A lot of folks here are probably familiar with the power canal systems in Lowell and Holyoke where they still exist as a prominent feature in the landscape. In other places, the old canals were buried. You wouldn't even know they were there. In this particular case, I didn't even know they were there until I stumbled into one. Buried for over sixty years, these traces of the second industrial revolution have been a long time in the tomb.

My first clue was a concrete wall, a series of arches running along it, facing the street. They were bricked up, but I sure they were tail races. Where did the water go? A littler further down, there's an empty lot with am opening covered in plywood except for a small hole torn out from the bottom. This lead into a small chamber blocked on one side by a foundation that's got a door in it about six feet up the wall.


1. Someone was living on the other side. News papers dated back to last November.



2. This was the strange part. That's a turbine gate. Under an office building and its dry as dust.



3. Beyond it was an archway and a long low tunnel. You could tell water used to flow down here.



4. It was twenty degrees warmer than outside, but it didn't look like people come back here this far, even in the winter.



5. I found this garbage in a low lying place. Looked pretty 80's, maybe it floated in when there was still a way for water to get in.



6. Another turbine gate. Look at those water stains on the wall.



7. Penstock. There would have been a set of turbines right about where I was standing.



8. I could see the street -once a tail race- through the opening. The tunnel continued further, but it was converted into a basement for the rest of its length.



9. Bonus shots from a Christmas day trip to a nearby mill.



10. I brought my rain boots planning on wading across, but with the rain and the snow melt, the river was impassable.



Thanks for looking!


...

Wow!! That's super neat!

Cool spot! Thanks for sharing.

That's some awesome detective work. Very cool - I love anything underground!

This is pretty cool, thanks for the walk-through.

The detective work was really good and loved the explanation! I will definitely be taking a closer look at places from now on

Nice bit of hydro-archaeology!
I always enjoy your adventures, thanks for sharing. I've been dying to get back underground myself.

Posted by C. Enzo Nice bit of hydro-archaeology! I always enjoy your adventures, thanks for sharing. I've been dying to get back underground myself.

Thanks dude. Lets get back at it this year. I've got all kinds of spots up and down the valley to show you and if you really want to get underground and don't mind RV sized rocks hanging over your head, have I got the spot for you. Once the worst of this pandemic is over of course.

Posted by Philodiss Thanks dude. Lets get back at it this year. I've got all kinds of spots up and down the valley to show you and if you really want to get underground and don't mind RV sized rocks hanging over your head, have I got the spot for you. Once the worst of this pandemic is over of course.

Hell yeah! I really hope things are gonna cool down by summer time. I've got a few things in our valley you might like, too.