Bellows Falls Canal

Bellows Falls Canal is a canal constructed to allow boat traffic to bypass Bellows Falls on the Connecticut River in Bellows Falls, Vermont.[1] It was constructed by the Bellows Falls Canal Company and was one of the first canals in the United States.[2] It was used for transport, to power mills, and later for hydroelectric power. The Bellows Falls Downtown Historic District includes the canal.

A railroad truss bridge over Bellows Falls Canal

The Library of Congress has a dry plate negative of the canal from 1907.[3] A historical marker on Bridge Street in Bellows Falls, Vermont commemorates the canal's history.[4]

History
View of Bellows Falls, Vermont including Bellows Falls Canal as it cuts away from the Connecticut River

A British-owned company was chartered to make the Connecticut River navigable in 1791 and spent 10 years building nine locks and a dam to bypass the 52 foot high Great Falls. The canal was completed in 1802.[5][4]

View of Bellows Falls Canal from Bridge Street

Usage declined with the arrival of railroad service in the area in 1849 and the canal ceased to operate boat traffic operations in 1858.[5] From this time, the canal was used to supply water power to the neighbouring mills and, after 1868, was acquired by the power company.[5][4]

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References
  1. Collins, Anne L.; Lisai, Virginia; Luring, Louise (5 June 2002). "Around Bellows Falls: Rockingham, Westminster and Saxtons River". Arcadia Publishing – via Google Books.
  2. Thibault, Amanda (29 March 2018). "This Place in History: Bellows Falls Canal".
  3. "Canal, Bellows Falls, Vt".
  4. "Bellows Falls Canal - Bellows Falls VT - Vermont Historical Markers on Waymarking.com". www.waymarking.com.
  5. "Canals of the Connecticut River – Connecticut River Conservancy". www.ctriver.org.

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