Davis

Davis is an abandoned mining settlement in the town of Rowe, Franklin County, Massachusetts. At its heart was the Davis Pyrite Mine, which once ranked as the largest iron pyrite mine in the state. The community grew into a modest village during the height of the Second Industrial Revolution, roughly 1870 to 1915, before a mine collapse in 1911 — attributed to poor mining practices — brought nearly three decades of operations to an abrupt halt.

By 1937, the settlement had all but disappeared. What remains today tells a quiet story: roughly 150 cellar holes scattered across the landscape, along with a blacksmith shop — physical echoes of a community that once supported an industrial workforce. It is a place for visitors who appreciate the atmosphere of forgotten places and the slow reclamation of history by the landscape.

Access and conditions follow typical New England patterns. Summer and early fall offer the most comfortable and navigable visits, while winter months can make the site difficult to reach. There are no developed facilities here — this is an unimproved historic site best suited to self-guided exploration on foot.