The collection of hand samples was obtained from projects of the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority (MWRA) related to the construction of water and sewer lines, throughout mainly the eastern part of the state. The collection consists of 525 hand samples from which thin sections (525) were made; in addition, there are 21 boxes containing approximately 2 pound, hand samples from work on the Cosgrove Tunnel Project. The samples were collected by Father James Skehan and each chunk of rock has an identifier painted on it, referring to the station location. The thin sections and the hand samples are stored in cardboard boxes, on pallets, at the Record Center, on Deer Island in Boston Harbor. The condition of the collection of hand samples is satisfactory.
This collection of hand samples is held by the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority (MWRA) and were obtained from projects of the MWRA related to the construction of water and sewer lines, in mainly the eastern part of the state. The collection also contains boxes of hand samples that were obtained and donated to the MWRA by Father James Skehan from work on the Cosgrove Tunnel Project. The MWRA has collections of geologic samples and associated geoscience data that were acquired over an 80-year period during the planning and design of statewide water and sewer related construction projects in Massachusetts.
The hand samples are stored in cardboard boxes, on pallets and are difficult to access. Some of the boxes are crushed due to the weight of overlying boxes and need to be replaced. A better storage facility to house all of the MWRA's physical collections, with shelving units accessible by a forklift, would be an improvement that would increase the accessibility to collections and the usage.
