Kames and Kame Terraces of Central Massachusetts

Abstract

Introduction The numerous valleys of north central Massachusetts are bordered by more or less continuous terraces at elevations varying from 200 feet above sealevel in the lower part of the Nashua Valley northeast of Pepperell to more than 1,000 feet in the upper reaches of Millers River Valley north of Winchendon. These terraces vary in areal extent from mere discontinuous fringes in some of the valleys to broad sand plains a mile or more in width, such as the plains surrounded by the 260-foot contour south of Ayer and south and east of Shirley village; Many of these terraces have kames associated with them, either broad areas of knob-and-basin topography like that of Bakers Brook Valley east of Fitchburg, or single scattered hillocks jutting out into the valley like those along Millers River west of Orange. During the past few years extensive road and concrete construction has brought about the . . .