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This tour has opened in a new window, to return to the map close this window. Millers Falls Page 1 of 2 Millers Falls Initially known as “Grout’s Corner”, the village of Millers Falls was founded in the early 1800’s as a farm community by Martin Grout. The community developed and prospered in the mid to late nineteenth century due to its strategic location at the juncture of major railroads and to the  cheap hydropower provided by the Millers River (left), which fostered the growth of industry including the Millers Falls Tools Company and Millers Falls Paper Company. The architectural character of Downtown Millers Falls is largely defined by the rebuilding campaign that followed the “great fire of 1895”. This fire destroyed all but one of the buildings that had previously accommodated Main Street businesses in the early years of the villages’ development.  The devastating fire did not dampen the spirit of progress, as Millers Falls’ active trade and industry allowed for an almost immediate recovery and rebuilding of its commercial center. As a result, most of the historic structures existing on Main Street and Bridge Street today are of the late Victorian period, reflecting the post fire building campaign. One outstanding example of this architectural heritage is the Ward Block, described as “the best example of a wood framed Victorian Mansard building in the town and a focal point of Millers Falls”. Others include the Equi’s block, which recently underwent a major restoration effort, and the Powers Block. In travelling through Millers Falls, one is most impressed by the human scale and charm of the village. The village center is surrounded and embraced by hills, which give the area a definite sense of enclosure and intimacy. This intimacy is also reinforced by narrow side streets, defined by stone walls, the human scale of surrounding neighborhoods,  which include many late Victorian style homes with “gingerbread” detailing, church steeples and the Millers River which forms the village’s northern boundary. Although the Millers River no longer plays the role that it once did in the economy of the village, it is also an important visual element.
Although Millers Falls has experienced a long period of economic decline following the departure of the traditional industries,  it is currently undergoing a major revitalization effort that has been largely grown from within the community. The public portion of this effort focuses upon the upgrading of physical elements including the commercial streetscape and restoration of historic facades. An effort is also being made to obtain an Amtrak stop in Millers Falls, which would provide rail service to Montreal, Boston, New York and Washington D.C. More important to the revitalization, however, are the individual contributions of community residents in annual beautification campaigns, the resurrection of block parties and other special events that both bring the community together and serve as an attraction for tourists travelling along the Connecticut River Scenic Farm Byway.
Millers Falls Page 1 of 2
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