Abby Epplett, Historian

In early November 2024, I took a trip to Hudson, MA, which I had last visited in April . I made a few quick history stops mostly involving the Assabet River Nature Trail, which was created in 1995, along with Assabet River Rail Trail (ARRT) . Plenty of public art was installed along the trail, while other fun sights included a caboose and interesting architecture.

After visiting the Major Taylor Museum on my birthday trip, I took a pair of walks in nearby Marlborough, MA. Lake Williams Boardwalk completed a recreational trail with a floating walkway, while The Grove Conservation Land was a forested area beside Fort Meadow Reservoir, which borders both Marlborough and Hudson. This was a relaxing way to spend a warm and sunny day.

On my birthday in 2024, I took a fun and history-filled trip to several locations in central Worcester County. My first stop was the Major Taylor Museum , which commemorates the life of a record-setting bicyclist who called Worcester his home for many years. Just opened in 2021, this gallery on Main Street shares a building with apartments at a range of price points, called Courthouse Lofts , in the former Worcester County Courthouse. Nearby memorials and architecture add to the experience.

On the same day I made quick history stops in Petersham, walked along the shores of the Quabbin Reservoir , and explored Bear’s Den , I visited the New England Peace Pagoda in Leverett, MA. Completed in 1985, this stupa now serves as a center of worship for local Cambodian and Japanese Buddhists. The building was created symbols of peace after the bombing of Japan at the end of World War II. The mission of the Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Order is encouraging total nuclear disarmament, while the site itself provides a quiet place of reflection and meditation.

On the same day I made quick history stops in Petersham, MA , I visited Quabbin Reservoir and the conservation site Bear’s Den , which is managed by the Trustees of Reservations. These quiet walks allow visitors to enjoy nature while offering glimpses of the industrial past.

On a beautifully sunny day in October as the leaves changed to their brightest colors, I took a trip to rural Worcester County. My first walk was around the Petersham Common Historic District, where I made several quick history stops. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 , this relaxing and open space has many classic New England small town places of interest, including churches, a country store, town offices, a library, a historical society building, and walking trails.

In September 2024, I visited places and attended programs in Essex National Heritage Area as part of its annual event Trails & Sails . My final pair of stops on the trip were Patton Park and Patton Homestead in Hamilton, MA. Combining the story of a military family with New England architecture and beautiful nature walks, these sites were the perfect way to end a successful trip.

In September 2024, I visited places and attended programs in Essex National Heritage Area as part of its annual event Trails & Sails . During my trip, I hiked on several trails in the area, most of which were maintained either by Greenbelt, which is Essex County’s land trust, or by The Trustees of Reservations, a non-profit organization in Massachusetts.

In September 2024, I visited places and attended programs in Essex National Heritage Area as part of its annual event Trails & Sails . On my second day, I took quick history stops in Danvers and Beverly, MA between visits to Hospital Point Lighthouse ; Historic Beverly’s Cabot House , Balch House , and Hale Farm ; and Central Cemetery in Beverly . I visited the typical historic homes, parks, churches, and public buildings along with a stop at the oldest fruit tree in the United States.

In September 2024, I visited places and attended programs in Essex National Heritage Area as part of its annual event Trails & Sails . On my second day, I visited Central Cemetery in Beverly, just down the street from Hale Farm. This cemetery has been in operation since the 18 th century and is still active. Perhaps the most famous burial is Nathan Dane , last mentioned in my post on Cabot House as the Senator who added the amendment to bar slavery in the Northwest Territory into the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 .

In September 2024, I visited places and attended programs in Essex National Heritage Area as part of its annual event Trails & Sails . On my second day, I visited the John Hale Farm in Beverly, MA . This farm was completed by 1694 and owned by Reverend John Hale , a minister at First Parish Church in Beverly who is best known for first supporting and then decrying the Salem Witch Trials, which seemingly took place during the construction the farm in 1692. Hale’s book, titled in part A Modest Enquiry into the Nature of Witchcraft , was published in 1702, two years after his death, and served as an explanation of what happened in Salem. The house has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1974 .

In September 2024, I visited places and attended programs in Essex National Heritage Area as part of its annual event Trails & Sails . On my second day, I visited the John Balch House in Beverly, MA . This 1679 post-medieval style home was the former residence of the colonial Balch family and purchased by the Balch Family Association with the help of William Sumner Appleton, Jr. in 1916. Appleton would later found the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (SPNEA), now called Historic New England (HNE) . Meanwhile, the house was given to the Beverly Historical Society, now Historic Beverly, in 1932, and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 .

In September 2024, I visited places and attended programs in Essex National Heritage Area as part of its annual event Trails & Sails . On my second day, I visited the John Cabot House in Beverly, MA. This 1781 Georgian style red brick building was the former residence of the wealthy Cabot family, who earned their fortune as successful merchant mariners. The building is now the headquarters of Historic Beverly and has been since 1892 after Edward Burley bequeathed it to the historical society.

In September 2024, I visited places and attended programs in Essex National Heritage Area as part of its annual event Trails & Sails . On my second day, I visited Hospital Point Lighthouse in Beverly, MA. Built in 1872, this lighthouse is owned by the United States Coast Guard and acts as a private residence for the First Coast Guard District Commander and his family. The open house during Trails & Sails is one of the few times the general public is permitted on the property, and regular readers know I cannot deny myself a good lighthouse tour .

I first learned about the documentary Whitin through a Blackstone Heritage Corridor newsletter upon its release about five months ago in November 2024. The documentary was edited, written, and produced by filmmaker Heather Riley of North Grafton with significant input from members of the Whitin family. The documentary is about twenty-seven minutes in length and currently hosted on the ValleyCAST YouTube channel.

In September 2024, I visited places and attended programs in Essex National Heritage Area as part of its annual event Trails & Sails . As my first day drew to a close, I made many quick history stops around the town of Manchester-by-the-Sea, so many that this requires a two-part post. The first half of this adventure appeared on Wednesday and included the harbor and train station, library, historic houses, memorials, church, and post office. This post will describe the original and the newest fire stations, another church, an American Revolutionary War era powder house, and other historic buildings.

In September 2024, I visited places and attended events in Essex National Heritage Area as part of its annual event Trails & Sails . As my first day drew to a close, I made many quick history stops around the town of Manchester-by-the-Sea, so many that this requires a two-part post. The second half of this adventure will appear on Friday. Stops covered in this part include the harbor and train station, library, historic houses, memorials, church, and post office.

In September 2024, I visited places and attended events in Essex National Heritage Area as part of its annual event Trails & Sails . My second stop was Ravenswood Park , a six hundred acre nature reserve with hiking trails owned by The Trustees of Reservations and located in Gloucester, MA.

In September 2024, I visited places and attended events in Essex National Heritage Area as part of its annual event Trails & Sails . My first stop on this three-day adventure was Hammond Castle. In a post from earlier this week , I discussed the exterior of the building, its temporary exhibits, and its construction history. Today, I will focus on the guided tour and interior of the building.

Each year in September, Essex National Heritage Area hosts Trails & Sails , an opportunity to “[b]e guided through unique landscapes on land and sea, explore historic properties, and take in cultural experiences of all kinds”. I attended locations and programs affiliated with this event for the second time in 2024. My first stop on this three-day adventure was Hammond Castle, a 20 th century home that takes inspiration from European Medieval architecture. This property was filled with history and artifacts, along with two great tours, so I am breaking this visit into two parts. As for national recognition, the house has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1973 .