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Connecticut WaterfallsYantic Falls
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Falls by Special Pictures Support this Site  |
DescriptionThe falls are very wide and high. Just after the falls the river is squeezed through a narrow gorge. After the gorge the river opens up into a huge pool. Unfortunately this is an industrial section of Norwich so the river and surrounding area is not very clean. However, the falls are great. The falls are also know as Indian Leap Falls or Unca's Leap Falls. The following description is from a placard at the park. Yantic falls, know as Indian Leap, was a favorite encampment of the Mohegan Indians. In 1643 Uncas, Sachem of the Mohegans, led his warriors in the famous battle against their rival tribe the Narragansetts. During the battle, the Narragansetts were pursued by the Mohegans. Legend has it that a band of Narragansetts, unfamiliar with the territory, unknowingly reached the high treacherous escarpment of the Falls. The Narragansetts, rather than surrender, attempted to leap the chasm. Unsuccessful, they plunged to their deaths into the abyss below. The Yantic Falls became the genesis for industrial development in Norwich. Industry and the use of waterpower in this area dates back to the development of a grist mill in the 1600s by John Elderkin. Industrial development continued to grow until the early 1900s. Later industries at the falls included paper making, cotton and nails.
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E-Mail: © 2000-2004, David A. Ellis |
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