Busted Dam at Damon Mill

For many years paddlers wishing to traverse the Assabet River through West Concord, MA have been confronted with a broken dam at the Damon Mill (pictured above in 2017).   Not anymore as the old broken dam has been removed (photo below taken 10/20/18)...


While driving along Route 62 the other day I noticed something different out of the corner of my eye.  Turned around, drove into the parking area behind the mill, and found the dam is no more...

The river passing by the mill is now at least twice and, more probably, three times as wide as it formerly was.

The old view looking upriver...

Yesterday's view upriver...

Most that paddled through the old narrow opening will remember this rock formation that lurked in about the middle of the passageway...


Thanks to the work of an excavator that was still on site, the need for dodging the rock has been greatly reduced.   With the demolition equipment still there, I suspect the broken dam was only recently removed.

According to Renee Garrelick in her 1988 book Clothier of the Assabet this spot on the Assabet had been harnessed for industrial purposes of one kind or another since 1658.  Garrelick's book also includes an 1859 plan of the site drawn by local surveyor Henry David Thoreau.

While paddling the Assabet about 4 miles below Damon Mill this past Saturday, I came across this Muck boot that some unfortunate paddler had become separated from somewhere upriver...
Hopefully the paddler still has the other half.  If so give me a shout and they'll be reunited.

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