Loading...
Combined Acquisition ApplicationCritical Open Space Acquisitions 1 COMMUNITY PRESERVATION PROJECT APPLICATION COVER SHEET I: Project Information Project Title: Critical Open Space Acquisitions – Mineral Hills - Mining Heritage and Rocky Hill Addition Project Summary: CPA Funding is sought to acquire five parcels totaling 63 +/- acres to add to the Rocky Hill Greenway and Mineral Hills. These parcels will meet a variety of needs; providing wildlife habitat, creation of new safe access for parking, trail connection and educational opportunities. One of the parcels includes clear evidence of an historic galena mine, which can be added to a historical tour of the cultural mining landscape of the Mineral Hills, and will make an outside classroom for geology students. Estimated start and completion date: 2018 CPA Program Area (check all that apply):  Open Space Historic Preservation Community Housing  Recreation II: Applicant/Developer Information Contact Person and or/primary applicant: Wayne Feiden Property Owner (if applicable): Several private owners with which the Conservation Commission has purchase agreements Organization (if applicable): Northampton Conservation Commission and Office of Planning and Sustainability Mailing Address: City Hall, 210 Main Street, Second Floor Daytime phone #: 413-587-1265 Fax #: 413-587-1264 E-mail address: wfeiden@northamptonma.gov III: Budget Summary Total budget for project: $290,000 CPA funding request: $166,412 CPA request as percentage of total budget: 57% Applicant’s Signature: Date Submitted: September 15, 2017 _______________________ Critical Open Space Acquisitions 2 Parcel Information Westhampton Rd (Rt 66), north side Mining Heritage – Mineral Hills Acres: 8 Parcel ID’s: 41-054, 41-071 Current Owner: William Walker, Trustees Easthampton Road and Old Wilson Road Rocky Hill Greenway Acres: 55 Parcel ID’s: 44-126, 44-127, 44-030 Current Owner: Judith O’Brien, Wilson Realty Narrative The Conservation Commission has two critical open space acquisition projects moving forward concurrently. Comprised of five separate parcels in two different greenway/conservation tracts, they will enhance a variety of conservation values, will enhance cooperation with several of our conservation partners, and will leverage other public and private funds. Mineral Hills ”Mining Heritage” We have been working to extend the Mineral Hills to the south, and have made major inroads towards that goal in the last few years. Acquisition of the Mining Heritage parcel will be a big step toward connection of several different areas. This area is separated from the larger Mineral Hill complex by just two parcels, which we will work to protect in the coming years. The parcel is within a much larger forested block and from here, you could walk north for more than five miles through the woods and only cross two roads before reaching the Williamsburg line, where you could hike another two miles to the Brewer Brook Wildlife Management Area. The area includes views of the Holyoke range to the southeast. This acquisition is in accordance with long-term plans for Northampton and the region, is part of a larger landscape conservation initiative, and will help further goals and objectives identified in statewide, regional, and local conservation and habitat management reports. Except for the driveway, it is located within an area of high climate resiliency as designated by the Nature Conservancy. Critical Open Space Acquisitions 3 The area is located along the side slopes of one of the southernmost knobs in the Mineral Hills. These hills are the erosional remnants of once-great mountains that formed roughly 450 million years ago and are composed of metamorphic rocks with igneous intrusions. These sediments were deposited 15,000-12,400 years ago, during the time of glacial Lake Hitchcock, when glacially-charged rivers and streams deposited vast amounts of sand and gravel around this knob and created extensive outwash plains that stretched from here to Florence and into Easthampton. Even though it lies more than four miles from the center of Northampton, this part of town attracted attention early on in the City’s history. In 1685, Robert Lyman of Northampton discovered lead in the form of galena along an outcrop near the Manhan River. The site lay just a few hundred yards downstream from the current conservation area, and for the next two centuries various mining companies worked the claim. Other nearby sites were also explored for minerals, and although none of them were very successful, the region became known as the Mineral Hills. Like most of Northampton and Massachusetts, this area was probably completely cleared by the early 1800s— partly to feed the nearby