Directions
From NY 11 in Gouverneur, drive east
on NY 58 for nine miles. At that point, take a
right on CR24 and drive about 1.4 miles. Park
after crossing the bridge.
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County: |
St. Lawrence |
Town: |
Fowler |
USGS Map: |
Edwards |
Waterway: |
Oswegatchie River
West Branch |
Latitude: |
N 44°
15' 51" |
Longitude: |
W 75°
20' 21" |
Drop: |
~12' |
Type: |
Curtain cascade |
Region: |
Southeast of Gouverneur |
Parking: |
Roadside |
Trail type: |
Roadside |
Length of hike: |
Roadside |
Difficulty: |
Roadside |
Accessibility: |
Public |
Name: |
Unnamed |
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The directions in the side-bar technically take you to the
roadside view of Fullerville Falls. There are a number of
other small waterfalls upstream from this point. This
falls, which we have tentatively named Fullerville Upper Falls
for cataloging purposes, is the only of these falls that can be
seen from the highway. The rest have to be accessed by
water. As with Fullerville Falls, this one is technically unnamed.
We have been notified that collectively, Fullerville Falls and
Fullerville Upper Falls were once known locally as Twin Falls.
As the picture shows, this is a curtain cascade. It is
about 1000' upstream from Fullerville Falls. This photo
was taken with a 300 mm telephoto lens from a distance of a
little over 1400'.
While doing research, we discovered a clause in the historical
booklet Town of Fowler ... Bicentennial History ...
1807-2007. From page 12 of that document, "A
few rods north of the bridge at the foot of the rapids is the
site of the fire-destroyed Ontario Talc Mill, while a short
one-fourth mile above the natural dam is a water power upon
which the late Chester Sprague erected a mill for the
manufacture of lumber and shingles. A short distance south
reaches what was known as the Hazelton Falls upon which was
operated a shingle mill. A bit farther upstream is a power
site known to earlier settlers as Hill Falls. A short
space further in the same direction appear Mill Falls so called
by reason of a mill being located there." In cooperation
with Karen Simmons, Fowler Town Historian, we are continuing to
look into this, but at this point we believe that this "natural
dam" referred to is actually Fullerville Falls.
A search of a map of the area, circa 1865, reveals a C. H.
Sprague property adjacent to Fullerville Upper Falls. If
further research supports what we currently believe, we will
consider changing this to Sprague Falls.
The Oswegatchie River flows into the St. Lawrence River in
Ogdensburg, New York.
Last update: July 19, 2017
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