Sewall's Falls Dam, 1892 October 8

Collection Name:

George W. Perry Scrapbooks

Title:

Sewall's Falls Dam, 1892 October 8

Creator:

Perry, George W., 1891-1971

Creator Role:

Collector

Accession / Call Number:

1974.045

Object ID:

1974.045.30.003

Date:

1892/10/08

Type of Material:

graphic material

Physical Description:

1 photograph

Language:

English

Scope and Content:

Photograph of the construction workers working on Sewall's Falls Dam in Concord, NH, dated October 8, 1892. The caption states, "Photograph made October 8, 1892. Sewall's Falls Dam. The Sewall's Falls Locks & Canal company was incorporated in 1833, the grantees being John Eastman, Stephen Ambrose, Cyrus Robinson, Elisha Morrill, Janathan Eastman, Jr., Rob Eastman, Jeremiah Pecker, and Robert Pecker, most of them East Concord real estate owners. Asaph Evans, who had a store at 'Parliament Corner,' (North Main and Pleasants) and other Main street people, were, to their eventual regret, promoters of the undertaking. The purpose of the Sewall's Falls company was to build a canal, two and a half miles long, from a point on the river near Federal bridge to an outlet above Sewall's falls. Beside its service to navigation, this canal was to provide power at East Concord, where it was estimated the drop at ordinary stages would be sixteen feet. It was intended to construct two watercourses to lead off eastwardly from the main canal, and between these would be situated mills seeking power. It was estimated that the power would drive twenty-three mills of five thousand spindles each. Just above its south junction with the river were to have been the needful locks for lifting boats to the upper level, and the expectations as to boating were so ardent that there was talk about steam navigation to Plymouth. Solid walls of granite for the locks held staunchy in their appointed places to the year 1847, when the excellent work of the old builders was hauled away to be used for piers and abutments under the adjacent railroad bridge. The dam at the falls was about half completed under the direction of 'Boston John' Clark of Franklin. The corporation lingered into the forties, and the whole was abandoned after the expenditure of forty thousand dollars. In 1884 the interest in Sewall's falls appeared once more, and in 1893 the existing dam was built."

Subjects:

Dams , Construction , Construction workers

Locations:

Concord, NH

People:

Perry, George W., 1891-1971

Terms of Use:

For permission to reproduce or publish material from this collection, please contact the New Hampshire Historical Society. Researchers are responsible for following all copyright and intellectual property laws.

Credit Line:

Gift of May Nutter.

Restrictions:

Available for research.

Level Description:

Item

Box Number:

7