History is temporary. Mother Nature is undefeated.
Portions of the Slocumb Dam has stood for over 180 years, with renovations coming to other parts in 1995. But in March 2017, a large hole burst in the dam. The town lowered the water behind it to reduce pressure, also removing the picturesque mill pond.
The original dam was made of the stone to power the Hopewell Mill built on the site. It was two-sided and the far side is still the original. It was made of huge blocks of stone and remains in good shape despite approaching 200 years. Over on this side are concrete stairs that were built, likely much later, although their purpose isn’t abundantly clear.
The new side was made of concrete and, unsurprisingly, is also the side with the issues. It’s odd shaped, with the a base, a slanted wall and supports to hold it up. In between two of these supports is where the hole broke through.
The town is still evaluating their options, although the likely outcome is part of the dam is removed to allow the free-flow of water again while also minimizing the removal so the dam itself can still be seen for historical purposes.
Hopewell Mill
Slab Gut Brook Dam
Smut Pond Dam
Cotton Hollow
Lost Glastonbury 