Rockville Downtown Association Gets Grant to Spruce up Hockanum Falls

The Rockville Downtown Association and The Friends of the Hockanum River Linear Park Committee have been awarded a grant to spruce up the area around Hockanum Falls.

The falls, located behind the Amerbelle and Ano-Coil plants in Downtown Rockville, are an industrial landmark that can be traced back to the height of the mill era in Vernon. The $10,000 grant is administered by the Connecticut Main Street Center and the “Preservation of Place” program in cooperation with the Commission on Culture & Tourism with funds from the Investment Act of the State of Connecticut.

The RDA said that a design team has begun to plan meetings and will seek the help of neighbors to clear brush and improve the view of the falls and pond area from the street.  The project has been dubbed ''Rediscover the Historic Hockanum Falls.''

The site is made up a two waterfalls that represent the origin of the town and the system used in some of the earliest textile mills. In 1821, the main waterfall was known as ''The Rock.'' It is a natural dam of solid stone that framed a high drop-off from the Hockanum River, that helped power ''Rock Mill''  and the McLean Woolen Factory, located just downstream, in1823. 

The falls were instrumental in the area of town being named Rockville.

Over the past several years, the area around the waterfalls has become overgrown and the brush blocks just about any view from the street. The project will open a line of sight and create of safe viewing area. The grant will help fund the planning and design work for the initial phase of the project.

RDA Design Committee members include Jeff Hutton, Robert Hurd, David Lee, Ann Letendre and Cliff Edwards. Meetings are now being scheduled with property owners and town officials to work out out details.

For information, contact the RDA office at 860-875-7439 or visit the RDA Web site at www.rdact.com.