Within this community, there is an island in the Oswegatchie River.  Back in the 1800s and early 1900s, the road through here was the main highway through town.  Under the channel around the east side of the island, there was a bridge spanning a mill pond.  on the other side of the island,  another bridge crossed the west channel over Tannery Falls, a waterfall of an estimated 12 to 15 feet in height.  This island once was a hub of activity in this community.  A grist mill and saw mill operated here.  Some of our pictures show a flume which carried logs being transported downstream around the waterfall.  Around 1910, an electric production plant was built here.  A local businessman constructed the plant which supplied electric power to the village and surrounding area.

As technology changed and the industry here ceased, the area of the west bridge was filled in and a sluice pipe channeled the water under the highway.  That has been replaced a few times over the years as it has rusted out and today, all that is left of Tannery Falls is this sluice pipe.  Due to its slant as it goes under the road, the outlet only drops about four feet into the pool below.  Two of the pictures in the array show what this area looks like today.

At some point, a new road and bridge were built another location just downstream from the island.  This new road became the main road through time and over time, traffic ceased over the island.  In the late 1990s, the bridge over the east channel was removed and replaced with a pedestrian bridge.  Under it is a pretty little set of rapids.  The road is now a dead-end.

Even the village where this was located no longer exists!  Once the village of Edwards, the residents here voted to dissolve the village and become part of the township of Edwards.  That vote took place in 2011 with an effective date of January 1, 2013.

The Oswegatchie River flows into the St. Lawrence River in Ogdensburg, New York.

Last update:  June 9, 2016

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