedicated in 1938, the town's centennial.
Saffold Dam is located on the west side of Texas State Highway 123 Business, about 10 blocks south of downtown Seguin. One side borders Max Starcke Park and the city's water works; the other side has the abandoned power plant.