Up. That's where you look when you're in Vermont. After all, these mountain vistas are anything but flat. This is why when you hear of a place that has an underwater ghost town in VT it may take you a moment to grasp that thought. But there is one in Wilmington! Let's take a look at Harriman's Reservoir and talk about what lies beneath.
The size of Harriman's Reservoir (also known as Lake Whittingham) is impressive to say the least.
It is the largest body of water that is entirely located within the state of Vermont.
But before this became a popular spot for boating, swimming and paddling of all sorts, this area was a thriving community.
In the late 19th century the Deerfield River made its way through the valley. The river's power was harnessed and acted as a holding area for logs which were floated down from Somerset Reservoir.
By 1912, the area known as the Mountain Mills settlement had a railroad station, a store, post office, hospital, office building, a water tower, and a boarding house along with row housing.
In 1923, the New England Power Company used the area as part of their hydroelectric system.
It took fifteen hundred men one whole year to build it all, which then provided hydroelectric power for the Northeast.
But soon after completion, the water levels started to rise and residents left as the area became more and more flooded and their homes were in danger of being submerged.
Today when the water levels are low you can still see old foundations of this former town as you boat through the Harriman Reservoir.
And diving underneath brings a whole new level of exploration!
You can see roads and other remnants of this town that is completely submerged.
Today, it's an active and popular place to spend the day...
And when you're enjoying your time on the water, don't forget to look down at a town from almost a century ago that has never resurfaced.
If this underwater ghost town in VT is intriguing, but you don't want to dive down to see it, check out this history hike at the Little River State Park that will take you to a ghost town... above the water!
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