The end of summer is a sore subject in Rhode Island, and this one has seemed especially short. That being said, even the most diehard summer lovers can admit that autumn in New England is truly something special, particularly in the Ocean State. And while you’ll find plenty of places in the area to take in the beauty of the fall foliage, we highly recommend heading to Shannock Falls before winter.
The Shannock Historic District is a historic mill village that sits nestled along the Pawcatuck River in the town of Richmond.
schmutaki / TripAdvisor The historic core of the village is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The area has quite the history. It was once the site of a battle between the Pequot Indians and the Narragansett Indians over fishing rights.
schmutaki / TripAdvisor More recently, Lawson M. Cary, Jr. was honored for his efforts to protect the native fisheries and wildlife in the area. The fish ladder you’ll see here is dedicated to him.
In the spring and summer, Shannock Falls, which is also known as Horseshoe Falls, looks like this…
Devyl_Gyr / TripAdvisor
… but it won’t be long before it starts to look like this.
Rick Payette / Flickr The area is well-known for its vibrant, rich fall colors.
The dam that backed up the river at Shannock Falls for over 100 years was removed in 2010.
Rick Payette / Flickr The former dam site is now home to some challenging rapids. It’s best admired from afar.
While there’s not much to the Shannock Historic District, it’s worth visiting in the fall for Shannock Falls alone.
Rick Payette / Flickr Take some photos and celebrate autumn’s arrival, because New England is about to get a lot more colorful.
Have you ever been to this quaint waterfall in Shannock? Autumn is definitely the time to check it out.
schmutaki / TripAdvisor
The historic core of the village is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
More recently, Lawson M. Cary, Jr. was honored for his efforts to protect the native fisheries and wildlife in the area. The fish ladder you’ll see here is dedicated to him.
Devyl_Gyr / TripAdvisor
Rick Payette / Flickr
The area is well-known for its vibrant, rich fall colors.
The former dam site is now home to some challenging rapids. It’s best admired from afar.
Take some photos and celebrate autumn’s arrival, because New England is about to get a lot more colorful.
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Address: Shannock, Richmond, RI, USA
