ENFIELD — Just off Baker Point on Smith Pond, there’s a small vessel is nestled into the muck at the bottom.
It’s been there — and been known about — for decades. But what isn’t known is what, exactly, the object is and what, exactly, it was used for.
“Whether we’re going to call it a boat or not,” Dan Pontbriand said. “I’m not convinced one way or another what this thing is yet.”
Pontbriand is one of three Mascoma Valley residents, along with Alan Strickland and Ken Warren, who have taken an interest in investigating the vessel. During a presentation titled “Smith Pond Mystery” hosted by the Upper Valley Land Trust at the Enfield Community Building last week, Pontbriand presented the trio’s findings, brought along artifacts to examine and posed a question to attendees: Can you help us figure out what this is?
“At a minimum, it’s probably a historic artifact,” Pontbriand, a scuba diver who spent 30 years as a ranger with the National Park Service.
Here are some basic facts: It is 5 feet by 6 inches wide, 16 feet by 3 inches long and less than a foot deep. It is located about 40 feet from the shore and is in 10 feet of water. It is made entirely of wood.
In June 2018, Pontbriand, Strickland and Warren went to Smith Pond to take a closer look. Baker Point is located on private land, but they were given permission to use it for their exploration of the pond. They went on a second diving expedition in 2019.
As he examined it underwater, Pontbriand also found that it was made of plywood and the connecting pieces were not particularly well-attached.
“It’s not structurally strong,” he said. “It also looks like it has a number of different renditions.”
Smith Pond belonged to the Shakers until 1927, when the Christian sect sold it to the La Salette missionaries, according to the presentation. In 1947, the state told La Salette to make repairs to the dams on the pond.
“The one thing we agree on was it was attempted to be used in 1947 for the dam repair,” Strickland said.
It’s possible that the vessel was made by the Shakers, as some of the joints resemble joints used by Shakers in their furniture and the plywood used could have been milled on site. That being said, the Shakers were known for well-built devices, and it’s questionable whether the shabby-seeming vessel fits that definition.
“I think one of the functions of this thing was clearly snow or ice,” Pontbriand said, pointing out the long, thin pieces of wood on the bottom that resemble runnings on sleds.
There’s a piece of wood that appears to be a transom — or a motor mount, but the weakness of its frame seems to suggest it wouldn’t work as a raft or flotation device, though it is possible barrels or logs may have been put underneath it to help it float. There’s also an unusual bow on it.
“It looks like it’s designed to maneuver, almost like a hinge, but that’s not what it is I don’t think,” Pontbriand said.
It was found with rocks scattered on top of it, which could indicate that it was sunk on purpose or was sunk while transporting the rocks to another spot on the pond.
Casey Cantlin wondered if it was connected to the Shaker Mountain Water Co., which operated in the area until the 1980s.
“I wonder if it had a deck on it,” she said, noting that it looked like it could be used on ice.
Gus Southworth, a longtime Enfield resident, did not know about the vessel’s existence before attending the presentation, but it intrigued him.
“I lean toward hauling something on snow would be the most logical explanation for it,” he speculated.
Pontbriand, Strickland and Warren plan on returning the artifacts to the vessel this summer, but they hope to have some sort of conclusion by then, as Pontbriand is in the process of registering it as an archeological site with the state.
“We may never know the answer,” Strickland said.
But there remains the possibility that someone in the community could help them find out.
Editor’s note: To view the artifacts or learn more about the “Smith Pond Mystery” email Pontbriand at brightbridge@msn.com. The next UVLT Lunch and Learn will take place from noon-1 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20, at the Enfield Community Building. Len Reitsma, professor of ecology at Plymouth State University, will present his research about Canada Warblers at the Bear Pond Natural Area in Canaan.
Liz Sauchelli can be reached at esauchelli@vnews.com or 603-727-3221.
