Merrimack River fish which had historically contributed to the residents' way of life.  In 1825, certain individuals actually attempted to tear down the dam.  Upriver flooding was another result of the Pawtucket Dam.  The vast mill pond created by its construction flooded out several of the most productive farms in West Pawtucketville.  As the City of Lowell grew on the south side of the river, the land bordering the north side remained agricultural, except for certain pockets of commercial and community activity, such as Mammoth Road at the Pawtucket Falls Bridge.

     On February 20,1861, the final barrier separating the communities of Pawtucketville and Lowell was removed.  The Pawtucket Falls Bridge, constructed in 1792, would no longer be a private toll bridge but became a free, public way.  Three days of ceremonies by the people of Pawtucketville marked this elimination of tolls and the two communities becoming one.

The Search for Pure Water
Pawtucketville was rich in undeveloped land and unpolluted sources of water and air, resources that the City of Lowell required to maintain growth and quality of life.  Historically, the remote Pawtucketville land area had been of little value to residents on the other side of the river, but with the growth of Lowell's population, public health was an increasing concern.  As early as 1838, the city surveyed Tyng's and Long Ponds for a pure, dependable water source located in the northern highland above Pawtucketville.  By 1855, however, the pond concept was deemed impractical and inadequate.  The water supply