Statement of Significance (as of designation - November 13, 1966):
Constructed between 1918 and 1925 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, this 4,535' long concrete structure spanning the Tennessee River became the first hydroelectric operation to come under the Tennessee Valley Authority in 1925. Today, Wilson Dam is one of 33 major TVA dams that provide flood control, regulate a 650 mile navigational channel, and provide over 100 Billion Kilowatt Hours of electricity for the 7-State Tennessee Valley region.

Condition:
The dam's lock (built in 1959) was recently damaged, and a project to repair and reopen it are in progress. There is a landscape plan for a 7-story hotel on the riverbank overlooking the dam that should lessen this visual intrusion.