Description of the site:
This web site contains information related to a portion
of Wellesley College campus, locally known as the Paintshop Pond,
but more accurately described as the former Henry Wood's Sons
Company, a nineteenth century paint manufacturer. The history portion
of this web site provides an overview of the
paint company and its operation (1848-1912) as well an introduction
to recent efforts to analyze and monitor chemicals left from the
factory on the Wellesley Campus. The College
Office of Public Affairs should be consulted for details on
College policies and continuing monitoring and clean-up efforts.
The data portion of this site provides access to analytical data resulting from monitoring and clean-up efforts. The data are in the form of downloadable Excel files. Selected portions of these data have been plotted; specifically the chromium and lead concentrations in those few monitoring wells in which the levels of these metal ions exceed the EPA maximum contaminant level (MCL). Selecting the library portion of this site opens an on-line listing of documents in the Science Center Library about the Henry Wood's Sons Company as well as a similar listing of recent reports on the ongoing efforts of the College to monitor and clean-up this legacy of nineteenth century industry.
More detailed information may be found in the College
Archives. Links will lead to additional studies of water quality
and environmental monitoring.
Navigating the site:
The top of each page has an image which can be used to easily
navigate the site. For example click on the word "History" in the
puddle of green paint to view the History of the site, or the words
"Paintshop Pond" to return to the homepage.