The Bellows Falls Historical Society Invites You to Our New Museum and Offices at 46 Canal Street
Since 1965, when the founders of the Bellows Falls Historical Society took over the 1830s Adams Grist Mill, the Society has worked to attain, archive, preserve and share the story and journey of the unique Village of Bellows Falls. Our ever-growing collection has moved several times, but this year we opened a genuine museum in a beautiful building at 46 Canal Street along the banks of the oldest chartered Canal in the United States. This brings our entire collection of indigenous artifacts, old tools, signs, ephemera, objects d’art and fascinating historical photos, out of musty storage and on display for the public’s viewing for the first time
Learn about the rich history of Bellows Falls—from the lives of the indigenous Abenaki in the Gordon Crandall Native American Cultural Exhibit, to the boom of the railroads, including an exhibit devoted to Hetty Green, the“Witch of Wall Street,” who was the richest woman in the country at the time, and to the factories and mills that powered the economy. We also have an art gallery reserved for local artists—currently showing “Two Friends,” the paintings of Virginia Clark and Nan Durling, who deftly captured the charm of the village and the beauty of the surrounding landscape.
We’ve worked to create a true feeling of “Our Place” and hope that the 1965 founders would be pleased!
The Bellows Falls Historical Society is wholly supported your contributions.
We hope you can join us to celebrate this important move,
and will continue to support our efforts to
preserve the unique history of our PLACE.
The Adams Grist Mill Museum will open for the season on Saturday, May 24th.
The beautiful riverfront park is open to the public every day - year round - from dawn to dusk.
We continually move towards accomplishing our major goals: to expand, secure and catalogue our collections; to properly restore the historic Frank Adams Grist Mill Museum; to maintain and beautify our lovely Riverfront Park; and to engage the greater public in the fascinating history of our unique little Village of Bellows Falls. Thanks to Jim Narkiewicz and his crew of trained docents the Mill Museum will offer tours Saturday, Sunday this season. Board member Patrick Walker keeps the Mill stocked with unique souvenir items for visitors to take home. Last season donations at the Mill were impressive—nearly $1,000! Park Supervisor Annette Spaulding, and her army of volunteers, have the Park looking more beautiful than ever! Archivist Pat Fowler is striving to get our collections organized and accessible.
We are doing it - with YOUR help. If you appreciate these accomplishments, and want us to continue, your financial support is truly crucial!
We also have several areas of participation if you are interested: archiving at our Center on Westminster Street, landscaping at the Riverfront Park, or becoming a docent at the Mill. We encourage you to join us in preserving or sharing the history of our Village and helping with the beautification of Bellows Falls’ only access to the Connecticut River.Contact: bfhistoricalsociety@gmail.com
The Collections
TOOLS, MACHINES, CARRIAGES, SIGNS, MILL WHEELS AND MORE
The Adams Grist Mill
BUILT IN 1831 THE FRANK ADAMS GRIST MILL IS VIRTUALLY INTACT.
VISIT the BFHS!
BFHS Archives, Education Center and Museum is open this year in our new location
at 46 Canal Street
Appointments can be made by contacting bfhistoricalsociety@gmail.com.
MAILING ADDRESS:
BFHS
PO BOX 176
BELLOWS FALLS, VT 05101
The Frank Adams Grist Mill, 20 Mill Street, will be open for tours 11- 3pm on summer Saturdays and Sundays beginning on May 24th, 2025 - or by appointment. bfhistoricalsociety@gmail.com
VOLUNTEER for the BFHS!
Let us put your skills to work! Contact President Cathy Bergmann at bfhistoricalsociety@gmail.com
"The Historical Society helped me learn about the history of the home I recently purchased in Bellows Falls, providing me with a full photo album from the original family that owned it for over 100 years!"