N EWTON U PPER F ALLS N EWTON U PPER F ALLS N EWTON U PPER F ALLS N EWTON U PPER F ALLS N EWTON U PPER F ALLS N EWTON U PPER F ALLS N EWTON U PPER F ALLS N EWTON U PPER F ALLS N EWT chDiscover Historicchch until the present edifice was built. built about the same time as its famous speared salmon and took shad and stone “facing,” while the sidewalk was was the father-in-law of Dr. Joseph unknown. The house appears to be too Other Catholic churches in Needham, neighbor, the old stone barn. NEWTON alewives from tidal waters below a nat- extended out from the bridge on the Huckins Warren of the Warren family pretentious for its original surround- Newton Centre, Wellesley, Lower Falls, ural dam in this area. Above the dam, north side. of doctors. Dr. Warren owned and ings. General Simon Elliot, son of mill and Waban were formed wholly or in 39 The Otis Pettee Square and Depot is fresh water fish were caught. Indian practiced in the building at 344-346 owner Simon Elliot who died in 1793, is part by this parish. named for the man described by one UPPER FALLS braves, bunching their canoes together, 5 Before the Perkin’s enterprise began Elliot Street in the 1850s. During the known to have built a home on the snuff historian as “the principal factor in the worked their way downstream using their operations in 1828 most of the old Civil War, he was personal physician to mill property after the death of his 37 The barn/warehouse at 38-44 Oak development of Newton.” One of the PPER FALLS is one of the many of which look much as they did in branches of saplings to sweep the river Elliot snuff mills and other industrial President Lincoln. father and to have lived here at least Street was built about 1838 by Otis nation’s pioneer inventors and manufac- six founding villages of the early 19th century. In those early before them. Opposite this point, buildings were removed. Many of these part of the year. A “whole” house of this Pettee who used turer of cotton UNewton, and is believed to be days, the village occupied a wide terri- squaws stood on a submerged wall buildings, built about 1785, are believed 8 The “right-of-way” (now Sullivan type would appear to be the logical it principally to machinery - his the only village retaining the name tory, including Newton Highlands across the river, holding a net of woven to have been moved here and made into Avenue) off Chestnut Street is all that choice of a country home for his use. If house wagons exportation of such acquired prior to Newton’s separation (until 1865) and Waban (which became reeds into which the fish were driven. Workmen’s Housing. Only three remains of an ancient highway laid out so, the date of its construction would be and draft animals machinery to for- from Cambridge in 1688 (early high- a separate village in 1891). Although The netted fish were dragged to the remain today of the eight or nine origi- in 1688 by a joint agreement between in the 1790s. Gen. Elliot sold the mill needed to haul eign lands in 1837 way records of 1685 and 1687 grants of land were made within its shore where they were cleaned and nal dwellings once standing on both Cambridge and Cambridge Village property to his brother-in-law, T.H. freight shipments preceded similar smoked over open fires and then sides of the street. The large building at (Newton) from “the Village Perkins, in 1814. One of their joint refer to “Upper Falls”). borders as early as 1634, to Boston in the shipments by his packed away in caves for winter food. 347-349 Elliot Street was originally Meeting-house to the Falls.” This aban- business ventures was the building of its first permanent late 1830s and competitors by 50 When these fishing grounds were sold, much smaller and was possibly used as doned section ran from a point at 324 Boston’s first theater, the Federal, in Much of 1840s the rail- years. He was asso- settlers were John a clause in the deed (which was con- a boarding house. It is considered to be Elliot Street into the old mill yard, orig- 1794. road he spon- ciated with every Upper Falls is and Rebecca tained in all subsequent deeds) gave this one of the buildings mentioned in the inally ending at John Clark’s sawmill. sored came to major cotton manu- now a local Woodward in tribe perpetual fishing rights. Later, sale of the mill property in 1814. However, before the “cartbridge” was 12 1028 Chestnut Street was the third Upper Falls. The facturing concern in historic dis- 1681. None of when John Smith was mapping