In Bellows Falls…

Submitted by papalemingway t3_11pdlh1 in vermont

Cute town, just curious to learn any interesting facts about it?

ETA: People definitely have an emotional reaction to the place! I ate at a few local spots and was very impressed with how good the food was. In fact, one of the places was more inventive with its menu than anyplace Ive been to in Boston. The town theatre I was super cool— people overall were pretty nice. I went over the river to Walpole but it had a much more “mean” vibe than I found the VT side of the river. Thanks to everyone who answered me, I look forward to coming back to explore your state in months to come!!!

9

Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

Santoka108 t1_jbxc6o9 wrote

Some cool petroglyphs/carvings are nearby.

41

papalemingway OP t1_jc1kjnj wrote

Thanks for this tip! I went and saw them :)

2

Santoka108 t1_jc1pkj4 wrote

Cool! I've still never been. Was it easy to find and walk to? Wasn't sure if the snow/ice was covering some of the carvings at this time of year.

1

papalemingway OP t1_jc1pr6s wrote

Yes it was easy to find. There are 2 separate sets near each other and one was covered with snow but the other one was on more upright rock so it was clear :) Very easy to find, right next to the bridge.

1

Commercial_Case_7475 t1_jbxh65q wrote

A little story from the past. The Abenaki would often come to fish on the Connecticut river in the winter, and make camp in the fields of several farmers in bellows falls. Those in the town welcomed them and enjoyed their exchanges. Eventually the old chief that the townspeople had become accustomed to seeing became ill, and, fearing that he might soon die, the town called a meeting. They decided that it was only fitting to build the old man a house so that if he did die, at least he would be warm and comfortable. Unfortunately they didn't complete the house in time, but the people held a funeral for him which was attended by many townspeople and Abenaki people.

29

random_vermonter t1_jbyhbq0 wrote

Source?

5

Commercial_Case_7475 t1_jbymta1 wrote

"Vermont the State with the Story Book Past", Cheney, Cora; Stephen Greene Press, 1976

8

random_vermonter t1_jbymz2x wrote

Thanks

2

Commercial_Case_7475 t1_jbyn7tx wrote

It's an awesome book. Reading it to my kids right now, but the way it's written is like a storybook, which makes it really fun to read. It has a great depiction of the Green Mountain Boys, too.

5

NonDeterministiK t1_jbxcrot wrote

Underrated town & I prefer it to Brat. Look at the size & ornamentation of the houses on Atkinson St and you can see it was once a wealthy town but then got quite gritty for a few decades. Classic film wednesdays at the Opera House is great. The fish ladder is supposed to be an attraction but I've never seen it open. Check out the funky old train station with antique bathrooms. The Vilas bridge is attractive and would be an asset to the town if they could reopen it (closed since 2009).

25

Rich_Swing_1287 t1_jbyqz9t wrote

The fish ladder is only open to the public in June and September, mainly on weekends. Those are migration periods for shad, lamprey eels and salmon. Other times there is nothing to see on the ladder, or so I'm told.

3

papalemingway OP t1_jc1ljzt wrote

Yeah I thought it was a pretty special little “undiscovered” little hamlet. This post shed light on blight that I didnt actually visually witness so I think it’s grown up from people’s memories in the area.

2

SueDnymm t1_jbxiotl wrote

91.5 fm WOOL black sheep radio

21

BlaiddDrwg82 t1_jbxklw0 wrote

Never heard anyone describe Bellows Falls as “cute”.

I’ll always remember it as that dumpster fire of a town I lived in during 8th grade.

9

MYrobouros t1_jbz03m2 wrote

It's really gotten kind of nice I think. A few good consumer businesses for locals/passers by, a tidy downtown area, a solid thrift shop, I think the train station is better than most (not that that's saying much but still), I think Bellows Falls might qualify as cute these days.

I can't quite remember the slogan but I saw a T shirt that said something like "Bellows Falls: Not as Bad as You Heard"

4

Santoka108 t1_jbzne7l wrote

Reminds me of a clothing shop in White River Junction that sells shirts with the slogan: White River Junction: It's Not So Bad

3

random_vermonter t1_jbymvre wrote

I dated someone from Fellows Balls and we drove around town one night and it was just people loitering in parking lots all night. That and Jim's Arcade, which I wonder if it is still there or not?

3

AdministrativeGas123 t1_jbyw9tx wrote

Jim's is still there. Not sure how it stays open! BF is in a much better situation than it was when I went to high school there. It was a real mess then. It's gotten so much better!

5

papalemingway OP t1_jc1l44v wrote

From what Im learning…the town has come a long way the past decade or so…

1

Otto-Korrect t1_jbxm6js wrote

If you are either a pregnant teen, or an aging alcoholic you will find plenty of company there!

9

knupaddler t1_jbxh20d wrote

there's a cult you can join there

8

halfbakedblake t1_jby38wz wrote

I feel that it is way too easy to join a legitimate cult now.

4

Definitelynotcal1gul t1_jc2ejod wrote

The internet made it way too easy. The internet gave us lots of great things, but connecting people to cults was NOT one of them.

1

AdministrativeGas123 t1_jbywi94 wrote

My friends and I used to visit with the "Ponders" in high school. They were nice enough, but I suppose most cults are at first!

3

knupaddler t1_jbzlvmp wrote

yeah, they were nice enough to let me live/work there for a time when i was a teen, but when i decided i'd had enough and wanted to leave the tone changed

2

papalemingway OP t1_jc1kqt9 wrote

I saw their shop in town but it was closed. Maybe you’ll share more story !

