Tileston & Hollingsworth (T&H) Dam - Boston-Milton, MA - Water Dams on Waymarking.com

In Boston, but near the Milton town line, is the Tileston & Hollingsworth (T&H) dam. This dam once powered a paper mill, but now being considered for breaching.

The T&H dam currently is created of concrete and steel. It has a (relatively) large pair of bascule levers that changes the height of the reservoir behind. I could not find specific information on the dam - but it is a modest size. The water height is about 12 ft high and about 180 ft long (measured on GoogleEarth). There are two towers on either side of one of the bascule levers. The other end is by a building. Despite having the levers, the dam does not hold back a lot of water. The river is in a narrow valley and backs up water to about where the Neponset Valley Parkway crosses the river near the southwest corner of Boston. Today's dam was supposed to be used for flood control. However, since it doesn't have a lot of water capacity (a web page on the Neponset River Watershed Association web site stated that the capacity was about 60 acre-feet), it's use for flood control is rather limited.

The modern dam was built in the 1960s (an average of 1965 was used below) as a replacement for the previous dam that was washed away in 1954 due to Hurricanes Connie and Diane, which dumped up to 18 inches of rain and is considered the worst storm-flood event in the Neponset River watershed.

An article found stated that there has been a paper mill here since 1773. Presumably, at least a wing dam (a jetty that extends into the river but doesn't fully block it) existed then to supply water to the mill. The article also stated that this was the site of the longest continuously operating paper mill in the country. Unfortunately, around 2005, the Bay State Paper Company then operating had closed, and since then, most of the complex has been raised. There is one building left, with a dated stone of 1902, plus the tower on one end of the dam. Now, there is a disproportionally high amount of parking space for the supermarket that was built on the lot.

This dam and the Baker dam down the stream are being considered for removal. A Citizens Action Committee consisting of several interested parties evaluated options and recommended breaching both dams.

Currently, access to the dam, itself, it difficult. There is a chain link fence across about a third of the lot. The gate was fully open at the time of the visit, so I went in to take a few pictures. The dam is visible (better when the leaves are off) from River Street, so to visit you can see from a public right of way.

Another note - while I believe that the neighborhood is pretty safe, it would be advisable to just be 'aware,' as you would in any urban environment, and lock your car when leaving it.



Source:

Boston.com (Dam Inventory):
(visit link)

Tappi.org (Mill Report - Bay State Paper: A Mill that Reinvented Itself):
(visit link)

Neponset River Watershed Association (Flood Prevention Project):
(visit link)

Waterway where the dam is located: Neponset River Main use of the Water Dam: Flood Control Material used in the structure: Masonry/Concrete Height of Dam: 10 ft Date built: 01/01/1965 Fishing Allowed: no Motor Sports Allowed: no

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Photo of the Dam and a description of your visit.

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