Bellows Falls Fish Ladder Visitor Center opens for season June 23

BELLOWS FALLS — At the Bellows Falls Fish Ladder Visitor Center, salmon and sea lampreys swim by every summer. But even more treasures are hidden beneath the waves, ripples, and pools of the Connecticut River: historical artifacts, shipwrecks, and Native American petroglyphs (rock carvings).

The center guides visitors of all ages through the ecology of the river and its habitats and learn about the fish, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, and birds who live here. Visitors can walk below the water level and watch the water rush past.

At the center's grand reopening on Saturday, June 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., master diver Annette Spaulding, who has been diving in the Connecticut River for over 30 years, will share stories and show artifacts she has found on her dives.

In 2015, she discovered Native American petroglyphs near the junction of the West River and the Connecticut River - a discovery she'd been working toward for decades.

The Nature Museum's environmental educator, Jay DeGregorio, will also lead an interactive program at 10 a.m.

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