1

knupaddler t1_jc1qi5d wrote

i was bumming around new england in the 90s and found myself in need of a place to go. i had met members at some phish concerts where they were known for recruiting pretty heavily among the lost or disillusioned heads. "don't get on the bus" was good advice. they would offer people food and try to get them to leave with them. they handed out neat little magazines about the 3 eternal destinies of man and asking questions like why aren't i satisfied by drugs and rock music? they were kind of fascinating to me, and it was my only exposure at that age to any kind of communal living situation. at one point i called them up on the phone and spoke at length about how they lived and what they believed, and was warmly invited to come check it out for myself. so it was both opportunistic and anthropological, but i was much more of a seeker than a believer, and when the novelty wore off, i was ready for something different.

1

Otto-Korrect t1_jbxlpsm wrote

The current location of the Vilas bridge was the first bridge over the Connecticut River.

7

MargaerySchrute t1_jbxqrd7 wrote

The attic in the masonic temple is haunted. Cannot confirm, but was told this years ago by someone at a blood drive.

7

EverybodyWangChung52 t1_jby939q wrote

When I was in high school we played them in football and called them Fellows Balls. I may or may not mutter that everytime I pass that exit

7

ButterscotchFiend t1_jbxlkxj wrote

Fellows Balls?

It is ranked lowest in Vermont on many socioeconomic indicators.

5

Beardly_Smith t1_jbys65g wrote

Beautiful town, shame about the people

4

Downrightregret t1_jbynv7j wrote

There was an Irish bar there that took donations for the sinn fein back in the day. Possible still

3

Rich_Swing_1287 t1_jbyubq1 wrote

The Bellows Falls Canal was the first canal built in the U.S. (1802), pre-dating the Erie Canal. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=74471

Canal Street (currently closed at one end as the new apartment building is being finished) is one of the oldest streets in BF and because it was built over a preexisting path used to portage barges and canoes, technically may be much older than the village.

The Adams Grist Mill is one of the best preserved water wheel grist mills I've ever seen. The horizontal water wheel is still in place under the building but went out of use in the early 1920s when the new hydroelectric plant came online. It's open for tours in the summer & fall: https://www.bellowsfallshistoricalsociety.org/gristmill

3

theknaverino t1_jbz1qps wrote

Bunch of dumb heroin addicts who voted against an improvement to the hydroelectric damn. Worthless shithole, give it to NH.

3

derpMaster7890 t1_jbzjv3m wrote

Having lived in BF for a few years the joke always was, "Bellows Falls, where father's day is the most confusing day of the year".

3

Beardly_Smith t1_jc056z2 wrote

Whatever bad you can say about BF...at least it isn't Springfield

3

Nanotude t1_jbyusld wrote

I remember when Steamtown used to be there. Too bad they went away to Scranton. Used to love going there as a kid.

2

yamshortbread t1_jbyxedc wrote

Joy Wah is one of the best American Chinese restaurants in the state. The bar is not high, truly, but the food's good.

I'd rather drive into Chester or Ludlow personally. Killarney in Ludlow has the best chicken wings I've ever had.

2

Rich_Swing_1287 t1_jbzuml3 wrote

Joy Wah is consistently reliable, thoroughly decent Chinese food. That's slightly above the bar for this state.

I drive to White River Junction every few weeks to grab a sandwich at Phnom Penh. It's also the only decent pho I've found in this part of the state.

2

Galadrond t1_jbzfv8w wrote

It’s a dilapidated old mill town full of alcoholics, meth, and teen pregnancies. There’s also a persistent stink from the local sewage plant. The only thing it has going for is high school football but that’s really not saying much.

2

papalemingway OP t1_jc1l9w0 wrote

Thankfully didnt smell any sewage whatsoever nor did I see any of the dilapidation you mentioned. Sounds like the town USED to be more rundown than it is now. I didnt see any addicts, or teenage pregnancies lol

1

iredditwasntgoodforU t1_jbz828u wrote

Terrible town. Arguably top 3 worst in VT.

1

papalemingway OP t1_jc1lehz wrote

I dont know much about your state (Im from Mass) but I found BF to be a really charming little place that might’ve experienced some progress since how you remember it.

1

iredditwasntgoodforU t1_jc3e033 wrote

The madness starts at 7 pm is and goes through the night. Summers can be a little tough. Not much to do and there’s a lot of drugs and people without work. Lots of wandering people

1

papalemingway OP t1_jc4j5w1 wrote

Wow, Ill be back next month and maybe stay up late enough for said madness.

2

iredditwasntgoodforU t1_jc6zz98 wrote

Fair enough. Have a nice time. Either ways thanks for enjoying VT! I think it’s beautiful

1

Sufficient-Voice-210 t1_jbzknbf wrote

Old Railroad town. I used to work in BF on the ambulance about 7 years back

1

stanz10 t1_jbzocls wrote

Red Sox great, Ted Williams, hit the longest home run at the BF high school field

1

getthetime t1_jbzv8wk wrote

That was Carlton Fisk in 1964 while playing for Post 37.

1

GammaRaystogo t1_jbxf8zp wrote

At least in the memorable past it was home to (or maybe a branch or local chapter of) the North American Man Boy Love Association, although the Wikipedia page does not mention that.

−3

Gheid t1_jbxviz9 wrote

From spending a lot of time in BF and talking to people, they've always said that was a rumor spread by homophobic people. Bellows Falls used to be the safe place for LGBTQIA+ people in rural Vermont to be out due to places like Andrews Inn in the 70s and 80s, when Brattleboro was far more unwelcoming. It's why the town is still referred to by some as Fellows Balls.

12

GammaRaystogo t1_jbya40r wrote

Thank you for that glimpse back into history. I feel bad in retrospect, for having simply gone with 'conventional wisdom', if there's even a chance that I've simply repeated a rumor.

1