Bellows Falls, Vermont — Nestled in the verdant hills of Vermont is the idyllic town of Bellows Falls. This is an old community, filled with lovely antique colonial houses, all tidy as a pin and surrounded by perfect yards and gardens. With a population of just a little over 3,000 people, this small town has always been connected to the Connecticut River, from where it gets its name. An eastward crook in the river passes through a rocky gorge; a dam built above the gorge became a great site for waterpower in the early 19th century, but it didn’t solve the problem of navigability. As a result, a canal with locks was cut across the crook, creating a section of town known to locals as the “Island.”