1903 Fremont-Dam-ca03–THEN-WEB June 9, 2013 1300 × 921 1903 Fremont-Dam-ca03–THEN-WEB The Fremont dam broke in 1903. This view of work on the damn and flume is dated 1903, and so most likely after the break. In some chronologies 1903 is the year that work began – haltingly – on construction of the Lake Washington Ship Canal.