Quequechan River - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Quequechan River , is a river in Fall River

Fall River, Massachusetts

Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...

, Massachusetts

Massachusetts

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

that flows in a northwesterly direction from the South Watuppa Pond

Watuppa Ponds

The Watuppa Ponds are two large, naturally occurring, spring-fed, glacially formed ponds located in Fall River and Westport, Massachusetts. The two ponds were originally one, connected by a narrow channel near what is now the boundary between Fall River and Westport.North Watuppa Pond is the...

to the Taunton River

Taunton River

The Taunton River , is a river in southeastern Massachusetts in the United States. It arises from the confluence of the Town River and Matfield River, in the town of Bridgewater...

. The word Quequechan means "falling water" in Wampanoag, hence the city's name.

The river is 2.7 miles (4.3 km) long and mostly placid, until it nears downtown Fall River, where a quickly declining grade causes it to turn rapid. The river enabled Fall River to establish itself during the early 19th century as a leading textile center. It originally contained a series of eight small waterfalls in a narrow stream between what is now South Main Street and the tidal Taunton River

Taunton River

The Taunton River , is a river in southeastern Massachusetts in the United States. It arises from the confluence of the Town River and Matfield River, in the town of Bridgewater...

. During the first half of the 19th century, the "Fall River" was nearly completely covered by textile mills. The upper portion of the river, east of Pleasant Street, was dammed to provide additional waterpower and storage for the mills.

During the 1960s, Interstate 195

Interstate 195 (Rhode Island-Massachusetts)

Interstate 195 is an Interstate Highway running a combined 40.1 miles in the U.S. states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It travels from a junction with Interstate 95 in Providence, Rhode Island east to a junction with Interstate 495 and Route 25 in Wareham, Massachusetts...

was constructed through the city along the length of the Quequechan River. The portion west of Plymouth Avenue was routed underground through a series of box culverts, while much of the eastern section "mill pond" was filled in for the highway embankment.

Geography

The river consists of two distinct parts - a flat upper portion that flows between South Watuppa Pond and Troy Street and a steep, rapid section between Troy Street and the Taunton River

Taunton River

The Taunton River , is a river in southeastern Massachusetts in the United States. It arises from the confluence of the Town River and Matfield River, in the town of Bridgewater...

near Battleship Cove

Battleship Cove

Battleship Cove, located in Fall River, Massachusetts, is a nonprofit maritime museum and war memorial that traces its origins to the wartime crew of the World War II battleship . This dedicated veterans group was responsible for the donation of the decommissioned vessel from the Navy and its...

.

The upper, eastern portion of the river was originally a relatively narrow and shallow stream flowing through a flat, wide valley of glacial deposits overlaying a deep granite ridge. Portions of the granite are exposed at the surface near what is today Brayton Avenue and also near Quequechan Street.

The steep, western portion of the river between downtown and the waterfront originally consisted of a series of eight small waterfalls confined within a narrow, rocky bed. In the last half-mile (800 m) the total drop is about 132 feet (40.2 m). and the average flow is 122 cubic feet per second (3.5 m³/s).

History

The earliest use of the river for industrial purposes occurred in 1703 when Benjamin Church established a grist mill with a small dam just west of what is now South Main Street. In the years that followed, several other small mills would be established along the "Fall River", including fulling and saw mills. Later on, another grist mill was established to the east of Main Street, with a small dam about two feet high. In 1813, when the Troy Cotton & Woolen Company was established at this same site, the old dam was demolished and replace with a new dam three feet high. In 1826, several mill owners established the Watuppa Reservoir Company and obtained permission to raise the Troy Dam an additional two feet, impounding a much larger area of water stretching all the way to the South Watuppa Pond. This portion of the Quequechan River became known as the "mill pond". The Watuppa Reservoir Company was required to pay damages to the landowners behind the dam whose properties were flooded. The damming also created several small islands within the pond. The original members of the Watuppa Reservoir Company were David Anthony, Nathaniel B. Borden

Nathaniel B. Borden

Nathaniel Briggs Borden was a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts.-Early life and education:Borden was born to Simeon Borden and Amey Borden in that part of Freetown, Massachusetts which later became Fall River. Borden attended the district school and Plainfield Academy...

, Oliver Chace

Oliver Chace

Oliver Chace was the founder of several New England textile manufacturing companies in the early 19th century, including the Valley Falls Company, the original antecedent of Berkshire Hathaway, currently one of the largest companies in the world.-Early life:Chace was born on August 24, 1769 in...

and Bradford Durfee.

