The river appealed to settlers because its 45-foot rise in close proximity to navigable water each provided potential waterpower sites.

After its demise, a large double sawmill was built on the dam by a company composed of Gooches, Pratts, Sargents, Cutters and Bakers, which was a prosperous establishment for many years.

[1] At the northern end of the Royal River Park once stood Charles H. Weston's machine shop and foundry, which, from 1876 to 1892, manufactured equipment for cotton and woolen mills, turbine water wheels, steam engines and a wide variety of machinery for customers all over the world.

A water tower with a tank capacity of a quarter of a million gallons was erected off West Elm Street.

[4] Also in 1892, a small steamer named the Hoyt ferried guests from the calm water above the falls to a mineral springs hotel in North Yarmouth that was owned by Giles Loring.