History

Memorial Hall Old PhotoMemorial HallWestern New England has a rich history dating back to the first colonies in New England, and before that, centuries of Native American lore. Shelburne Falls is built around Salmon Falls, a traditional fishing site where Native Americans filled their larders with salmon spawning upstream from the Connecticut River. The tradition continued through the Industrial Revolution, with early metal foundries and factories harnessing the power of local rivers to produce tools and machinery for early farmers. Today that history is celebrated in museums and historical societies in many of the area towns.

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