Falley’s Armory found. Thank you to the Westfield Atheneum and some time spent there over time….as I found myself standing in the brook with the remains in front of me reading my notes, history was awakened in Montgomery.

“Falley located his armory with extreme cunning. off from the main valley of Moose Meadow Brook and reached through a narrow opening is a little glen with sides rising almost sheer on all sides. Standing in the midst of this glen one easily may realize its sequestered position in the days before the virgin growth of timber had been cut off. Although the rushing torrent of Moose Meadow Brook was scarcely audible, yet it formed a wide, deep pool just over the upper rim of the glen, before it reached the falls and cascades just below.”

“It was an ideal spot for a hidden armory for several reasons. It was almost immune from discovery and in addition a tremendous waterpower for those days was ready at hand. All Falley had to do was to construct two wide dykes on either side of the natural pool above the glen and connect them with a small dam, then build a rock walled tunnell beneath one portion of the dyke and divert the water to the upper rim of the glen from which it dropped almost straight to the paddles of the millwheels almost 100 feet below.”

“It took quite a force of men to operate the armory. Farmers, with small cleared areas where they carried on their work but in reality, these rugged old Yankees were skilled mechanics, who disappeared early in the day through the paths leading to the glen and the armory, to reappear at a moment’s notice if the housewives should signal the approach of an unfriendly party. Then they would become farmers, tilling their rocky areas, and farmers they would remain until all danger was past, when once more they would return to their work of manufacturing muskets which later were to be used at Lexington, Concord and Bunker Hill.”

“From the ruins of the old armory it may be seen that it consisted of quite an extensive plant, with a building about 25 feet square erected on a foundation of native stone at the foot of the steepest wall of the glen containing the water wheel and machinery on which most of the heavy work was done. Flanking it was a much larger structure with a shaft connection with the wheelhouse, where the finishing work was done. Most of the stocks were constructed of native wood cut near by and seasoned in the shops.” #montgomeryma

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