Middlesex Fells Reservoirs Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Middlesex Fells Reservoirs Historic District
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Spot Pond
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Medford, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1870 |
| Architect | Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge; Et al. |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| MPS | Water Supply System of Metropolitan Boston MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 89002249 |
| Added to NRHP | January 18, 1990 |
The Middlesex Fells Reservoirs Historic District is a special historical area. It's located in Stoneham and Medford, Massachusetts. This district is part of the Middlesex Fells Reservation. This is a large state park managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).
The main parts of this district are three reservoirs. These are large ponds or lakes used to store water. There are also special buildings called gate houses and pumping stations. These were built by the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC). The MDC was an older version of the DCR. Work on these water systems began in the late 1800s. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. This means it's recognized as an important historical site.
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Spot Pond: A Key Water Source
The biggest and most noticeable part of the district is Spot Pond. This large body of water is on the east side of Interstate 93 in Stoneham. Before the MDC took over, nearby towns already used Spot Pond for water.
The MDC made big improvements. They replaced several small town pumping stations. They built one large pumping station. This station is so important it's also listed on the National Register. A gate house was built right next to it.
You can also find the John Bottume House nearby. This old stone house from the 1800s is now the park's visitor center. The MDC also made Spot Pond larger. This allowed it to hold more water. It became a main storage reservoir. It supplied water to communities north of Boston. There's another gatehouse at the southern end of Spot Pond. It sits right on the border between Stoneham and Medford.
Other Important Reservoirs
The MDC also built two smaller reservoirs within the Fells park.
Bear Hill Reservoir
The Bear Hill Reservoir is located west of I-93. It's near the top of Bear Hill. This reservoir can hold 2 million gallons of water. It was built in 1902-1903. Workers constructed two concrete dams and a gatehouse to create it.
Fells Reservoir
The Fells Reservoir is in the southeastern part of the park. It was designed to look very natural. This was because it was built in an existing park area. The famous Olmsted Brothers firm designed it. They were well-known for designing parks and landscapes. The gatehouse for this reservoir was designed by Shepley, Rutan, and Coolidge.
