Entry No. 46 — the Boston file — filed under: ruins
Silver Mine Historic Site
Tucked away in the Middlesex Fells Reservation, this site is the remnant of a short-lived mining operation that extracted gold, silver, and copper from 1881 to 1883. After yielding very little ore, the mine was abandoned and eventually sealed with a concrete cap in 1936. Today, hikers can find the capped shaft surrounded by decaying concrete posts deep in the woods near the South Reservoir.
The story
In 1880, a Malden resident named F. W. Morandi wandered into the woods north of Boston and convinced himself that fortune was sitting under the bedrock near the South Reservoir. By 1881, prospectors had begun blasting into the granite, digging out a mine shaft in search of gold, silver, and copper. The rush didn't last long: by 1883, after yielding almost no usable ore, the operation folded and left a gaping, abandoned shaft deep in what is now the Middlesex Fells Reservation.
The open hole sat exposed in the forest for over fifty years until 1936, when workers sealed the top with a thick concrete cap to prevent wandering hikers from falling inside. Today, nature has mostly reclaimed the surrounding glade, leaving behind just the flat, square slab set into a shallow earth depression, framed by a perimeter of decaying concrete barrier posts that once supported wooden guardrails.
What it's like
Finding the site requires a bit of trail watching along the orange-blazed Reservoir Trail near the South Reservoir, where a short, unpaved offshoot known as the Silver Mine Path branches off toward Silver Mine Hill. You won't find an open cave or visible tunnel here—just a weathered concrete slab resting flush with the soil, old barrier posts, and a park sign posted on a nearby tree. The surrounding loop is quiet and far less heavily trodden than the western trails of the Fells, making it a quick, tranquil detour off the main path.
The move: Hike the scenic Silver Mine Path or Reservoir Trail together to locate the historic capped shaft, then enjoy a quiet picnic near the shores of the South Reservoir.
📍 Before you go The site is located on public parkland within the Middlesex Fells Reservation, but the mine shaft itself is permanently sealed with a concrete slab and surrounded by old barrier posts for safety.
- 📍 Medford
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Middlesex Fells, Medford, MA 02155, USA
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current access before you go.
Pair it with
- Greater Boston Church of Spiritualism — Trade the silent history of a failed 19th-century mining pit for a Sunday morning spiritualist service offering live mediumship in nearby Arlington.
- Backbar — Follow up a damp woods trail walk with craft cocktails hidden behind an unmarked alley door in Union Square.
- Dillon's Russian Steam Bath — Rinse off the trail dust by heading to Chelsea for a session in the oldest continuously operated steam bath in the country.
- Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments (Putnam Gallery) — Pair an 1880s geological gamble with 20,000 real historic scientific instruments housed in Harvard's free Putnam Gallery.
Good to know
Can you go inside the silver mine?
No, the shaft was permanently capped with a solid concrete slab in 1936 for safety reasons, so there is no underground entry.
How do you find the mine shaft?
Look for the short offshoot path along the orange-blazed Reservoir Trail near the South Reservoir in the Medford portion of the Middlesex Fells.
What metals were actually mined here?
Miners attempted to extract gold, silver, and copper between 1881 and 1883, but the yield was negligible.
Is there an entry fee to visit?
No, the site sits on public parkland within the Middlesex Fells Reservation and is free to visit during park operating hours.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: nomadiq.net · techno-fandom.org · Official site
last checked: 2026-07-20