09/09/2026
The lost towns of the Quabbin reservoir include Greenwich, Dana, Enfield and Prescott. The watershed area itself that supplies the Quabbin extends into Oakham, MA which is part of a fierce opposition to a battery park proposal by residents of it and surrounding towns. Local bylaws would not allow this structure, but the state overroad those bylaws and granted permission for its construction. The battery park site sits on top of aquifers that feed the watershed. This is the same water that supplies Boston with it's drinking water, so residents of the city should really take note of this potential project as well. But, back to the history of this place... In addition to the four completely lost towns, land was also taken from several surrounding municipalities—including portions of Petersham, Hardwick, Pelham, New Salem, Belchertown, Oakham and Rutland. All of this to build out the massive watershed footprint. The creation of the reservoir displaced around 2,500 residents, required the demolition of thousands of structures, and forced the exhumation of over 7,500 bodies from local cemeteries. The hike to Soapstone gives a pretty impressive overview of the sheer size of this place. There is impressive assortment of wildlife here from moose and bear to coyote, bald eagles and just about everything in between. The Quabbin is a wonderful area to hike, but no swimming is allowed and there is heavy surveillance here to protect the water. Get caught ignoring the rules and they won't hesitate to fine you heavily and ban you for Life. So our advice is the same as always, respect the land and be a good human...
