The Mill River

The Mill River. . , This river has stories to tell., . Most seasons the Mill River will show you birds that inhabit her banks, or stop to feed on their Fall or Spring migrations., . Behind you, you'll hear the roar of water spilling over the dam that Whitney's son built in 1860 to capture and supply water to New Haven., . This dam and reservoir is 5 times larger than the early dam it replaced. Its turbines turned shafts that powered Whitney Jr's machines., . To your left, a stone wall once moored scows that brought charcoal and iron to Eli Whitney's Armory on the high tides., . Early portraits show small boats on the Mill River, perhaps for pleasure, perhaps for efficient transport to the harbor and back., . For a few years, Yale Crews - the first great college sport - rowed on the Mill River's estuary and on Lake Whitney above the dam., . Now twice a day, rising ties close gates to block the harbor's salt water. The River's flow still slows here, 2 miles north of the harbor., . In Whitney's time, ice closed the river and waterwheels for weeks most winters. Ice was harvested and stored for summer. You will not see that now., (Caption) This is the New Haven that Eli Whitney saw when he came to Yale in 1788: a harbor city with active water arteries, oyster boats and ships ready to sail.