The Dredge
One of the more striking remnants of the past, the Quincy Dredge No. 2 (or "the Dredge" as it's more commonly known) is a sunken hydraulic dredge that was used to extract old mine tailings out of Torch Lake for reprocessing in the 1950s. After the plant closed down, the dredge was anchored in front of Quincy Mill and eventually sank in shallow water.
Though surrounded by water, it can easily be accessed by jumping a short distance from shore to the tip of the boom. Once inside you'll start to feel real weird due to the whole thing tilting a decent amount towards the south. Pictures don't do it justice. During the winter this place is incredible to have a bonfire in. If you look north east there's a big smokestack. Go check that out too.
Some things to note: The metal pieces of the dredge seem to be structurally sound, but stay off the wooden floorboards. You will fall through. Once again, if you climb to the top, watch out for rotting wood. DO NOT jump into the water from the tower. I know people who have seriously injured themselves doing this. If you're going in the winter, make sure the ice is thick enough. Lastly, the dredge is technically on private land. That is all.
To get here, head north on the lift bridge and turn left onto M-26. Drive for about 6 miles. You'll pass through a town called Mason. If you get to Hubbell you've gone too far. At 6 miles you'll see the dredge on the water to your right and the abandoned Quincy Mill to your left. Park in the dirt lot in front of the mill. Cross the road, follow the fence south and you'll get to an opening with a trail that leads straight to the dredge.
