The Manhan River is a
[U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data]
The National Map
, accessed April 1, 2011 river in western
. It is a tributary of the
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the longest river in the New England region of the United States, flowing roughly southward for through four states. It rises 300 yards (270 m) south of the U.S. border with Quebec, Canada, and discharges at Long Island ...
.
The river begins near the boundary between the towns of
Huntington and
Westhampton, Massachusetts
Westhampton is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,622 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Westhampton was first settled in 1762. Ori ...
, and flows southeast to White Reservoir and then Tighe Carmody Reservoir in
Southampton
Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...
. The river continues southeast, then turns northeasterly and flows through the middle of
Easthampton to its confluence with the Connecticut River at a westward curve called
The Oxbow
''View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm'', commonly known as ''The Oxbow'', is a seminal landscape painting by Thomas Cole, founder of the Hudson River School. The painting depicts a Romantic panorama of the Con ...
. The river provides excellent views of nearby
Mount Tom.
Europeans first settled the area in 1664 and later established saw mills on the river. In 1847 large mills began with the Williston-Knight Button Company; a number of other factories sprang up nearby in the next few years. Small lead mines also were established near the river. Of particular note is the Manhan River mine near Loudville, noted for its
pyromorphite
Pyromorphite is a mineral species composed of lead chlorophosphate: Pb5( P O4)3 Cl, sometimes occurring in sufficient abundance to be mined as an ore of lead. Crystals are common, and have the form of a hexagonal prism terminated by the basal pla ...
and
wulfenite
Wulfenite is a lead molybdate mineral with the formula Pb Mo O4. It can be most often found as thin tabular crystals with a bright orange-red to yellow-orange color, sometimes brown, although the color can be highly variable. In its yellow form ...
. A former railroad has been converted to the Manhan Rail Trail, which now provides a scenic pathway along the river.
See also
*
List of rivers of Massachusetts
List of rivers of Massachusetts (U.S. state).
All Massachusetts rivers flow to the Atlantic Ocean. The list is arranged by drainage basin from north to south, with respective tributaries indented under each larger stream's name, arranged travellin ...
References
Environmental Protection AgencyEasthampton GuideManhan Rail TrailLoudville Pyromorphite
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Rivers of Hampshire County, Massachusetts
Tributaries of the Connecticut River
Rivers of Massachusetts