We have researched and hiked the flood waters of Factory Brook in Middlefield from the Dam at Goose Pond and the earthen dam built by the Churches in 1866. Two floods destroyed Blush Hollow and the Factory industry, yes twice. After all was said and done the CCC took down the dam remains….yet after many still wanted the Reservoir as an outdoor recreation area….

“Heavy rains on July 11, 1874 poured down; Factory Brook responded. Water rose quickly in Goose Pond; the dam broke. The flood rushed down into Factory Brook overtaxing the Upper Reservoir which gave way. The tremendous volume of water tore along to the main dam which could not withstand the pressure. As the water streamed through Factory Village, the damage was appalling, not only to the mills and their properties and homes, but also to the railroad which later determined the losses to be $100,000.”

With the assistance of Doug Lyman lidar mapping genius, we set out to uncover all that the floods and forest have taken back. Contributed photos courtesy of DCR, History of Middlefield, Sternagle, mapping Doug Lyman. https://middlefieldma.net/

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