sawmills, partly to feed the home fires, and partly to create pasture for sheep and cows. Now, it is dominated by deciduous hardwoods and a few patches of hemlock and white pine, as well as wet meadows and remnants of pastureland. The parcel contains the last known remnants of a lead mine within Northampton, and we are excited to be able to utilize the area as an outdoor classroom to bring history, geology, and ecology to life. There is already a great deal of interest in the mining history of the Loudville area, and we will host a symposium with local experts as soon as the parcel is acquired. The property is currently on the market, and includes a common driveway that will be used as a safe parking area – access along busy Route 66 is limited, and parking along the median of the state route is not possible. The Mining Heritage parcel directly abuts 37 acres of preserved land that was just acquired by the Commission this year. Trail connections, in cooperation with the Friends of Mineral Hills can be relatively easily established, to include viewsheds, the adjacent property to the south, and the historic galena mines. It will also serve as a catalyst for other acquisitions in the area. The seller and the city have already signed an option to purchase. City Council voted unanimously to approve the purchase, the LAND application, and authorize necessary borrowing. Due diligence is currently underway with an appraisal that supports the purchase price already completed, and a LAND grant announcement is expected late this fall, for which CPA funds can be the required local match. A permanent Conservation Restriction will be held by a land trust or other appropriate local nonprofit. Information about the history of mining in the area is attached. A site visit to see the mines is encouraged. Critical Open Space Acquisitions 4 Rocky Hill Greenway Expansion We have negotiated a sale of 50 acres within the Rocky Hill Greenway from two separate owners. These are located adjacent to MassAudubon property and existing Conservation Commission property, and add to a valuable wildlife and plant habitat linkage between the Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary and Connecticut River floodplain with the Rocky Hill Greenway, the former Northampton State Hospital and other upland areas. Much of the value of these parcels lie in the connections they serves to the large protected areas to which it lies near. The additions are directly adjacent to the 80+ area Rocky Hill Greenway (significantly expanded in 2014 with CPA and other local funds), and the Northampton State Hospital Agricultural Lands. It is also separated by only Easthampton Road from the hundreds of acres of unique and indisputably invaluable protected lands surrounding the Connecticut River and its Oxbow that are held by the Massachusetts Audubon Society as Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary. MassAudubon is a strong proponent and partner for this project, and in recognizing the value that protection of this connection will create, has agreed to hold the Conservation Restriction, and has pledged an additional commitment. Within a stone’s throw from the property’s boundaries, also within the Connecticut River Ecoregion, are a multitude of habitat types and mapped areas. The Expansion parcels serve as an invaluable connection between these. These include: estimated habitat of rare wildlife, priority rare species habitat, aquatic core habitat, small-river floodplain forest, and a medium- yield aquifer. The Connector also includes a variety of habitats and ecological features that make it important for conservation in its own right, including vernal pools, valuable non-breeding habitat for spotted salamanders and wood frogs, which spend all but two weeks of their adult lives living away from their breeding pools and in surrounding uplands. An additional five acre parcel will also be acquired by the City, but is not part of the CPA application. This has limited conservation values, and may be appropriate for solar photovoltaic, economic development, or other municipal uses. A full survey of these areas will be completed soon. The project meets several Community Preservation general criteria: Contributes to the preservation of Northampton’s unique character, boosts the vitality of the community, and enhances the quality of life for its residents Part of Northampton’s character is the amount and diverse types of open space and recreation opportunities available throughout the City. This acquisition will create a new opportunity for public access to an area where it is currently limited, and provide opportunity for a longer-distance trail from east to west. Addresses recommendations contained