The village grew up around the Great Falls of the Connecticut River. In 1802 one of the first canals in the country was constructed to bypass the falls and provide power for industrial development. In the mid-19th century, the community became a railroad center. The village retains many 19th-century commercial and industrial buildings. The Rockingham Town Hall dominates the urban setting. Just below the Vilas Bridge are Native American petroglyphs and on the island are a number of important historic industrial buildings.