James Green and his partners in the Little Falls Mill and Land Company helped build the first dam (1849) and a sawmill by the falls to supply lumber for the building of Fort Ripley. The second dam was built by James Fergus, Calvin Tuttle and William Sturgis, partners in the Little Falls Manufacturing Company. The partners cut a channel across Mill Island in 1855, creating another island called Maple Island. The third dam was completed in 1888 by the Little Falls Water Power Company and was the second largest source of water power in Minnesota. Water power stimulated the industrial development that occurred in Little Falls in the late 1800s. The power of the Mississippi provided electricity for the lumber mills, flour mills, boat works and paper mill. The existing Little Falls bridge, built from 1914-1920 is the fourth to span the Mississippi at the same location.