The town of Upton purchased the site with funds from the Community Preservation Act. The first time we went to the chamber, there was quite a bit of water in it, and I didn’t have boots on that were high enough.
The pictures above were taken in December 2012. On November 3, 2013, my son, DJ said since the weather had been rather dry for most of the past month, it might be the time for another try. It turned out to be much better. The entrance “tunnel” was dry and there was just a little puddle in the middle of the chamber.
Google Earth view.The Upton chamber is off of Elm Street. Milford Street is Route 140. Driving up Elm Street from Route 140, the chamber is off to the left a short distance after bearing left at the beginning of Christian Hill Road. After going into the parking lot, with your back to Elm Street, go down a bit to your right to find the entrance to the chamber.
Ceremony honoring Barbar Burke for her many years of work for all things Upton, and espicially those related to Upton history.
UPTON ― It’s about 14 feet long, incredibly dark and shrouded in complete mystery. Officially known as the Upton Stone Chamber, the artificial stone cave is just one of hundreds of similar chambers across New England.
The igloo-like underground space is located at 18 Elm St. and is part of Upton Heritage Park. It’s one of the largest and “most perfectly built” stone chambers in New England, with a 6-foot-high entryway that leads to a dome, measuring 12 feet across and 11 feet high.
Mike Luoma, podcaster, radio host and author of “Ancient Stone Mysteries of New England,” has been fascinated by these caves and stone structures for decades.
“I became curious after reading about specifically the Upton Stone Chamber in a travel book I had gotten for an upcoming trip,” he said. “When I saw the public was allowed to go and visit, I was there the next day.”
Luoma said he wasn’t sure what to expect and had only the light from his mobile phone to guide him through the long entrance passage. Since that first time, he has returned with a stronger light source.
Over the years he has visited several different stone chambers across New England, but said there was something about Upton that stands out above the rest.
“Upton is a special place. Maybe it’s because of the long passageway that opens up into a larger space, but it has this certain aura that is hard to describe. It’s a special place.”
In 2011, fueled by curiosity, the chamber underwent a massive restoration. Master stonemason Davis Stewart-Smith and David Wiggins restored the front entrance to the small space and a group of archaeologists from John Milner Associates took part in a small archaeological investigation.
Using the soil within the cave, the researchers were able to document the cave dates back to 1350-1625, before the first documented English settlements.
“I didn’t find it on the first shot,” said Michael Menders, author behind “Stone Structures of Antiquity.” “It wasn’t as clearly marked that first visit as it is nowadays, plus it was February and hidden underneath snow.”
“We went back once the snow melted with the idea ‘Failure is not an option,’ and sure enough there it was,” he said. “I had done my research ahead of time, so I knew about the long entrance, I knew about the beehive shape, I knew it was very special.”
Menders has been fascinated with structures like the Upton chamber for nearly 50 years and spends his free time traveling, exploring and documenting the history surrounding them.
Many questions surround the cave, like who may have constructed it and what exactly it may have been used for.
At one time the land belonged to a local leather tanner, who may have used the space as a tannery. It wasn’t uncommon for New Englanders to use spaces like this as root cellars and other storage.
“In a lot of these cases, the stone chambers were here already, and settlers probably found them, used them as shelter or storage and built their homes and farms around them,” Menders suggested.
Who may have built it and when? That’s another story.Worc
“It’s the mystery around the chamber that really drives me,” Menders said. “There are so many theories and we really just don’t know when they were made.”
“I didn’t even think about the Indigenous connection until I was standing inside, letting my imagination run wild,” Luoma said, adding the actual stonework is more rounded, “organic and flowing,” which is different from newer chambers that have a more rigid shape.
The beehive shape of the cave can be found in other similar structures around the world, all seemingly built in alignment with the summer solstice.
In Upton, some have argued the chamber is in some sort of alignment with the stars, like James W. Mavor Jr. and Byron E. Dox, researchers who spent nearly a decade examining it. In their written work “Manitou: The Sacred Landscape of New England’s Native Civilization,” the pair explain that the entrance has a direct view of the horizon on Pratt Hill, and the stars of the Pleiades constellation.
There has even been discussion that the standing water inside the chamber isn’t so much a flaw as it is a feature. Luoma said some have suggested the reflection of the stars is visible in the water and can be seen from inside the depths of the cave.
Many researchers and historians believe the Upton chamber was created by Indigenous people, most likely the Nipmuc people. Even more telling, the cave is actually located on the Great Trail, a historical Indigenous route from Delaware to Canada.
“What I’ve found is these chambers are built for different reasons at different points in time; they’re not the work of one specific group,” Luoma said.
Whether you believe the cave was built by Indigenous peoples, early settlers or perhaps extraterrestrials, one thing is for sure: They are architectural marvels.
Those hoping to visit the chamber should wear waterproof shoes, bring a flashlight and, both Menders and Luoma agree, “watch out for spiders.”
“If you’re not into spiders, well, just know, there are a lot of spiders,” Luoma said with a laugh. “They won’t bother you if you don’t bother them.”
T&G engagement editor Sarah Barnacle is getting to know Central Mass. by exploring some of the best places to go and things to do in Worcester County. If you have an idea or suggestion, please email [email protected].
