| Amoskeag Falls | |
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 Interactive map of Amoskeag Falls | |
| Location | Manchester, New Hampshire, United States |
| Coordinates | 43°00′08″N71°28′22″W / 43.00222°N 71.47278°W /43.00222; -71.47278 |
TheAmoskeag Falls are a set of waterfalls on theMerrimack River inManchester, New Hampshire, United States.
"Amoskeag" derives from thePennacookNative American word "Namoskeag", which roughly translates as "good fishing place". Here, the Merrimack River drops 50 feet (15 m) over the course of 0.25 miles (0.40 km).[1] Local tribes in the region fished Amoskeag Falls for its plentifulmigratingsturgeon,alewife, andsalmon, which were easily caught in therapids. Natives typically used a combination of large nets strung across the river. Significant native settlements were sited near the falls, particularly on the high bluffs overlooking the east side of the river.'Amuskeage' was listed as a 'noted habitation' for native people in New England in 1634.[2]
In 1807,Samuel Blodgett started acanal andlock system at the river to help vessels navigate around the falls, opening the area to development. This soon led to the use of the falls for apower canal to providewater power for Manchester's 19th century industrial development, most notable for theAmoskeag Manufacturing Company.[3]
Due to the significance of the falls in Manchester history, a number of local companies have adopted their name. Examples include theAmoskeag Manufacturing Company (which operated a majority of Manchester'stextile mills using power from the falls until they closed in the midst of labor strikes in 1935), its division called theAmoskeag Locomotive Works (an early manufacturer offire trucks and train cars), and theAmoskeag Fishways (an environmental education center located at the Amoskeag Falls power dam and operated byEversource Energy).
Authority control databases: Geographic |
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