admin – Page 27 – Canal Days

The Samosett was opened on April 8 1850 or so. It was a hotel in the beginning and had 50 rooms. The parapeted cornice is quite unique.

Nonotuck Hotel in Holyoke

Nonotuck Hotel in Holyoke

Lower Riverside Park in South Hadley

Lower Riverside Park in South Hadley

(Click link to above for information.) In 1805 the Bardwell Canal and Dam were built in this place. (LOCATION) It fed water into the small mills that lined the banks. These were small sawmills and gristmills. There were about 11 such mills at one time.

number	type	product	name
1	saw mill	cut logs	Philip Smith
2	grist mill
3	plaster mill	grounded rocks	Zenas Church
4	oil mill	cotton and flaxseed	Obed Carpenter
5	shingle mill	sliced logs	Philip Smith
6	wool mill	carding wool and coloring cloth	Asa Nash
7
8
9
10		Howard and Lathrop Paper Mill
11		Ames Paper Mill

The Howard and Lathrop Paper Mill started here in 1824 and lasted until a fire in 1846. From 1824 to 1846 the Ames Paper Mill was here. The Ames made the first device that mass produced paper. Ames was northeast of the Howard and Lathrop by a bit. In 1848 the Glasgow Gingham Mill was built here. It lasted until 1896 when it closed due to lack of profit. The Hadley Mill of Holyoke purchased all in 1903 and lasted until 1930. Then Holyoke Water Power bought it and razed it in 1935.

Glasgow Workers’ Homes in South Hadley

The Glasgow Workers’ Homes line the eastern side of High Street. (LOCATION) There are 12 buildings that were made in the same format. The only house in that line that is different used to be a store and a post office.

The list of the postmaster in South Hadley Canal or Falls is at the link POSTMASTERS

South Hadley Canal

South Hadley Canal

Walk north along Canal Street a bit more. There is a concrete block that had a metallic map of the canal system on its top. Follow the trail north into the woods. (LOCATION) The canal is at the end of this path. Finally you can see remnants of the South Hadley Canal. You can see Cove Island out in the water.

Walk farther down the path and you will find another information stop. This one explains the Incline Plane and the lock system. The canal is about half way through its 2.5 miles length. You can keep walking along the tow path for a half mile or so. There is even a path on the other side that you can walk on.

Canal boat were flat bottomed boats that held the cargo ships on their tops. Men or horses would pull the boats up or down this navigational canal. Pilots on calm days would navigate the canal/ The captain of a boat was not allowed to navigate the canal themselves but rather were required to have the canal pilot do it. From the end of the central part of the canal it is another mile to the northern start of the South Hadley Canal. To get there drive north on Canal Street and take a right onto West Summit Drive. Then take a left onto North Main Street. Take the first left onto River Road. Drive for about a mile until you reach the Locktender’s House at 315 River Road.

This for use by the locktender of the canal. Here were two more locks that raised the boats to the height of the canal water.

South Hadley Canal tour

Hadley Falls Bicentennial Park

Hadley Falls Bicentennial Park

When you are on the deck at the Hadley Falls Park (LOCATION), look sharp to your right along the riverbank. The watercourse that is along the river at this point is the cove portion of Cove Island. It is not the South Hadley Canal yet. We will go down to the canal. Along the way you will pass a memorial to John Kuzma. He died in Vietnam in 1966 and is buried in the South Hadley Falls Cemetery.