Pennsylvanian Walter Elmer Schofield worked at the St. Ives art colony in Cornwall, England, for much of his career, but maintained an active presence in the American art world. It was on one of his trips back to his native country that he created The Powerhouse, Falls Village, Connecticut. The artist frequently painted winter scenes; like many Impressionists, he was fascinated by the challenge of rendering snow and its many hues in sunlight and shade. While the winter setting was typical for Schofield, the industrial subject matter was not. In the early nineteenth century Falls Village had been a center for iron production, but by the time the artist painted these buildings, the industry was in a serious decline. The depiction of these snow-covered structures seems to suggest the renewed peace and quiet in the postindustrial town.