in the Sustainable Northampton comprehensive plan and/or the Open Space, Recreation, and Mixed Use Trail Plan 2011-2017 or is Critical Open Space Acquisitions 5 consistent with other city-wide planning efforts that have received broad-based scrutiny and input and can demonstrate wide community support The project will also address several of ‘the most pressing open space and recreation needs’ identified in the Open Space Plan. These are: • Passive recreation opportunities throughout the city • Linkage and augmentation of open space parcels, to provide for passive recreation and wildlife movement between large natural habitat areas. • Protection of vistas and “viewsheds.” • Acquisition for permanent protection of a range of critical and natural plant and animal habitats, including: • Wetlands • Rare or endangered species habitat • Riparian lands along the Connecticut, Mill, and Manhan Rivers and other rivers and major streams • Preservation of open space parcels that help define Northampton’s character, including parcels at the “entrances” to the city and parcels that limit the expansion of development into previously rural areas. • Protection of farmland, forestland, and the rural character of outlying areas. • Encouraging or requiring that development is sensitive to ecological resources, vistas, and open space. • Protection of key parcels in the last remaining large undeveloped areas of town – Broad Brook and Beaver Brook Watersheds, Marble Brook Watershed, Saw Mill Hills, Mineral Hills, and the Meadows Saves resources that would otherwise be threatened The Mineral Hills parcel is currently on the market, and has common driveway infrastructure already in place. If not protected, the opportunity for public access will be lost. The galena mines have no historical protections that would prohibit their filling, and would likely be erased forever under private ownership. The Route 10 parcels are currently zoned Business Park, and on the major thoroughfare between Easthampton and Northampton, it will certainly be developed in the future, especially if sewer is extended along that portion of Route 10. Receives endorsement by community groups, municipal boards and/or departments The application is presented by the Conservation Commission and Office of Planning and Sustainability. It is also supported by the Historical Commission, Friends of Mineral Hills, and MassAudubon. Leverages additional public and/or private funds, or demonstrates that other funding sources are not readily available or sufficient The projects include a variety of public and private funds, and donated time by MassAudubon and Planning and Sustainability staff. Critical Open Space Acquisitions 6 Can be implemented expeditiously and within budget We will be ready to close as soon as all funding is received. The Project also meets several of the Open Space Evaluation Criteria: Preserve valuable surface water resources, including rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, wetlands, buffer zones, vernal pools and riparian zones A perennial tributary to Fitzgerald Lake runs through the eastern portion of the property, and includes associated wetlands. The woodland on the property is also classified as Prime Forest. Provide opportunities for passive recreation and environmental education The Mining Heritage provides a unique opportunity for not only environmental and geological education, but also education about cultural landscapes in the western part of the city and beyond. Preserve large strategic tracts of undeveloped land and parcels adjacent to existing permanently protected open space Promote the creative use of former railway, waterways and other corridors, including connecting corridors, to create safe and healthful non-motorized transportation and exercise opportunities Community Need/Protections/Project Feasibility and Success The project will protect sensitive ecological resources, land for passive recreation, and invaluable historic landscapes. All of these resources are identified as priorities in the Open Space and Recreation Plan. A permanent conservation restriction will be placed on the property once acquired. The project will require minimal maintenance by City staff, including inspection of signs. Any trail development beyond the existing network or more intensive maintenance will be done by volunteers. Critical Open Space Acquisitions 7 Project Budget: Rocky Hill and Mineral Hills critical preservation project Project item Part of Acres Cost CPA Request LAND Grant MAS Grant TOTAL SOURCES Galena Mines (2 lots) purchase Mineral Hills Conservation Area 7.968 $100,000 $40,000 $60,000 $100,000 Galena Mines soft costs and stewardship $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 