10/20/2013

Turners Falls Massachusetts

Montague power canal in Turners Falls

Turners Falls is a picturesque mill town on the Connecticut river with a charming and active historic downtown and several old mill buildings that have fallen into disuse. Turners falls was built as a planned industrial city in the late 1860s. The Montague power canal was constructed to divert flow from the Connecticut river around Turners falls. Several paper mills, a cutlery factory and a textile mill were built in the 1870s making use of hydropower from the canal. The canal is still being used to generate a small amount of electricity.

 

Turners Falls

There is a beautiful abandoned mill southwest of downtown. There are several other mill buildings in town in various states of use. A bike path has been built alongside the canal and there are a couple of parking areas for accessing the canal-side path. It's a very nice town to walk around. The downtown historic district is lively with shops restaurants and has a nice park with a view of the dam and falls.

 

Abandoned mill in Turners Falls

Abandoned mill in Turners Falls

Abandoned mill in Turners Falls

Abandoned mill in Turners Falls

Abandoned mill in Turners Falls

The Montague Canal just below the diversion

 

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