Until 1862, nearly the entire eastern "mill pond" portion of the river was located in what was then part of Rhode Island

Rhode Island

The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...

, as the state line cut diagonally through the area from Mount Hope Bay

Mount Hope Bay

Mount Hope Bay is a tidal estuary located at the mouth of the Taunton River on the Massachusetts and Rhode Island border. It is an arm of Narragansett Bay. The bay is named after Mount Hope, a small hill located on its western shore in what is now Bristol, Rhode Island. It flows into the East...

to North Watuppa Pond. The steep western portion of the river was located entirely within Massachusetts

Massachusetts

. Prior to the Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

, the entire eastern portion of the remained fairly rural.

By the late 1840s the water power potential of the "Fall River" had been maximized. In 1849, the Wamsutta Steam Woolen Mill was the first establishment to be erected "above the falls". It was built on what was called Wardrope's Island. In 1859, the Union Mills

Union Mills (Fall River, Massachusetts)

Union Mills is an historic textile mill complex located on Pleasant Street in Fall River, Massachusetts.The Union Mills company was incorporated in 1859, and was the first large steam-powered mill built in the city, having installed Corliss steam engines. The buildings are constructed from native...

was built further upstream along Pleasant Street, on the north bank of the river. These steam mills, and the many others that followed would rely on the river to provide a source of cool water for operation of their steam engines. The mills also used water for various processes involved in the manufacture of textiles. Hot, and used water was later returned directly to the river.

In the years following the Civil War

American Civil War

, with both sides of the river, and both Watuppa Ponds

Watuppa Ponds

entirely within Massachusetts

Massachusetts

, there would be a remarkable expansion of the cotton textile industry within Fall River

Fall River

-Cities and towns:In Canada:*Fall River, Nova ScotiaIn the United States:*Fall River, Kansas*Fall River, Massachusetts, the largest city with this name*Fall River, Tennessee*Fall River, Wisconsin*Fall River County, South Dakota-Rivers:In Canada:...

. Between 1865 and 1869, several new mills were constructed on the river's north bank, including the Durfee Mills

Durfee Mills

Durfee Mills is an historic textile mill complex located at 359-479 Pleasant Street in Fall River, Massachusetts.Mill No. 1 was built in 1866 for the manufacture of cotton cloth. The company was named in honor of Major Bradford Durfee. The mill complex is the largest, and most complete in the city....

, the Merchants Mill, and the second Union Mill. During this same period, on the south bank of the river, new mills included the Tecumseh, Robeson and the Davol Mills. Then, between 1870 and 1873, an even more remarkable expansion took place within the city. Twenty-two new corporations were formed, building dozens of new mills, many within the Quequechan River valley. Many areas along the river were filled in to create new land for development.

The 1870s would also mark the rapid development of the eastern part of the city, which became known as Flint Village. In 1875, the Fall River Railroad was built to provide a rail connection with New Bedford

New Bedford

-Places:*New Bedford, Illinois*New Bedford, Massachusetts, the most populous New Bedford**New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park*New Bedford, New Jersey *New Bedford, Ohio*New Bedford, Pennsylvania...

. The railroad passed through the "Narrows" located between the North and South Watuppa Ponds

Watuppa Ponds

, and over the shallow "mill pond" to Watuppa Station located at Plymouth Avenue.

By the 1880s the quality of the water in the Quequechan River became a problem. During periods of low water, the extensive area of "flats" became covered in a putrid muck consisting of industrial and human waste and various other garbage. Mills were often forced to shut down during dry periods for lack of cool, clear water to operate with. The city hired experts and various proposals were made over the years to fix the problem, but no action was taken. Finally, in 1913, the State Legislature established the Watuppa Ponds and Quequechan River Commission to investigate and finally find a solution to the problems. In 1915, Boston

Boston

Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...

consulting civil engineers Fay, Spofford and Thorndike provided a lengthy report and designs to provide a permanent solution both the quality and quantity of water within the Quequechan River. The consultant's solution called for a three-compartment conduit with a lower level to carry sanitary sewer flows away from the river and toward Mount Hope Bay

Mount Hope Bay

, a middle level to provide the mills with cool, clean water, and an upper level to carry hot water from the mills back to South Watuppa Pond for eventual reuse.

