H&H Canal update

For those of you who are following my pursuance of recreating the old Hampshire & Hampden canal route; I have taken several more pictures and completed a beta version of a Google Earth layer.

I recently explored the area where a feeder canal to the main H&H started up by the old Strathmore building, in Westfield/Montgomery. The majority of the route is now the rail bed around the mountain, then it diverges and crosses private property through the Pochassic Hills of Westfield.

Whilst I was staring at a map by the Lane Construction quarry, an older gentleman came out of a house to ask if I needed help. He was a wealth of information on the area and I made note of every story he told me. Now I have some more non-canal investigation to do, including tales of Revolutionary War ties. Up by the Tekoa Reservoir there was a hidden spot used to make rifles; The British never found it and were stumped by where all the munitions were coming from. There was also a tale of the Grindstone Hills that I would like to share as well.

I will post some pics when I get them upped. For now, how about a video of the CSX train coming by? This video was shot from where the old H&H feeder canal intersected with what is now the rail line. This section of the feeder is no longer visible, covered up by the parking lot for the Strathmore building. As a note: some CSX maintenance crew showed up whilst I was there and had no problem with my presence. But as always I must say that the rail lines are private property and don't walk along them.