Great Falls, a fifty-two-foot waterfall in the Connecticut River between Walpole and Bellows Falls, has long shaped settlement, travel, and industry because its gorge is the river’s narrowest point. It became both a natural crossing and a barrier to navigation, leading to the first bridge here in 1785 and the Bellows Falls Canal, dug from 1791 to 1802 as one of the earliest canals in the United States. Bridges, rail lines, logging, and hydroelectric development transformed the site over time, greatly reducing water over the natural falls. The area also preserves notable human stories, including survival feats and nearby petroglyphs.

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North Walpole, New Hampshire · USA