Mystery Springs in Walpole?

Clues from old books online

(Offensive comments are not written by blogger)

First I read...

Annually, in the months of May and June, shad and salmon, in great numbers, set out from the ocean for the head waters of the Connecticut and its tributaries. Shad, unable to pass the rapids at the Great Falls, were crowded into the basin below and far down the river, while the salmon, more agile in their movements, were able to surmount the rapids and fulfill their summer mission of depositing their spawn, [9] and returning again in the fall to the ocean.  The shad, less fortunate, after a time became discouraged at their futile attempts to run the rapids, fell back, and ascended some of the larger tributaries.  Their number was immense.  From time immemorial the Great Falls had been the best fishing ground to be found in all New England.  Tradition says that there were once Indianwigwams on or near the site where now stand the railroad station near cold river then the dwelling near by, extending below more than one fourth of a mile, the Indians being a sub-tribe of the five nations called the Abenaquis or Abenakees, meaning the pines.  There were also other wigwams of the same tribe on a small brook in Westmoreland, on land now owned by Robert E. Green, about half a mile south of Walpole town line which is called Wigwam Brook to this day. In the narrow defile between Fall mountain and the river was the Indian path where they used to travel from the white settlements in Massachusetts below to Canada, in their marauding expeditions.  The blossoming of the shad tree (Amelanchier Canadensis) was the signal for all the Indians for many miles around to gather about the falls for the purpose of shad and salmon fishing.

Then I read:

(http://www.nh.searchroots.com/documents/History_Walpole_NH.txt)

There is a fountain of chalky berate 

waters about two and one half miles 

north of the village, called the

 "Abarakee Springs". The name 

being derived

From an Indian tribe that once in

 bygone days used to bathe in its 

waters for cutaneous diseases."

Then I read...

Chalybeate waters, also known as ferruginous waters, are mineral spring waters containing salts of iron.Wikipedia

Then I read

http://des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/water/wmb/rivers/documents/cold-nom.pdf

Before Mr. Boudrieau put his wheelbarrow to such extensive use, visitors were coming to this part of the river to stay in one of three “fancy” hotels to partake of the healing benefits to be found in the 3 or 4 mineral springs on the Walpole hillsides of Brewery Road 

then I read:

http://www.accessgenealogy.com/new-hampshire/walpole-cheshire-county-new-hampshire-history.htm

There is sufficient evidence to warrant the conclusion that there were large numbers of Indians who lived a part, if not all the year, near the railroad station at Cold River. In the immediate vicinity and also a half-mile below, the plough-share of civilization has unearthed Indian skeletons, spear-heads, arrowheads, heaps of clam-shells and numerous other Indian relies, which, together with the rude carvings on the rocks below the Falls, are in dubitable evidences of there having been a famous lodgment for Indians about this vicinity long before the pale-faces’ eyes rested on this natural landscape of beauty. One-half mile south of Cold River is a spring of chalybeate waters, thought by the Indians to possess remarkable medicinal qualities. There was a tribe of Indians who frequented this spring, called the Abanakees or Abanarquis (meaning the pines), from whom the spring derives its name. The Indians drank freely of the water and washed themselves all over with it, claiming it would cure cutaneous diseases. It might have been potent in its effects on the red-skins; but no one ever knew of any sanitary effects it had on white people. It is very offensive to most people, both in taste and smell ; one glass of it being sufficient for a life-time with ordinary people, unless driven to the very verge of death from thirst.