Organizers prepare for Libby Dam 50th anniversary
Libby Dam officials are planning an event Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of its opening. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
In less than two months, Libby Dam will celebrate its 50th anniversary and local residents are feverishly preparing for the festivities.
The official commemoration will occur from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23, at the visitor center.
The top of the dam will be open for folks to walk across, just the second time it has been open for civilians since its closure following Sept. 11, 2001, due to security reasons.
In 2024, the participants in the Wings Motorcycle Fun Run were allowed to ride across the dam.
The visitor center is giving tours daily through August. The visitor center is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Public tours at the top of the dam are given Monday through Saturday at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
On Sundays only, powerhouse tours are given at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Tours are limited to 20 people and a photo ID is required. Those planning to take a tour are asked to sign in at the visitor center 15 minutes before the start.
Tours may be cancelled at any time due to construction. To confirm tour availability, call 406-293-5577.
Construction began recently at the dam to install a new generator. According to information on the dam website, Libby Dam has had five generating units since 1985, but the powerhouse was originally designed for eight generators.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently awarded a contract to install a sixth unit, which will add flexibility to plant operations and improve the dam's overall electrical reliability.
Also, a second project at the dam meant to improve the intake crane began the week of April 7. The $13.6 million replacement job, which features an additional 30% loading capacity, is designed to be aesthetically similar to the original crane, to reflect the architectural influence of Paul Thiry (1904-1993), who consulted for the project. The crane intake improvement project is expected to be completed July 22.
In other news, dam officials selected talented artist Adrian Volz as the Libby Dam 50th Commemoration Logo Contest winner.
Volz is a graduate of Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, where he received his bachelor’s degree in Communications Design with a focus on Graphic Design. Art, architecture and design have always been an integral part of his life.
Most recently, Volz launched an independent newspaper, "Archiprint," which has been carried at five independent bookstores in the United States.
Volz's connection to the military crosses generations. His father worked on the VA Medical Center in Aurora, Colorado, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and his grandfather was a U.S. Air Force captain who served in World War II alongside the US Army Corps of Engineers in the South Pacific (The Black Rams).
His logo will be showcased on our 50th Commemoration event program, official public website, social media and other products.
Also, the organizing committee approved a commemorative coin that will be available for sale at the dam. It will feature the anniversary logo.
Groups or individuals wanting to set up information tables at the anniversary event Aug. 23 are asked to call dam officials at 406-293-5577 to make arrangements.