Hiding just off one of the Hudson Valley's busiest roads is a waterfall that has to be seen to be believed. A. Boris A. BorisWaterfalls in Dutchess CountyWe've all heard of Wappingers Falls, but not everyone knows that the village was actually named for a real waterfall that runs right under its Main Street. A. Boris A. BorisHistory of the Wappingers FallsLong before Wappingers Falls became a village, the waterfalls along Wappinger Creek were the reason people settled there. They built grist and sawmills that harnessed the rushing water, laying the foundation for what would eventually become one of Dutchess County's most important industrial communities. Over the next 150 years, the waterfalls powered the growth of Wappingers Falls from a small milling settlement into a bustling manufacturing village.