Woonsocket Falls

Woonsocket Falls. . , The Power of Falling Water , From the mist of Woonsocket Falls comes the roar of falling water , the sound of tremendous energy in motion. As the largest drop on the Blackstone River, Woonsocket Falls was , and still is today , a viable, natural source of power that can turn gears, run machinery, and generate electricity. , Though the falls posed an obstacle to travel on the river, settlers soon saw the potential in the falling water. They began harnessing its power as early as the late 1600s, when Richard Arnold, Sr. built a sawmill below the falls. Grist mills, forges, and other small enterprises followed. By 1842 , at the height of the American Industrial Revolution , dozens of mills tapped the power of the rushing waters to make textiles and other goods. , Today, the Woonsocket Thundermist Hydroelectric Plant produces more than 7 million kilowatt/hours of electricity per year, enough to power the city's water and sewage treatment plants. An underground conduit channels water to the small brick structure you see at the corner of the bridge. A turbine converts water power into electricity for residential and commercial consumption. Centuries after settlers first tapped the power of Woonsocket Falls, the people of Woonsocket still benefit from the natural drop in the river. , ( photo captions ) , , Woonsocket Falls is the single largest drop on the Blackstone River, with the water falling more than thirty feet. This falling water powered the many mills that filled Market Square in the 1800s. , , Early development of Woonsocket (shown here in 1855) centered around the area near Woonsocket Falls, where a growing number of businesses and mills created an urban hub. As the city grew, the steep hills encouraged distinct settlements within the city. Mill villages, ethnic neighborhoods, and other communities flourished. , , Today's Woonsocket Falls Dam provides a great deal of control over the river, protecting the people, businesses, and industries located nearby. , , After major flooding in 1955, the Army Corps of Engineers redesigned and strengthened the entire water system of the region, including the dam at Woonsocket Falls.