During the presentation, Pepper recounted the history and ultimate destruction of Rapidan Dam.

Rick Pepper began his presentation with photos from his book, Remembering: The Rapidan Dam & Dam Store. The earliest photos he had were from 2009. Rick explained that the dam had seven gates and two turbines and four piers on the bridge. In 2011 gates were cemented shut because engineers were concerned about a cement wall that was starting to erode when the dam was built.

“Although Rapidan Dam’s capacity was enough to sustain the 1969 flood, it wasn’t until Monday morning of June 2024, that the dam in a technical sense failed,” Pepper explained.

None of the dam was lost. The water levels got high enough to flow over the dam, and as it did that it started to chew its own channel around the dam partly because of debris plugging the two gates. At about 2 in the morning, the store owners heard the sound of the water going over the dam.

Rapidan Dam in February of 2025 after demolition. (Photo Credit Rick Pepper)

By Monday night, on that first day, the Blue Earth County built a temporary levy. In just 17 hours there was a huge gap of earth under the house that the water had chewed away. The homestead is what actually fell into the river, as the Dam Store was bought by Blue Earth County and then demolished and hauled away so debris would not pollute the river.

The aftermath was 5 inches of silt everywhere and Sibley Park ballfields underwater, as 27 feet of riverbed went down the river.

“Pier number two was the problem child and whole reason they wanted to replace the bridge,” Pepper said.

After Pepper showed the photos from his book for the presentation, there was a question and answer session with the audience.

“Were there any injuries in the whole demolition? And what about the hearing of all the people on the demolition site?” asked Ann C. Vogel.

Rick Pepper explaining some of the problems of the Rapidan Dam and why it ultimately failed.

“I don’t know which explosive they used. I don’t believe it was actually dynamite. They were relatively small, contained charges that severed a certain connecting point in the dam. I have no idea about hearing things, I was on the hill. They had everybody out, and as far as news was concerned, I didn’t see anything. It was in some regards uneventful. It was a plume of smoke, and it just dropped,” said Pepper.

“I don’t know that the bridge really had to come down, because of the trouble they had at getting the pilings out of the ground,” added Pepper.

Lynn Henle, a New Ulm resident, felt that we should never underestimate mother nature, and it was a testimony to the genius of the engineers that the dam did not break. Rick Pepper’s presentation had her wondering about injuries, too.

“You’re photographs elicited nervousness for those people in those machines. When the machines were situated precipitously on the inclines, were there any tipping moments? Any injuries from that?” asked Henle.

“I never saw any news, and contractors didn’t relay anything. I was out there at least once a week, and I never saw any sign of anything, and all this equipment was out there. It’s not like it got damaged; they definitely make landing spots as they work their way for themselves. They poured concrete around the problem pier before they jackhammered the bridge deck, so no,” said Pepper.

Rick Pepper speaking for Brown County’s Lunch and a Bite of History on Thursday afternoon.

Vogel thought the presentation was excellent and agreed with Henle and Pepper.

“It was timely demonstration of Mother Nature, but also reminiscent of what happens in other places of the world with human and landscapes destruction,” said Vogel.

Rick Pepper’s Book, Remembering: The Rapidan Dam & Dam Store, contains vibrant photos of a landmark now lost to Blue Earth County and is available for purchase at

Blue Earth County Historical Society’s website.

Brown County Historical Society will be hosting several events this summer: the Historic Kiesling House Demonstrations, the One Room School House at the Brown County Fairgrounds, a presentation on the History of Brown County Sheriffs, and the Popcorn Wagon. For more information, please visit their Facebook Page or call 507-233-2616.