O'Brien purchase Rocky Hill Greenway 2.73 $20,000 $10,000 $10,000 $20,000 Wilson Realty-Easthampton Road purchase 47.41 $142,000 $102,000 $40,000 $142,000 Wilson Realty-Old Wilson Road purchase (not conservation) 5 $0 $0 Rocky Hill (3 parcels) soft cost & stewardship $18,000 $4,412 $13,588 $18,000 TOTAL $290,000 $166,412 $60,000 $63,588 $290,000 ATTACHMENTS: Maps Historical Information Mining Heritage Acquisition Location: Westhampton Road, Route 66, Northampton, MA Land Use Zoning: Rural Residential "A" Parcel ID: 41 -071 Deed Reference: Book 10407 Page 250 Area: 3.63 acres Owner: William R. Walker, Trustee "B" Parcel ID: 41 -054 Deed Reference: Book 2289 Page 67 Area: 4.13 acres Owner: William R. Walker, et al. AB UV66 E Path: N:\GIS_Projects\Projects\Public\MXD\Fierst_FY18_20170707.mxd Date: Thursday, July 20, 2017 Coordinate System: NAD 1983 StatePlane Massachusetts Mainland FIPS 2001 Projection: Lambert Conformal Conic Datum: North American 1983 False Easting: 200,000.0000 False Northing: 750,000.0000 Central Meridian: -71.5000 Standard Parallel 1: 41.7167 Standard Parallel 2: 42.6833 Latitude Of Origin: 41.0000 Units: Meter 0 1,000 Feet openspace Northampton 17.369 countryjournal February 1, 2013 Locals love Loudville Lead Mines By Lisa Connell WESTHAMPTON– It was literally standing room only as history buffs and mineral enthusiasts crowed into the Westhampton Library on Jan. 18 to hear the Historical Society’s presentation of a talk with Wayne Perrea about the famous Loudville Lead Mines. Even half an hour before the talk, people filled the library’s community room to see the displays of minerals, old glass bottles, and maps, and to talk to Perrea who grew up on Loudville Road and has a lifetime’s acquaintance with the mines. Starting off the meeting Bill Tracy, the chairman of the Historical Commission, thanked everyone for coming and apologized for not having a bigger room. He pointed to the refreshments saying, “I bet a dollar we don’t have enough to go around, so get some early.” Perrea, who is also compiling the first comprehensive history of the various operations at the mines, talked about what drew miners there in the first place. He said that the lead mines follow a set of hydro-thermal faults in the bedrock of the Loudville area. The largest one ranges from Leverett to Montgomery. However, the only area that proved profitable were the ones in Loudville because that’s where the faults come closest to the surface. He said that as one drives down the highway and sees rocks with strips of white in them– those are a hydro- thermal faults– where water came in, was under low pressure and low temperature conditions, and formed calcites, flourites, and minerals of that nature. And that’s what happened in Loudville on a large scale where are three to four foot wide vein exposed of white quartzite was exposed at the surface. Perrea added, that as these hydro-thermal faults were going through their changes in the Triassic period– during the folding and mountain building events–this is where the second infusion of water came in with the minerals that carried the galena, the quartz and the other secondary minerals that are associated with lead. And it was these minerals that Robert Lyman stumbled upon when he first discovered the site. Lyman knew that lead is trapped in a white quartz called galina which is a sulfide of lead (not as dangerous as actual lead which is dangerous only after it is smelted down to particles small enough to be absorbed through skin). So miners would take the rocks, put them through a series of stampers and rock mills to extract the galina, then extract the lead. Perrea said when he talks about Loudville, there are a set of mines. The original mine started at the “heave in the lode” which is the southern part of the area or Southampton. Perrea showed a map of the area, which is more of a prospectus put out by the last big owners the Manhan Silver Lead Mining Co. It showed many areas of mining. He said that where the buildings are pictured there were very concentrated shafts sunk. Miners would pick a site, start digging down, then build a structure overhead to cover the hole, and as they progressed down and out would shore up their shafts with wood. In the early days, miners also lived on the sites in tents. They also had a problem with the water constantly filling up the shafts. Many times they would have to dig an “adit” which is an extra shaft that they use to divert water so they wouldn’t have to bring in big pumping machines. Concerning the owners, Perrea said there is a lot of false information, folk tales and rumors that need to be dispelled. For instance, rumors say that after Lyman discovered the lead, he went insane and