South Hadley, Massachusetts
Hampshire county. Nature and art seem to have united to render this an interesting place. The falls on the Connecticut are 50 feet; not perpendicular, but in so short a distance as to render the river very rapid. These falls, Mount Holyoke at the north part of the town, and Mount Tom on the west side of the river, with the luxuriant meadows along this beautiful stream, would form a picture of no ordinary character. These falls are rendered passable for freight and steamboats by a canal about two miles in length. In this canal is a cut through solid rock, 40 feet in depth and 300 feet in length. The hydraulic power, at this place, is very great, having the whole volume of Connecticut river and some smaller streams at command for manufacturing purposes. Much of the water power is yet unimproved, but its local situation is such as to insure its usefulness as the manufacturing interests of New England increase. There are in South Hadley 3 paper and 2 woolen mills, and manufactures of leather, boots, shoes, pearl buttons, iron, &c.: total value, the year ending April 1, 1837, $237,650.
South Hadley lies on the east side of Connecticut river, 90 miles W. from Boston, and 5 S. by E. from Northampton. Incorporated in 1753. Population, 1837, 1,400.
