The Fries dam is the very reason the Town of Fries exists. In the early 1900s, Col. Francis Henry Fries built the dam, a town, and a textile factory from the ground up to manufacture textiles using hydro power. The dam is a familiar site to anyone who lives in Fries. Its look changes day to day, hour to hour, and minute by minute. Time of day, season of the year, and weather conditions all have an effect on how the dam looks.