Timeline:
1865 to 1869 - Amana Colonists built a seven-mile-long canal stretching from the Iowa River near West Amana, through Middle Amana, then through Amana, and into Price Creek, just past town, where it continued to the river. They dug it with human, oxen, and steam power so it could provide waterpower to the mills in Middle Amana and Amana. A dredge helped to complete the project. The colonists built a dam to divert water from the Iowa River into the canal. The water turned water wheels, which in turn powered the shafts for the machinery in the mills. This race provided waterpower for the two textile mills and one flour mill which the Amana Society operated.
1908 - The original wooden dam was replaced by one made of poured concrete.
1920's - The Amana Society took out the shaft drives and replaced them with an electrical generator to power the machinery. A boat annually dredged the canal to remove silt until the electrical generators were installed and the water moved more constantly and less silt settled in the race.
1993 - The flood put a stop to the use of the generators because they require more water than the weakened sides of the race can contain.. At the time it was hoped this is temporary. The Amana Colonies Historic Sites Foundation and the Amana Society, Inc. secured grant monies to assist in repairing the millrace.
It is unknown if the millrace was repaired and the generators have been put back into operation.
