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◂︎ Mandy & Lexi's Massachusetts Adventures
Sturbridge
Tantiusques Reservation
Date visited: 1/23/2022
Tantiusques Reservatoin is a historic site owned and managed by the Trustees of Reservations. It is the site of now defunct graphite and lead mines. It is also known as "Clarke Caves" in the "Dexter: New Blood" television series. The scenes with the caves in episodes three and six were shot here. This is sort of companion visit to our trips to Shelburne Falls, and the Whately Diner, where other scenes in the show were filmed. This is a cool site. The main mine featured in the show is actually a few feet from the parking area. It is gated off. I guess people aren't allowed inside the mine anymore. From re-watching episode three, I can tell some of the Leadmine Loop Trail that we hiked was also used in the show. There is another area down the trail a bit, with a narrow path that cuts through some rock formations, which also looks like it was featured. It's winter in the scenes from the show filmed here, so it was cool coming here at the same time of year. The "Leadmine Loop Trail" is a fun hike. It's a little over a mile long and very scenic, especially this time of year.
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Westville Lake Recreation Area
Date visited: 12/31/2021
Westville Lake Recreation Area is owned by the US Army Corps of Engineers. They constructed the dam on site in the early 1960's. The dam is located on the Quinebaug River, and protects the towns of Southbridge and Sturbridge from flooding. The lake sits on the border of the two towns. On the Southbridge side, the loop trail follows the Westville Lake Trail. On the Sturbridge side, the Grand Trunk Trail. The Grand Trunk trail is a rail trail following the path of the Southern New England Railway, which was never completed. The easy to walk loop runs about two miles total. Pictures below are from the Sturbridge side. See the Southbridge page for the pictures from that side.
East Brimfield Dam Recreation Area
Date visited: 1/23/2022
This is another dam built by the US Army Corps of Engineers. The dam was built between 1958 and 1960 to prevent flooding from the Quinebaug and Thames rivers. The trail that runs through the surrounding area is actually the Grand Trunk Trail, the same trail that goes through the Westville Lake Recreation Area, but I don't think the two sections of the trail are connected.
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