As early as 1633, entrepreneurs along the Piscataqua River in southern Maine utilized the force of the river to power a sawmill, recognizing the potential of the area's natural power sources.
Maine's major rivers – the Penobscot, Androscoggin, Kennebec, and Saco – along with hundreds of smaller ones– provided falls and rapids, which, along with dams, could help the settlers capitalize on timber and other natural resources.
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