From 1940-42, the Birch Hill dam across the Millers RIver in South Royalston MA was built by the Army Corp of Engineers in response to the catastrophic flooding of 1936 and 1938. (Part of nearby Winchendon is still known as Waterville.) A rail line and a state highway were moved to accommodate it, as well as the settlement of New Boston, an unincorporated village within Winchendon's jurisdiction.
The watershed is now a popular recreational area, comprising three abutting tracts: the Birch Hill Wildlife Management Area, Otter River State Forest, and the Lake Dennison Recreation Area. It makes for a lot of excellent tramping, and since it's only 15-20 minutes down the road from me, I've spent an enormous amount of time there over the years, exploring its many trails. When I get the urge to hike (sorry, I still call it that) but can't decide where, I usually end up on one of its old discontinued roads - like River Road, where most of these were taken last week.
dam's outflow
looking upstream back towards the outlet
upstream of the inlet - dam itself in background
River Road
Millers River from River Road
back to the parking lot