Rockingham, Vermont, USA (Bellows Falls) (Saxton's River) (Cambridgeport)
1849 Rockingham

Windham Co. Connecticut River washes the eastern border of this township. William's River runs through the central part, and unites with the Connecticut about three miles north of Bellows Falls. Saxton's River runs through the south part, and falls into the Connecticut a mile south of Bellows Falls, in the north-east comer of Westminster. These streams afford a great number of valuable sites for
mills.

The surface of Rockingham is somewhat broken, but the soil is in general warm and productive.

Bellows Falls are in Connecticut River, near the south-east comer of this town. The breadth of the river above the falls is from sixteen to twenty-two rods. At the falls a large rock divides the stream into two channels, each about ninety feet wide. When the water is low, the eastern appears crossed by a bar of solid rock, and the whole river flows into the western channel, where it is contracted to the breadth of sixteen feet, and flows with astonishing rapidity. There are several pitches, one above another, for the distance of half a mile, the largest of which is that where the rock divides the stream. Notwithstanding the velocity of the current, the salmon formerly passed up this fall, and were taken many miles above ; but the shad were never taken above here.

In 1785, Col. Enoch Hale erected a bridge over the Connecticut at these falls. Its length was 365 feet, and it was supported in the middle by the great rock mentioned above. Till 1796 this was the only bridge across the Connecticut. The bridge here is about fifty feet from the water, and from it the traveller has an interesting and sublime view of the fall. The whole descent of the river at these falls is forty-two feet. They are passed by a canal, on the Rockingham side, consisting of nine locks, and are half a mile in length. Around these falls is an interesting locality of minerals. The rocks are principally gneiss.

There are in Rockingham several pleasant villages. Bellows Falls Village, situated on the bank of the Connecticut at Bellows Falls, in the southeastern part of the town, is the most important. Rockingham Village is situated near the centre of the town. Saxton's River village is situated on the stream of that name, in the south part of Rockingham. The village of Cambridge Port is in the south-west corner of the town. These villages are very neat, and contain many handsome houses.

Boundaries. North by Springfield, east by Connecticut River, which separates it from Charlestown, N. H.. south by Westminster, and west by Grafton.

First Settlers. The settlement of Rockingham was commenced in 1753, by Moses Wright, Joel Bigelow, and Simeon Knight, who emigrated from Massachusetts. The attention of the first settlers was principally directed to fishing for salmon and shad, which were then taken in great abundance at Bellows Falls. For this reason agriculture was, for many years, much neglected.

First Minister. The Congregational Church was organized about 1770. Rev. Samuel Whiting was settled over it from October 27, 1773, to May 18, 1809.

Manufactures. There are large and important manufactures in this town, the statistics of which, we regret to say, we cannot give at present. The immense water power, which this and its neighboring town of Walpole possesses, the salubrity of the climate, the industry of the inhabitants, and located Jn the heart of a fertile country. are circumstances which give promise of great prosperity to their location. When to these advantages is added the power of steam, to facilitate the transportation of persons and property to and from the Atlantic, no one can doubt that this place stands, for all manufacturing purposes, almost without a rival in New England.

The Phoenix Mill Co. in this town was incorporated in 1847.

Productions of the Soil. Wheat, 2,695 bushels; Indian corn, 1,221 bushels; potatoes, 25,855 bushels : hay, 2,055 tons : maple sugar. 16,198 lbs.: wool, 32,371 pounds.

Distances. Eighty-five miles south from Montpelier, and eighteen northeast from Newfane.

This place is accommodated by the passage through it of the great Southern Railroad, which runs from Boston to Burlington, by the Connecticut River Railroad, and by the Sullivan Railroad, on the opposite side of the river.

A gazetteer of Vermont... by John Hayward Boston - Tappan, Whittemore, and Mason 1849

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