Libby Dam 50th Commemoration
1975 - 2025
by Maggie Craig
August 27, 2025
Festivities at Libby Dam were held on August 23, 2025, to commemorate 50 years of Libby Dam operations. President Gerald Ford dedicated the dam on August 24, 1975. Fifty years later, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers invited the public to again recognize and remember the history and enormity of the Libby Dam project.
Libby Dam was built in cooperation with the Canadian government as part of the Columbia River Treaty of 1961. It was an agreement between the two nations regarding the development and operation of dams in the upper Columbia River basin for power and flood control. Three dams were constructed in Canada with one, Libby Dam, built in the United States.
For the present day commemoration, a brief ceremony was held in the Visitor Center Flag Plaza, including the National Anthem played by the Big Sky Bows and Blowhards; welcome remarks by Rick Spiger, Libby Dam Operating Project Manager; remarks by Seattle District Commander Colonel Kathryn Sanborn; and a memorial unveiling for the twelve men who lost their lives during construction of the dam. The names were read by Rich Aarstad, state archivist with the Montana Historical Society. Taps followed.
After the formal ceremony, an open house followed which included walking access across Libby Dam, exhibitions and photos, informational booths, an art exhibit, food trucks, book signings by authors Don Spritzer (Waters of Wealth) and Rich Aarstad (Operation BOLD: Libby Dam at Fifty), and a talk about Libby Dam construction by local historian Jeff Gruber and Rich Aarstad.
The event was attended by an enthusiastic crowd; many, if not most, particularly enjoyed the opportunity to walk across the dam. Unlimited access has not been available since 9/11, although tours are offered by Corps staff through the summer.
The commemoration was a fitting tribute to all that Libby Dam represents.
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