TidesNet—Online Collections Entry Detail

DescriptionOne of the pens used by American President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on May 28, 1935 to sign an allotment of $10 million towards the first year of work on the Passamaquoddy tidal power project in this region. The idea of harnessing the 20 plus foot tides of Passamaquoddy Bay was first thought of by hydroelectric engineer Dexter P. Cooper in 1920. The idea behind the tidal power project was to harness the power of the Bay’s tremendous tides to generate electricity. More than 70 billion cubic feet of water flow in and out of Passamaquoddy Bay with each changing tide, making the Bay an excellent candidate for a prototype tidal power project. But there were other factors at play for the selection of Passamaquoddy Bay as a site for tidal power. Dexter Cooper, the engineer behind the tidal power idea, had a summer home on Campobello Island so he was very familiar with the tides of Passamaquoddy Bay. President Roosevelt also owned a summer home on Campobello Island and he had been coming to Campobello since he was a child after his parents had bought a place there. He became a major proponent of the tidal power project. Funded by the New Deal Era Public Works Administration, the tidal power project began with great fanfare with large scale construction during the first year. Despite the support of President Roosevelt and the promise of inexpensive, sustainable energy, the U.S. Congress soon stopped the funding of the power project and all work ended in August,1936.