Turners Falls Canal facts for kids
The Turners Falls Canal, also known as the Montague Canal, was an important waterway in Montague, Massachusetts. It was built along the Connecticut River. This canal helped boats travel past a tricky part of the river called Turners Falls. It was first finished in 1798 and later rebuilt in 1869.
_map.jpg)
Building the First Canal
The idea for the canal came from a group called the "Proprietors of the Upper Locks and Canals on Connecticut River." Think of them as a company that wanted to build and run canals. They got special permission, called a charter, from the Massachusetts government and Governor John Hancock in 1792.
After they built another canal, the South Hadley Canal, they decided to build the Turners Falls Canal. Their goal was to help boats travel even further up the Connecticut River, past the area known as Turners Falls.
How It Was Built
Building the canal was a big job! Here's what they did:
- They built a dam across the Connecticut River at a spot called "Great Falls" (which is now Turners Falls).
- They dug a canal that was about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) long and 20 feet (6 meters) wide. This canal went from the dam downstream towards the Deerfield River.
- They also made a path next to the canal called a towpath. This path was used by horses or people to pull the boats.
- The canal had ten locks. Locks are like water elevators that help boats move up or down between different water levels.
- Further upstream, near the Millers River, they built another small dam and a single lock. This helped boats get around the French King rapids.
The canals opened for business in 1798. By 1802, boats were regularly carrying goods all the way from Long Island Sound to Bellows Falls, Vermont.
From Boats to Trains
For about 30 years, the Turners Falls Canal was very successful. It made money for its investors, giving them a 4% return. In 1826, people even thought about making it part of a much bigger canal system that would connect Boston to the Hudson River.
However, things changed quickly. Within a few decades, railroads became the new and faster way to transport goods and people. Trains could carry more things and travel much faster than boats on canals. Because of this, the Turners Falls Canal eventually closed to boats in 1856.
A New Purpose
Even though it stopped being used for boats, the canal found a new purpose! In 1869, it was rebuilt along with the Turners Falls Dam. This time, its main job was to provide waterpower for factories and mills. Waterpower is a way to use the force of moving water to turn machines.
The rebuilt power canal followed a slightly different path than the old one. This new canal helped the village of Turners Falls grow and become what it is today.
