PAL

The Yankee Rowe Nuclear Power Station, situated on approximately 2,200 heavily wooded acres along the Deerfield River in Rowe and Monroe, Massachusetts, was the third nuclear power plant built in the United States and the first built in New England. In 1992, the plant permanently shut down after more than 31 years producing electricity for New England electric consumers. 

Yankee made a commitment to the community to safely decommission the Yankee Rowe plant and prepare the site for future use. As part of its decommissioning plan, Yankee Rowe requested an archaeological reconnaissance survey and associated Archaeological Resources Management Plan (ARMP) to provide guidance for land re-use by establishing baseline archaeological resource information and long-term stewardship guidelines.

Process

PAL conducted a walkover survey of the property and identified 12 historic period sites including two impressive farm complexes, an early 19th century cemetery, sugarhouses, and a sawmill. Research at the Rowe Historical Society and Library provided information about the occupants and owners of the buildings, as well as detailed anecdotal histories about this sparsely populated portion of the state.

With the exception of the destruction of several sites along the eastern shoreline of the river during the construction of a hydroelectric dam in 1924, most of the historic resources found on the Yankee Rowe property were in good condition and provided a glimpse into the past landscapes and lifestyles of the towns of Rowe and Monroe.

Results

The ARMP developed recommendations and guidelines for the treatment of the archaeological and architectural resources on the Yankee Rowe property. The plan was designed to address immediate management issues encountered as part of the decommissioning process as well as provide stewardship guidelines for future property owners.