Five Mile River (Quaboag River)
Encyclopedia
The Five Mile River is a 10.1 miles (16.3 km) river in central Massachusetts
, part of the Chicopee River
watershed. It rises north of Denn Pond in the town of Oakham
within Rutland State Forest and flows south through Denn Pond to Brooks Pond
, 2.5 miles (4 km) northeast of North Brookfield
, then continues south to its mouth at the north end of Lake Lashaway
, also in North Brookfield.
located at the boundary between the towns of North Brookfield and Spencer, and Lake Lashaway
located downstream in North Brookfield. The river is a tributary, via the East Brookfield River
, to the Quaboag River
and is part of the Chicopee River Watershed. The Five Mile has been harnessed as a source of power for saw and grist mills and colonial foundry according to historical documentation. The proximity to iron ore, power from Brooks Pond (previously known as Johnson's Pond), to power an air-blast bellows, and nearby abundance of wood (for charcoal), made the Five Mile River a good location for blast furnace and iron works operated by Jonathan and Nicholas Jenks in 1782. "Two Gilberts joined the enterprise and still later the venture was split in two--two furnaces, two forges etc.-each family operating one."
The Five Mile River is also fed by the outflow from the Kittredge Dam Reservoir and the Horse Pond Brook Reservoir as well as drainage from the wetlands area extending from Brooks Pond to the north and Lake Lashaway to the south. This watershed is approximately 14 square miles (36.3 km²) in addition to the Brooks Pond watershed.
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, part of the Chicopee River
Chicopee River
The Chicopee River is an tributary of the Connecticut River in Metropolitan Springfield, Massachusetts, known for fast-moving water and its extraordinarily large basin: the Connecticut River's largest tributary basin...
watershed. It rises north of Denn Pond in the town of Oakham
Oakham, Massachusetts
Oakham is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,902 at the 2010 census.- History :Oakham was first settled in 1749 and was officially incorporated in 1762...
within Rutland State Forest and flows south through Denn Pond to Brooks Pond
Brooks Pond (Massachusetts)
Brooks Pond is a Massachusetts water body bordered by the towns of North Brookfield, Oakham, Spencer, and New Braintree. It forms the headwaters of the Five Mile River, which is part of the Chicopee River Watershed.-Information:...
, 2.5 miles (4 km) northeast of North Brookfield
North Brookfield, Massachusetts
North Brookfield is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 4,680 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place North Brookfield, please see the article North Brookfield , Massachusetts.- History :North Brookfield...
, then continues south to its mouth at the north end of Lake Lashaway
Lake Lashaway
Lake Lashaway is a pond located near the East Brookfield and North Brookfield, Massachusetts town line. The town line cuts the lake approximately in half. The lake lies just to the north of state Route 9 as it passes through East Brookfield.-Description:...
, also in North Brookfield.
Information
The Five Mile River is a short river that connects the outflow portion of Brooks PondBrooks Pond (Massachusetts)
Brooks Pond is a Massachusetts water body bordered by the towns of North Brookfield, Oakham, Spencer, and New Braintree. It forms the headwaters of the Five Mile River, which is part of the Chicopee River Watershed.-Information:...
located at the boundary between the towns of North Brookfield and Spencer, and Lake Lashaway
Lake Lashaway
Lake Lashaway is a pond located near the East Brookfield and North Brookfield, Massachusetts town line. The town line cuts the lake approximately in half. The lake lies just to the north of state Route 9 as it passes through East Brookfield.-Description:...
located downstream in North Brookfield. The river is a tributary, via the East Brookfield River
East Brookfield River
The East Brookfield River is a river in Massachusetts that heads at Lake Lashaway in East Brookfield at an elevation of above sea level. It continues to Quaboag Pond, at an elevation of .-History:...
, to the Quaboag River
Quaboag River
The Quaboag River is a river in Massachusetts that heads at Quaboag Pond in Brookfield at an elevation of above sea level. It flows west to the village of Three Rivers, Massachusetts, at an elevation of .-History:...
and is part of the Chicopee River Watershed. The Five Mile has been harnessed as a source of power for saw and grist mills and colonial foundry according to historical documentation. The proximity to iron ore, power from Brooks Pond (previously known as Johnson's Pond), to power an air-blast bellows, and nearby abundance of wood (for charcoal), made the Five Mile River a good location for blast furnace and iron works operated by Jonathan and Nicholas Jenks in 1782. "Two Gilberts joined the enterprise and still later the venture was split in two--two furnaces, two forges etc.-each family operating one."
The Five Mile River is also fed by the outflow from the Kittredge Dam Reservoir and the Horse Pond Brook Reservoir as well as drainage from the wetlands area extending from Brooks Pond to the north and Lake Lashaway to the south. This watershed is approximately 14 square miles (36.3 km²) in addition to the Brooks Pond watershed.