The Winnipesaukee River

The Winnipesaukee River. Tilton Riverfront Park. In the eighteenth and nineteenth century, the power of the Winnipesuakee River was harnessed to operate mills up and down its banks. These banks were home to several gristmills, woolen mills, and other textile mills. Many dams existed in this stretch of the river that runs through Tilton, Northfield, and into Franklin. Several grinding stones can still be found in the river today. , The mills prospered into the 1900s, but eventually fell into disrepair and the dams that were built to power the mills gave way to nature. The heavy use of the river in the industrial age took its toll on the river, in Tilton and in surrounding communities. By the 1960s, construction debris and wastewater were more prevalent in the river that greenery and clear water. , In 1972, the Winnipesaukee River Basin Program was created to control water pollution in the :akes Region, including the Winnipesaukee River. , In the early 1990s, the fate of the river as a recreational asset to the community came under fire. A hydroelectric developer submitted plans to build a dam and diversion pipe near the site of this park. This project would have diverted water from this section of the river, making it impossible for river enthusiasts to use during most of the spring. Local paddling groups organized river clean-up days and a New Year's Day Kayak event to publicize this potential project. This increase in public awareness caught the attention of local and national press and helped communities fight to protect and preserve the river and its shores as importamt natural resources.