Mine Falls Park extends along a 3¼-mile stretch of the Nashua River just east of downtown Nashua, New Hampshire. Mine Falls was given its name due to an early history of mining low-grade lead at the falls on the Nashua River. A gatehouse and canal were constructed at the start of the Industrial Revolution, harnessing 36-ft of water pressure to power the factories of the Millyard downstream. The gatehouse directs water from a dam at the falls into the Mill Pond reservior which supplies the 3-mile long power canal, terminating at the Millyard. Today the canal system is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places, and a modern hydro-electric power plant operates at the Mine Falls dam, while the park serves as a valuable recreational area and nature preserve for the city.