sold his mine for a cow. One rumor said he knew where to find the lead mine because he had worked in the mines in Cornwall before he came to America (this was not true since he was was only two when he came to America). Lyman grew up with his family in Charleston, and they later moved on to become part of the church in Roxbury. Lyman’s father Richard was member of Thomas Hooker party who helped found Hartford. After living in Hartford, Robert and his brothers bought land in Northampton where he was a farmer. He didn’t discover the lead in Southampton till he was 50 years old. He lived to be about 61, and it was only in the last 10 years of his life that he became “distracted,” not “insane.” After he found the lead, the first mining operations started in 1680 after he founded a mining company with men from Northampton. However, mining proved much more difficult than anyone thought so in 1681 to 82 most of Lyman’s fellow Northampton members sold their shares to two Boston men who actually owned the land. Lyman was the last hold out. He never did sell his shares, but he did, in 1682 (for a cow) showed Col. Pynchon of Springfield the mining sites. So he never sold his shares for a cow, merely showed where the sites were. Eventually, the property laid idle for about 80 years, then a man named Samson Simpson bought rights. He knew Ethan Allen, and in 1764 Ethan Allen obtained the mining rights to the Loudville properties and started to work it. He brought with him three slaves. The only slaves to ever work these properties. However, Allen wasn’t too welcome in town. Got into a fight, and the townsfolk made him stay at the mines. He stayed around for about five years. Then in 1768 he sold he shares and moved out of town. He sold his shares to the governor’s brother William Bowdoin, who along with his partners, started mining on a large scale. They expanded north and started the Easthampton works. Lots of buildings were brought in and assembled around the area. Mining operations peaked around 1770, then the mine shut down for the Revolution in 1775. Some say bullets were made for the war from the mine, but there is no confirmation. The mines were abandoned for about 30 years. In 1809 operations started up again, buildings were rebuilt, the shafts were re-timbered. The new owners mined the Easthampton sites. It was during this time that Perrea’s favorite story occurs around a miner named Luther Work. Luther and his wife spent 17 to 20 years digging an adit through about 900 feet of granite. In 1828, mining again stopped. In 1830 Caleb Loud showed up, and that’s why the area is named Loudville. Later Charles Stern buys land and rights, then sells to new owners. Eventually it was leased to Cornish miners who did the best and most efficient mining on the site. In 1863, the land is bought again and the Manhan Silver Lead Mining Company was formed. They brought in the largest machinery–two large steam engines– and worked every site from the Southampton sites to Northampton sites. They setup an enormous rock crushing operation in the Easthampton site. It was around this time than many French Canadian men came to town, which is why many residents have French last names. Eventually, times changed and the last mine operations took place between 1863 to 1865. The land was eventually sold to private citizens. During his talk Perrea had some mining tools on display such as a six pound hammer. He said that mining and railroad equipment were pretty similar. He talked about “double jacking” where one man would hold a spike, another would hit it with a hammer, then the man holding the spike would rotate it. They did this till they had a hole large enough to put power in and blast the rock open. Then they would use drifting picks to reduce the stone to a size to put in buckets. Early mine lighting were metal candle holders. Perrea showed one candle holder that was on a metal holder with a spike so it could be put on ground, stuck in the rock, or put on a mining cap. Later on miners used “tea pot” lamps which could also be worn on the hat. He also had a hanging lantern that would be filled with fish oil. Perrea also had many old bottles, which he said he found as a kid, and are pretty hard to find now. Since the mines have closed, the place has become very popular with people who are interested in rocks and minerals. Perrea had examples of malachite, pryromorphite, cerrusite, wulfenite, rocks that he found. For those who would like to visit the site, he said that the most of the mining shafts are filled in or filled up with water. Much of the area has been picked over by rock hunters, but if one finds a pit or shaft, there are still plenty of cool minerals to be found if one walks farther away.