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Quequechan River

Fall River, MassachusettsRivers of Bristol County, MassachusettsRivers of Massachusetts
Quequechan River
Quequechan River

The Quequechan River is a river in Fall River, Massachusetts, that flows in a northwesterly direction from the northwest corner of the South Watuppa Pond through the heart of the city of Fall River and into the end of the Taunton River at Mount Hope Bay at Heritage State Park/Battleship Cove. The word Quequechan means "Falling River" or "Leaping/Falling Waters" in Wampanoag, hence the city's name.The river is 2.5 miles (4.0 km) and is mostly placid and stagnant in certain places, until it nears downtown Fall River near City Hall, where a quickly declining grade causes it to turn rapid down the hill into Mount Hope Bay/Taunton River. From 1813, with the establishment of the Fall River Manufactory, the river enabled Fall River to establish itself as a leading textile center during the early 19th century. It originally contained a series of eight small waterfalls in a narrow stream between what is now South Main Street and the tidal Taunton River. During the first half of the 19th century, the "Fall River" was nearly completely covered by textile mills. The upper portion of the river, east of Pleasant Street, was dammed to provide additional water power and storage for the mills.Between 1913 and 1914, the city of Fall River put together the Quequechan River Report published in 1915, to look into the problems the river was presented with. During the hot summer months, the water flowed very low and slowly and the water quality was becoming questionable. Chemical reactions were occurring occasionally on the river's edge from industrial mill wastes combined with hot water discharge, human wastes and other wastes (a dump was located on the river), causing further sanitary health concerns, and critical interest in the river in general.During the 1960s, Interstate 195 was constructed through the city along the length of the Quequechan River. The portion west of Plymouth Avenue was routed underground through a series of box culverts, while much of the eastern section "mill pond" was filled in for the highway embankment including the start of the Quequechan River being filled in for Exit 2 on Route 24, and portions of Route 24 and 195 built directly on the Quequechan River resulting in a change in the water flow, fish and wildlife over the years. There is a bike path on the abandoned railroad that parallels Interstate 195 directly over the Quequechan, and plans to expose the falls where they were downtown are often discussed.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Quequechan River (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Quequechan River
Quequechan Rail Trail, Fall River

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Wikipedia: Quequechan RiverContinue reading on Wikipedia

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Latitude Longitude
N 41.695555555556 ° E -71.147222222222 °
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Quequechan Rail Trail

Quequechan Rail Trail
02722 Fall River
Massachusetts, United States
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Quequechan River
Quequechan River
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Union Mills (Fall River, Massachusetts)
Union Mills (Fall River, Massachusetts)

Union Mills is a historic textile mill complex located on Pleasant Street in Fall River, Massachusetts. The Union Mills company was incorporated in 1859, and was the first large steam-powered mill built in the city, having installed Corliss steam engines. The buildings are constructed from local Fall River granite. The company's first president was S. Angier Chace, and David Anthony was the first treasurer. It was the first mill corporation established in the city on the basis of general subscriptions.In 1865, Mill No. 2 was constructed. In 1876 the original gable roofs of both mills were removed and replaced with flat roofs, thereby adding additional floor space. A third mill was later constructed adjacent to Mill No. 2, but was demolished in the 1960s for the construction of Interstate 195. Production of textiles ceased in 1929. In 1968 the site was photographed by Jack E. Boucher of the Historic American Buildings Survey, along with the adjacent Durfee Mills, as part of the New England Textile Mill Survey II, led by Robert M. Vogel of the Smithsonian Institution. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Over the years, the Union Mills have been occupied by numerous small businesses, including Nate Lions Appliance Warehouse for many years before its move to the nearby Durfee Mills. Both mills have been completely restored and are now the location of Prima CARE Medical Center.

Granite Mills
Granite Mills

Granite Mills are two historic cotton textile mills located on Bedford Street in Fall River, Massachusetts, consisting of Granite Mill No. 2 and Granite Mill No. 3. The site was determined eligible to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, but was omitted due to owner's objection.The mills were organized in 1863 with William Mason as president and Charles O. Shove as treasurer. The original Mill No. 1 was built 1864. It was 328 feet (100 m) long by 70 feet (21 m) wide and five stories high with a barn roof. The mill did not begin operation until January 1865, however. Mill No. 1 was destroyed by fire on September 19, 1874. Twenty three workers were killed in the disaster, and thirty three more were injured. Workers on the upper floors faced a desperate choice, either jump five stories to the ground, or be burned to death.The Granite Mill fire was widely publicized in the press and became the subject of several folk songs found throughout New England and New York, as well as Nova Scotia, where many of the workers came from. The scandal led to reforms in the design of future mill buildings, requiring multiple exits and fire escapes. Mill No. 1 was soon rebuilt, but with a flat roof and a fire sprinkler system. The rebuilt Mill No. 1 was powered by a 650-horsepower Corliss engine, fed by twenty four boilers. Mill No. 2 was constructed in 1871 at the corner of Bedford Street and Robeson, from local Fall River granite in the Italianate style. It is 378 feet (115 m) long by 74 feet (23 m) wide. Originally five stories with a barn roof. The sixth floor was flattened to a full story after the tragic 1874 fire in Mill No.1, due to safety concerns. This mill was powered by a 750-horsepower Corliss engine. Water for the steam-powered mills was drawn through a canal from the Quequechan River. Mill No. 3 was built in 1893, also in granite, but wider and with less ornamentation. It measured 510 feet (160 m) long by 127 feet (39 m) wide. The front half of the mill is two stories, while the rear part is three stories. The company also built nearly one hundred triple decker tenement houses nearby for the accommodation of its workers. By 1917, the company had a capacity of 122,048 spindles and 3,000 looms. In 1932 the Granite Mills were acquired by the Pepperell Manufacturing Company, and continued to operate into the 1950s. Mill No. 1 was demolished in 1961 for a supermarket, which later became China Royal restaurant. The site now contains various businesses, including a CVS, Boston Market and a bank. From 1959, Mill No. 2 was the home of suit maker Anderson-Little until it closed in 1998. The building is now occupied by various businesses. Mill No. 3 was for many years occupied by Globe Manufacturing, which manufactured rubber-based goods, including Spandex. On July 28, 2011 a smoldering fire start by a spark from a torch during remodeling of the building damaged some of the floor and caused about 10,000 dollars in damage. This mills now contains the Granite Block Global Data Center.