Post-industrial period

The Great Fall River Fire of 1928

Great Fall River Fire of 1928

The Great Fall River Fire of 1928 occurred on February 2–3, 1928 and destroyed a vast portion of downtown Fall River, Massachusetts. Although the city has had many other large fires, both before and after, the 1928 conflagration is generally considered the worst in the city's history, since it...

destroyed the Pocasset Mills and the adjacent Granite Block, which had both been constructed directly over the river to the east of Main Street. For the first time in decades, this portion of the river had been exposed. While the Granite Block was soon rebuilt, the falls of the Pocasset Mills would remain exposed until the 1960s. In 1932, the current Post Office was constructed over the river in the area between the Troy Mills and City Hall.

Highway era

After World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, the Massachusetts

Massachusetts

and other state governments began planning new highways to link the major cities of the region in order to ease congestion on city streets, promote economic development and for defense purposes. By the early 1950s, construction began on the Fall River Expressway to provide a direct link between Boston

Boston

and Fall River

Fall River

. Similarly, the coastal cities in Southern New England

New England

New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...

proposed a "Tri-State" highway linking areas such as New Haven with Providence

Providence, Rhode Island

Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...

and Cape Cod

Cape Cod

Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...

. Early plans called for a "high level" bridge to be built across the Taunton River

Taunton River

The Taunton River , is a river in southeastern Massachusetts in the United States. It arises from the confluence of the Town River and Matfield River, in the town of Bridgewater...

to the north of the Brightman Street Bridge

Brightman Street Bridge

The Brightman Street Bridge is a long, four-lane wide drawbridge spanning the Taunton River between the town of Somerset and the city of Fall River, Massachusetts. It was authorized in 1903 by the state legislature, and building took place between 1906 and 1908, when it opened full time on...

. The highway was to pass through the north end of Fall River

Fall River

and connect directly with Wareham, Massachusetts

Wareham, Massachusetts

Wareham is a town located in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 20,335, with an estimated 2008 population of 21,221....

. However, business leaders in New Bedford

New Bedford

and downtown Fall River protested, claiming the highway would allow patrons to by-pass their cities altogether.

By the late 1950s with the passing of the landmark Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956

Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956

The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, popularly known as the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act , was enacted on June 29, 1956, when Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the bill into law...

, the location of the new highway was shifted south and included a high-level bridge across the Taunton River

Taunton River

The Taunton River , is a river in southeastern Massachusetts in the United States. It arises from the confluence of the Town River and Matfield River, in the town of Bridgewater...

with a route through the center of Fall River

Fall River

through the Narrows and onto New Bedford

New Bedford

and Cape Cod

Cape Cod

Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...

. The proposed highway would also require the demolition of the Second Granite Block, old City Hall, the Troy Mills and several other buildings. Much of the highway was constructed within the area of the former "mill pond".

The portion of the Quequechan River between Plymouth Avenue and the waterfront was redirected into a series of underground culverts, passing under Interstate 195

Interstate 195 (Rhode Island-Massachusetts)

to a new gate house located at the corner of Hartwell and Fourth Street. From there, it then flows parallel to the south side of the highway to Pocasset Street, passing under the Fall River Chamber of Commerce property and highway ramps before re-emerging on the uphill side of the former American Printing Company Mill #7

American Printing Co. and Metacomet Mill

The Metacomet Mill, built in 1847 by Colonel Richard Borden for the manufacture of cotton textiles, is the oldest remaining textile mill in Fall River, Massachusetts.The adjacent American Printing Company Mill No...

before it passes under the mill. It is also visible on the downhill side of this mill before it flows under the Metacomet Mill. The river then reappears under the Braga Bridge before flowing under the stone arch of Central Street and into Battleship Cove

Battleship Cove

.

The river is no longer used for industrial purposes.

Recent history

In July 2009, the city completed the first phase of a $185 million Combined Sewer Overflow Project

Combined sewer overflow

A combined sewer is a type of sewer system that collects sanitary sewage and stormwater runoff in a single pipe system. Combined sewers can cause serious water pollution problems due to combined sewer overflows, which are caused by large variations in flow between dry and wet weather...

, consisting of a 20 feet (6.1 m) diameter deep rock tunnel designed to capture wet weather sewer overflows which previously entered the Quequechan River and Mount Hope Bay

Mount Hope Bay

and divert these flows toward the city's sewer treatment plant instead. The project is expected to result in a dramatic improvement of the water quality in the river

There are also plans being made to improve access to the Quequechan River for recreational purposes, including a proposed bike path along the former railroad right-of-way. Other plans propose to "daylight" the falls, restore or re-create them, and build a green belt with a connection to the waterfront.

Geography

History

Post-industrial period

Highway era

Recent history

See also