15) Indian Petroglyphs
Possibly 300 to 2,000 years old, these carvings by native Americans are an intriguing legacy of their earlier presence even though the meaning of the figures is unknown and their original appearance has been altered. According to conjecture, they may commemorate a ceremony, a celebration, a successful fish catch, or a 1775 skirmish with settlers. In the 1930s, a local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution directed many of the carvings to be deepened to make them more visible. Since then, the carvings have been painted yellow several times for the same reason. They may be found about 50' south of the concrete Vilas Bridge.
[Previous: Great Falls and Gorge] [Next: Paper Mill Complex]
[Bellows Falls Historic District] [Map]
[One researcher believes they are of Celtic origin and similar to petrogylphs found in Guadeloupe.]
More pictures of the petroglyphs