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

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

. It is a tributary of the Connecticut River. The river begins near the boundary between the towns of

Huntington Huntington may refer to: Places Canada * Huntington, Nova Scotia New Zealand * Huntington, New Zealand a suburb in Hamilton, New Zealand United Kingdom * Huntington, Cheshire, England * Huntington, East Lothian, Scotland * Huntingto ...

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 pl ...

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.

References

Environmental Protection Agency

Easthampton Guide

Manhan Rail Trail

Loudville Pyromorphite
{{authority control Rivers of Hampshire County, Massachusetts Tributaries of the Connecticut River Rivers of Massachusetts

See also

References