Quequechan River From the Past

Fall River’s Quequechan River used to flow fairly freely through the city, starting at the Watuppa Pond and exiting at the Taunton River. This River powered Fall River’s mills and help to make Fall River the largest cotton manufacturing city in the US.

According to Fall River, Massachusetts: A City of Opportunity 1914, “Quequechan” means “it leaps or bounds.” “It is an Indian name of the stream — Fall River — signifying falling water or quick running water.”

The Indian name for Fall River was Quequeteant, or “the place of falling water” (p. 136).

Now the river is covered over with highways and buildings.

Here are a few images of what it looked like back when. Thanks to Dave Jennings for the great images.