I was afforded the opportunity to join an old friend and we both met the Western Mass Hilltown Hikers. Today's hike was to look for signs of quarrying history in Hampden County around the area of the Little River. At least one of these quarries went by the name of the Atwater Quarry with serpentine marble being its specialty. This is also the area of a Native American soapstone site.
A bit of searching along old routes did eventually lead us to a splendid old quarry that was high above the Little River. (Years ago, I had visited a companion quarry across the river to the north and the hiking group took this on after we parted ways that day.) After exploring the aforementioned quarry we attempted to trace the route of transportation line steeply down - and across - the Little River. Bridge abutments still stand marking this route. We also located sites of an old shop and mill once we forded the river.
Mission basically accomplished, we hike back out to our cars and said our goodbyes.
