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Date: 10/4/2023
CHESTER — Elizabeth Massa and Karen McTaggart, co-founders of the Western Mass. Hilltown Hikers, announced this week the purchase of 2.6 acres in Chester, the site of the Hudson & Chester Granite Co. finishing works factory.
The land, which is across from the historical Chester Railway Station museum, has the last remaining granite shot saw in Massachusetts as well as remains from the factory, including the loading dock, parts from a derrick crane used to load the granite and train tracks from a railroad line connecting the site to the Becket quarry, now owned by the Massachusetts Trustees of Reservations, which operates the Becket Land Trust museum at the quarry.
A railroad spur was built to get the granite from Becket to the Granite Finishing Works. A lot of the tracks from the Chester & Becket railroad that was created for the Hudson & Chester Granite Co. still remain.
Massa said the land in Chester has remained in private hands since it was owned by Chester & Hudson Granite Co. in the mid-1800s. For the past two years, the Hilltown Hikers and the Chester Foundation, which operates the railway station museum, have been talking about preserving it. Both have taken visitors during tours of the museum and the town to view the saw, with the permission of the land owners.
Recently the opportunity to purchase the land came up, and the Hilltown Hikers jumped on it, financing the $36,000 sale price through a private 30-year no-interest loan from Massa.
“It’s history, and the opportunity was there,” Massa said. She said the landowner applied to the town’s Planning Board to separate the lot the saw is located on, and the purchase was completed last week.
The plan is now to clear the area of brush and fallen trees, and to create a history trail around the saw, similar to the one at the Becket quarry, with informational kiosks. A GoFundMe.com campaign has been started to raise the money to purchase the plot in full and work on the trail.
“All the money raised will be invested in the site,” Massa said.
Massa, McTaggart and the rest of the Hilltown Hikers directors are “super excited” about further exploration of the land, and said every time they go there they find something new. During the visit on Oct. 1, they observed for the first time the granite steps to the loading dock which are covered in brush and tree limbs, but are still standing.
After the clean-up, McTaggart said they will ask the Massachusetts Historical Society to come and inventory the site. The Hilltown Hikers will be seeking a Historic Landmark designation, already obtained by the Chester Railway Station and Keystone Arches as part of the historical Chester Factory Village.
The Western Mass. Hilltown Hikers, a nonprofit 501c3 organization, was founded 12 years ago by a group of friends to promote the area’s natural resources and history through guided tours and hikes and speaking engagements. Massa said the purchase of the granite finishing works is the organization’s biggest accomplishment to date.
“Our goal is to completely preserve this unique and magnificent historic land and the original equipment and to apply for National Historic Landmark status for all to enjoy and learn the impressive history of early industry in Chester, Massachusetts,” she said.
For more information on the group, visit westernmasshilltownhikers.com. To contribute to the fundraising campaign, visit www.gofundme.com/f/dd6p8-conserve-the-hudson-and-chester-granite-works.