Manhan River
Encyclopedia
The Manhan River is a 27.6 miles (44.4 km) river in western Massachusetts
. It is a tributary of the Connecticut River
.
The river begins near the boundary between the towns of Huntington
and Westhampton, Massachusetts
, and flows southeast to White Reservoir and then Tighe Carmody Reservoir in Southampton
. The river continues southeast, then turns northeasterly and flows through the middle of Easthampton
to its confluence with the Connecticut River
at a westward curve called The Oxbow
. The river provides excellent views of nearby Mount Tom
.
Europeans first settled the area in 1664 and later established saw mills on the river. In 1847 large mills began with the Williston-Knight Button Company; a number of other factories sprang up nearby in the next few years. Small lead mines also were established near the river. Of particular note is the Manhan River mine near Loudville, noted for its pyromorphite
and wulfenite
. A former railroad has been converted to the Manhan Rail Trail, which now provides a scenic pathway along the river.
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. It is a tributary of the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
.
The river begins near the boundary between the towns of Huntington
Huntington, Massachusetts
Huntington is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 2,174 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
and Westhampton, Massachusetts
Westhampton, Massachusetts
Westhampton is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,607 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, and flows southeast to White Reservoir and then Tighe Carmody Reservoir in Southampton
Southampton, Massachusetts
Southampton is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It was established first as a district of Northampton in 1753. It was incorporated in 1753. The name Southampton was given to it during its first town meeting in 1773. Its ZIP code is 01073...
. The river continues southeast, then turns northeasterly and flows through the middle of Easthampton
Easthampton, Massachusetts
Easthampton is the second largest city in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The town is on the southeastern edge of an area called the Pioneer Valley near the five colleges in the college towns of Northampton and Amherst, MA...
to its confluence with the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
at a westward curve called The Oxbow
The Oxbow (Connecticut River)
The Oxbow is an extension of the Connecticut River, located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is famous for its appearance in the 1836 painting The Oxbow by Thomas Cole.-History:...
. The river provides excellent views of nearby Mount Tom
Mount Tom (Massachusetts)
Mount Tom, , is a steep, rugged traprock mountain peak on the west bank of the Connecticut River 4.5 miles northwest of downtown Holyoke, Massachusetts. The mountain is the southernmost and highest peak of the Mount Tom Range and the highest traprock peak of the long Metacomet Ridge...
.
Europeans first settled the area in 1664 and later established saw mills on the river. In 1847 large mills began with the Williston-Knight Button Company; a number of other factories sprang up nearby in the next few years. Small lead mines also were established near the river. Of particular note is the Manhan River mine near Loudville, noted for its pyromorphite
Pyromorphite
Pyromorphite is a mineral species composed of lead chlorophosphate: Pb53Cl, sometimes occurring in sufficient abundance to be mined as an ore of lead. Crystals are common, and have the form of a hexagonal prism terminated by the basal planes, sometimes combined with narrow faces of a hexagonal...
and wulfenite
Wulfenite
Wulfenite is a lead molybdate mineral with the formula PbMoO4. It can be most often found as thin tabular crystals with a bright orange-red to yellow-orange color, sometimes brown, although the color can be highly variable. In its yellow form it is sometimes called "yellow lead ore".It crystallizes...
. A former railroad has been converted to the Manhan Rail Trail, which now provides a scenic pathway along the river.