Today, in the 21st century, traffic flows between Ludlow and Indian Orchard almost continuously over the Chicopee River. This easy passage was not so easy in the 18th century. Crossing the river was downright dangerous at times. Based on the river level, people would ford the river. A ford is a shallow place with good footing where a river or stream may be crossed by wading or even with a horse and wagon. In summer and especially in fall, the Chicopee river can be very low like most rivers in New England. Travel between Ludlow and Indian Orchard (Springfield) was easily planned and safe. In Spring or when there had been a large amount of rain, suddenly everything was different. To cross the river meant waiting for low water or crossing using some type of boat/raft. A strong current would often determine if this could be done easily or with a great amount of assistance.
As time passed, the need for year-round consistent travel became a greater need with a certain urgency mixed in. You can read the exerpts from historical books below but I will summarize it here.
In 1776 a highway survey was done and by 1781 a committee had been established. In 1788 money was granted to build a bridge. By 1792 the bridge had become a river craft. In 1794 plans of a bridge were approved with a requirement that bonds would be taken. Eli Putmam chaired the committee and to this day we hear Putt’s Bridge or Put’s Bridge (Putt’s Project includes the dam.)
The natural falls today is mostly hidden underwater behind a dam that first provided mechanical power to mills. Apparently early records spoke of the beauty of the falls and the red sandstone that formed its structure. We believe that it could be restored to its former beauty by the removal of the dam and a coordinated plan to make the shoreline a public park in both Ludlow and Indian Orchard. The benefits of this plan would result in greater financial prosperity than from the existing dam.
The following is from History of Western Massachusetts: The counties of Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire. (Volume II, Part III) by Josiah Gilbert Holland. Published by Samuel Bowles and Company 1855
The Chicopee River forms the Southern boundary of the town (Ludlow), and in its course of three or four miles, presents several excellent water privileges. The largest of these is at the falls of Wallamanumps. The water here decends 42 feet in a distance of 100 rods, (1 rod = 5.5 yards = 16.5 feet so 100 rods = 1650 feet) and the falls, with their wild and precipitous banks, form some of the finest scenery on the river. These places were favorite resorts of the Indians, and the relics of their rude agriculture and savage warfare may be found, almost at any time, in the immediate vicinity. Just below the falls of Wallamanumps, the river, in its tortuous course, forms a peninsula of a few acres of woodland, elevated about seventy-five feet above the water, the extremity of which has always been known by the name of “Indian Leap.” The story (entirely legendary) is that a party of Indians, being surprised in this secluded spot, by their enemies, and finding no way of escape, leaped over the precipice, and perished in the foaming stream and among the rocks below. Here, too, upon this peninsula, is supposed to have been the encampment of the 600 Indians who burnt Springfield, the night succeeding that event, and where those who went after them “found twenty-four fires and some plunder.” [See Outline History – vol. 1, p. 97.] The abrupt extremity of this strip of land is composed of red sandstone, large quantities of which have been quarried by the Indian Orchard corporations.
The following is from "The History of Ludlow, Massachusetts" Alfred Noon, Ludlow, Mass Town history committee
Printed by vote of the town by Springfield Printing and Binding Company in 1912
Before the opening of the eighteenth century only the most inexpensive modes of crossing the Chicopee were employed. It can hardly be presumed that the bridge for which provision is made in the charter was on the Ludlow line. A memorandum of highway survey bearing the date of 1776 speaks of the north end of a bridge which was probably at Wallamanumps. There were “riding places” or fords at Wallamanumps and where now Collins bridge spans the stream. As early as 1781 a committee from Ludlow was to meet another from Springfield to see about the construction of a bridge at Wallamanups. In 1788, 50 pounds (money) was granted for a like purpose in April, and in November a committee on subscriptions was appointed, possibly to secure a better bridge than the town felt able to construct unassisted. In 1792 the bridge, which must have made pretensions to respectability, had probably become river craft, for the town petitions the county authorities for another.
In 1794 plans, more or less elaborate, were consummated for a structure, which was inspected by a solemn committee in the later autumn. The conditions of building are worthy of preservation.
Voted that any Person or Persons that will undertake and build called the Wallamanumps Falls, and shall keep the same in good repair, shall receive sixty pounds from the town of Ludlow – Provided that the Person or Persons being so entitled to the said sum of sixty pounds for building the said Bridge shall procure sufficient bonds to the Town Treas in the sum of one hundred and twenty pounds for the return of the same money into the Treas of said Town if the same bridge so built shall not stand the rapidity of the Floods and the Breaking up of the winter, for four years – And also that the same Person or Persons that shall build the same shall be entitled to all the fare or toll allowed by Law from all Persons not being inhabitants of the
Town of Ludlow forever.
Eli Putnam, moderator of the meeting at which this action was taken, evidently considered the vote as a challenge, and proceeded to the erection of the first Putnam’s or Put’s bridge, also, probably, the first toll bridge at that point.
We will continue to search for more historical information and would appreciate any accurate information that we can add.