Oldest Dams in Massachusetts

Massachusetts has 873 dams with recorded construction dates. The oldest dates to 1637 — 389 years ago. Many of Massachusetts's oldest dams were built as colonial-era mill dams, powering early industry along rivers and streams. Older dams require particular attention for safety, as many were built before modern engineering standards.

#	Dam	County	Year Built	Age	Height (ft)	Hazard	Condition
1	Ipswich Mills Dam	Essex	1637	389 yrs	11	Low	Fair
2	Old Oaken Bucket Pond Dam	Plymouth	1640	386 yrs	6	Significant	Satisfactory
3	Lower Shawme Lake Dam	Barnstable	1654	372 yrs	10	Significant	Satisfactory
4	Central Street Dam	Middlesex	1659	367 yrs	34	High	Fair
5	Nye Pond Dam	Barnstable	1669	357 yrs	11	Significant	Poor
6	Wilson Corne Mill Dam	Middlesex	1675	351 yrs	12	Significant	Satisfactory
7	Stearns Millpond Dam	Middlesex	1677	349 yrs	9	Significant	Satisfactory
8	Hobart Pond Dam	Plymouth	1693	333 yrs	10	Low	Poor
9	Liberty Street Dam	Plymouth	1695	331 yrs	11	Significant	Fair
10	Chartley Pond Dam	Bristol	1696	330 yrs	12	High	Fair
11	Bristol Blake State Reservoir Dam	Norfolk	1700	326 yrs	15	Significant	Poor
12	Hager Pond Dam	Middlesex	1710	316 yrs	13	High	Unsatisfactory
13	Forge Pond Dam	Plymouth	1726	300 yrs	12	Significant	Satisfactory
14	Jacobs Pond Dam	Plymouth	1730	296 yrs	11	Significant	Fair
15	Crackrock Pond Dam	Norfolk	1737	289 yrs	14	Significant	Poor
16	Old Grist Mill Pond Dam	Bristol	1745	281 yrs	12	High	Satisfactory
17	Eames Mill Pond Dam	Worcester	1747	279 yrs	16	Significant	Satisfactory
18	Old Pond Dam	Bristol	1751	275 yrs	9	Significant	Poor
19	Ballardvale Dam	Essex	1753	273 yrs	14	Significant	Fair
20	French Pond Dam	Bristol	1760	266 yrs	12	Significant	Poor
21	Damon Pond Dam	Hampshire	1760	266 yrs	17	Significant	Fair
22	Tisdale Pond Dam	Bristol	1770	256 yrs	11	Significant	Fair
23	Revere Street Dam	Norfolk	1774	252 yrs	12	Significant	Satisfactory
24	Mill Pond Dam	Worcester	1795	231 yrs	12	Significant	Fair
25	Allen Dam	Middlesex	1797	229 yrs	15	Low	Fair
26	Grist Mill Pond Dam	Middlesex	1800	226 yrs	18	Low	Fair
27	Turner Pond Dam	Norfolk	1800	226 yrs	10	Significant	Satisfactory
28	Box Pond Dam	Norfolk	1800	226 yrs	10	Low	Unsatisfactory
29	Pud's Pond Dam	Norfolk	1800	226 yrs	12	Low	Poor
30	Bird Pond Dam	Norfolk	1800	226 yrs	19	High	Poor
31	Old Mill Pond Dam	Worcester	1800	226 yrs	15	Significant	Satisfactory
32	Lake Pentucket Dam East	Essex	1808	218 yrs	8	Significant	Fair
33	Dodgeville Pond Dam	Bristol	1809	217 yrs	19	Significant	Fair
34	New Pond Dam	Bristol	1810	216 yrs	16	Significant	Fair
35	Shovel Shop Pond Dam	Bristol	1813	213 yrs	9	Low	Fair
36	Cocassett Lake Dam	Norfolk	1813	213 yrs	16	Significant	Fair
37	Cochichewick River Dam	Essex	1820	206 yrs	13	Significant	Unsatisfactory
38	Haskins Pond Dam	Franklin	1820	206 yrs	15	Significant	Poor
39	Wheeler Pond Dam	Franklin	1824	202 yrs	17	Low	Satisfactory
40	Watershops Pond Dam	Hampden	1824	202 yrs	33	High	Satisfactory
41	Queen Lake Dam	Worcester	1824	202 yrs	9	Significant	Satisfactory
42	Ramshorn Pond Dam	Worcester	1825	201 yrs	25	High	Satisfactory
43	Dorothy Pond Dam	Worcester	1825	201 yrs	11	Significant	Fair
44	Talbot Mills Dam	Middlesex	1828	198 yrs	16	Significant	Fair
45	Highland Lake Dam	Norfolk	1830	196 yrs	20	Low	Poor
46	Rosemary Lake Dam	Norfolk	1830	196 yrs	12	High	Satisfactory
47	Leesville Pond Dam	Worcester	1830	196 yrs	15	Significant	Fair
48	Larner Pond Dam	Worcester	1830	196 yrs	20	Significant	Fair
49	Cook's Pond Dam	Worcester	1830	196 yrs	15	High	Fair
50	Kendall Company No. 1 Dam	Franklin	1831	195 yrs	25	Significant	Satisfactory

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