the built about 1714 the old road crossed school in the Upper Falls school district building became the village at one trict contain- the sites on the coast of New England he renamed the 6 Of geological interest is a phenomenon the river at a “fordway” and at some established in 1824. It was built in 1846 nationally famous Old Stone Barn at 38-44 Oak Street time or another, ing more than tour are open to river the “Charles,” in honor of Charles described in books of geology as the point on the other side, rejoined the old and used as a school until 1855 when it as the “Stone from 1820 until the 150 structures, the public. I of England. “Upper Falls Pothole,” the only such “parish” or “county” road that leads to was replaced by the Prospect #1 School Barn” when featured in the well-known time of his death in 1858, gaining own- pothole in New England. A pothole is the present bridge. built that year on what is now Pettee St. syndicated column “Believe It Or Not,” ership of two of these companies, his t 3 In 1893, both sides of the river were formed when a large stone is trapped in A rapidly expanding school population Upper Falls Depo by Ripley. It features four stories that own in 1831 and the Elliot Mfg. Co. in landscaped, creating a beautiful park the eddies of a waterfall and starts to 9 Chestnut Street (Northward from forced the use of this building again as a can each be reached by outside 1841. He was a leader in civic affairs as which is now know as Echo Bridge revolve. As it turns its grinding action Elliot Street) was originally called school in 1881 (in an upstairs public entrances. By reason of varying ground well – serving as the village’s first post- 1 The first industrial venture in the vil- the first inventors and manufacturers of Park, Newton’s first park on the river. bores a hole into the rocky mass at the “Proprietor’s Way,” and ran from the hall known as Quinobequin Hall). The elevations there is one on each side of master in 1825. He sponsored and was lage (the first on the Charles River in cotton machinery in America. The first A colorfully lighted bridge, built in two base of the falls. The Upper Falls Elliot Street mill site to another mill site building was purchased in 1855 by the building. the first president of the Charles River Newton) was John Clark’s sawmill, building on the site was a foundry, built sections, spanned the river from the Pothole is unique because only a por- downstream at what is now Boylston Willard Marcy, who converted the Railroad in 1852 (the year the depot erected on the east bank in 1688. This under Pettee’s supervision. Not only Newton side leading to a broad stair- tion of it was torn away by the receding Street. This “Way” included what is lower floor into stores. It is the oldest 38 22 Cliff Road is a stone building was built). The exterior of the old sta- was soon followed, in 1710 and 1715, by was most of their cotton machinery built case that ascended the rocky bank on glacial floods. One half of it remained now Ellis Street. Chestnut Street was school building still standing in which has served as a shop, storehouse tion has been restored and the building a grist mill and a fulling mill (fulling is a here but also that of other early cotton the far side. A two-storied orchestra and can be seen in the face of the ledge constructed from Ellis to Boylston in Newton. and residence (its present use) and was currently houses a coffee shop. process of pounding and shrinking mills, such as the Boston Mfg. Co. of and refreshment stand fronted on a nat- located on Sullivan Avenue, opposite the early 1820s and extended to West woolen cloth). Upper Falls’ role as the Waltham, and the Jackson Mills in ural amphitheater containing rows of 324 Elliot Street. Newton about 1834 when the railroad 13 1012-1014-1018 Chestnut Street has leading manufacturing village in Nashua, NH. seats, surmounted by a dance pavilion came to that village. Stagecoaches contained stores for at least 150 years, No portion of this text may be copied without permission of the author Kenneth W. Newcomb. Text Newton was quickly established. 40 x 100 feet in size. Swings and 7 Please note the long building at operated between the villages to con- and may be the oldest commercial revised and updated by Newton Planning and Development Department in conjunction with the Newton Cotton manufacturing continued here merry-go-rounds entertained the chil- 344-346 Elliot Street, now housing a nect with the railroad.