Willimantic River
The Willimantic River was one of southern New England's best waterpower resources in the 19th century. Within the limits of Willimantic, six textile-mill dams utilized a total fall of more than 90 feet, and a sizeable drainage area, 229 square miles, provided a large amount of water. Except for about six weeks in late summer, when the flow dropped off, more than 1,700 horsepower was available.
The river also provided the mills with another resource: building stone. The river bed and the banks were made up of a hard granitic gneiss that was easy to split and cut yet was very durable. The Jillson House (home of early millowner William Jillson), the Jillson Cotton Mill, millworker houses, dams, and several mills of the Willimantic Linen Company were built from this readily available stone.
The mill dams created small ponds on the upstream side that were popular for recreational boating, swimming, fishing, and picnicking in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. When the Willimantic Footbridge was built in 1906, the City considered making it part of a system of riverside parks and scenic trails, but the plan was not implemented.
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