Lake, Facility Named after Albert Lynn
Morgantown Dominion Post
27 March 2011
By Evelyn Ryan
WHAT’S IN A NAME
Not much information is readily available about Albert M. Lynn,
president of West Penn Power Co. and the man who made the Lake Lynn Dam
and Power Plant possible.
While the company named the hydroelectric plant for him in recognition
of his work, apparently only two items in company archives mention Lynn
and the dam.
Mark Nitowski, a spokesman for FirstEnergy, which merged with Allegheny
Energy earlier this year, sent along the two: A 75-year history and a
brochure.
Allegheny Energy was formed by the merger of Monongahela Power (West
Virginia), West Penn Power (Pennsylvania) and Potomac Edison Power
(Maryland) in the mid-1990s.
The 75-year history notes:
“President Lynn, whose leadership brought the project to fruition, died
at New York, April 8, 1927. In his honor, the lake and power station
were named for him at impressive dedication ceremonies, Sept. 14, 1927,
at which West Virginia governor Howard M. Gore participated.”
The brochure, “Cheat Lake Park & Trail,” reports that the Lake Lynn
Power Station went into operation on May 31, 1926.
“The opposition and delays encountered in building Lake Lynn Power
Station would have daunted and discouraged one less firm in his
convictions than Mr. A.M. Lynn, for whom the station is named,” the
brochure says. “Mr. Lynn was president of West Penn Power Company (an
Allegheny Energy subsidiary) from 1917 to 1927.
While the 13-mile long lake was named for the company president, the
public refused to call it anything but “Cheat Lake.”
In 1976, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names agreed with the public,
ruling that the lake’s official name is “Cheat Lake.”
Lake Lynn is also the name of a community in Fayette County, Pa., not
far from Cheat Lake. Reportedly, it was started by the power company,
and also named for Albert Lynn.
Evelyn Ryan researches and writes this column. Submit suggestions to
newsroom@dominionpost.com.