Another stone structure in woods

[Raymond]

This is a few miles from the other one I posted about recently, in a different neighboring town. A fellow who grew up in the area and led a walk in these woods last year knew about it, but didn’t know what it was.

There are a lot of old stone walls in the area, including parallel ones that probably bordered a road. This structure is below the double stone wall, but seems way too small to have been some kind of watering hole for livestock, but who knows.

It is near the base of a hill. In front of it is a wetland.

Last spring, the water was covered by springtails. They were all gone a few days later.

 

[RoySwkr]

spring enclosure?

 

[nietzschescat]

I thinks it's a spring also. I've seen these before..... easier to get the water out and easier to find.

 

[Raymond]

That could be. There always seems to be water in there. Thanks.

 

[REK]

It's a spring house, a pretty nice one. I love finding things like that in the woods. Look around for apple trees and lilac bushes.
Bob

 

[peakbagger]

There is an old spring house up in Gorham just off the presidential range trail that runs along the Moose River. It used to be the water supply for a small bottling plant (which is a two story abandonded structure right along the trail). One of the locals used to keep the base of the spring cleaned out. There was a fine sand bed in the bottom of the spring which rippled as the spring water flowed up through it. There is no roof over the structure like the fine one in your photos, so unless maintained it tends to fill up with debris these days as the person maintaining it, Paul Doherty, passed away in 2000.

 

[Chip]

not a stone structure, but the old Maplewood Train Station pictured here is still visible in Bethlehem in the woods just north off 302 on the west side of Maplewood Hill Rd. It's in pretty bad shape but certainly recognizable and you can see where the tracks use to run. Looks like they had planned to renovate it at some point, but I think it's too far gone.

 

[REK]

There is an old spring house up in Gorham just off the presidential range trail that runs along the Moose River. It used to be the water supply for a small bottling plant (which is a two story abandonded structure right along the trail). One of the locals used to keep the base of the spring cleaned out. There was a fine sand bed in the bottom of the spring which rippled as the spring water flowed up through it. There is no roof over the structure like the fine one in your photos, so unless maintained it tends to fill up with debris these days as the person maintaining it, Paul Doherty, passed away in 2000.

I was down there a few years ago and I didn't notice any obvious spring. It would cool to go back down and clean it out if I knew where to look.

 

[erugs]

I love the skill and thought that certainly went into this construction. I wonder if it had a wooden cover, too, at some point, as wells have been known to be catch basins for animals, etc.

 

[peakbagger]

The springhouse at the old Harriman Spring Bottling Plant is on the path that leaves the RR track between the old 2 story concrete building and the river. Follow the path about 200 feet and you see the old stone chimney and some other stone and concrete ruins. The spring drains across the path and to your left is the old spring pool. The path is an abandoned town road (but still open to the public)that eventually ends up on RT 2. It is shown on most maps as the Harriman Spring Road. There is a large estate about two thirds of the way down the road at the power line right of way, the owner has in the past posted the road as private property but the legal right of way bears left at his driveway and goes into the woods (there was a farm gate) and then runs through the woods to a viewpoint/camping spot before turning right and slabbing down the slope to the spring. The entire little valley feels quite remote and I expect the fishing it good. Paleolithic indians liked the area as there is a archelogical dig spot west of the bottling plant.

 

[Forester Jake]

Wow!! Another great find out in the woods!!
Looks to me like a very well constructed spring / well / fresh water source. Super cool find, beautiful stonework, great slab roof! Thanks for sharing the photos

 

[REK]

The springhouse at the old Harriman Spring Bottling Plant is on the path that leaves the RR track between the old 2 story concrete building and the river. Follow the path about 200 feet and you see the old stone chimney and some other stone and concrete ruins. The spring drains across the path and to your left is the old spring pool. The path is an abandoned town road (but still open to the public)that eventually ends up on RT 2. It is shown on most maps as the Harriman Spring Road. There is a large estate about two thirds of the way down the road at the power line right of way, the owner has in the past posted the road as private property but the legal right of way bears left at his driveway and goes into the woods (there was a farm gate) and then runs through the woods to a viewpoint/camping spot before turning right and slabbing down the slope to the spring. The entire little valley feels quite remote and I expect the fishing it good. Paleolithic indians liked the area as there is a archelogical dig spot west of the bottling plant.

I remember seeing that trail. Now to go back there soon.
Thanks so much
Bob