Abby Epplett, Historian

On the same day I saw the daffodils at Parsons Reserve, I went down the road to Frank Knowles Little River Reserve in Dartmouth, MA. The 194 acres of the preserve, now with 9 miles of trails, were purchased by Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust (DNRT) across four parcels between 1996 and 2010. The first of these parcels was donated by Audrey M. Gillum, who served as Trustee of the Ellen Knowles Jackmen Trust. Despite the name in the title, DNRT provides no information about the man on their website. I speculate that Ellen Knowles Jackman, who was buried at Maple Grove Cemetery of Westport, MA in 1994, was the daughter of Frank Knowles, as many other women have donated their inherited properties to New England preservation organizations. After the 1967 death of her husband, Charles William Jackman , she lived at 573 Potomska Road, a quarter mile from the current preserve entrance.

In April, I visited Parsons Reserve in Russells Mills Village Historic District, Dartmouth, MA to visit its locally famous daffodil fields. Part of Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust , a local ecological preservation organizations that has operated since 1971, the thirty-two acres of trails and blossoming fields bring a sense of wonder and whimsy to the otherwise quiet area.

On the third day of my long weekend trip to Western Massachusetts, which I took back in March 2026, I visited The Clark , an art museum in Williamstown, MA. Like my trip to MASS MoCA taken on the day before, my summary of the experience will be divided into three parts. In the first part , I described artwork found inside the museum building. In this second part , I covered the architecture of the building, a nearby historic building, and some outside sculptures. In the third part, I will describe the rest of the outside sculptures and give tips on how to visit the museum.

On the third day of my long weekend trip to Western Massachusetts, which I took back in March 2026, I visited The Clark , an art museum in Williamstown, MA. Like my trip to MASS MoCA taken on the day before, my summary of the experience will be divided into three parts. In the first part , I described artwork found inside the museum building. In this second part, I will cover the architecture of the building, a nearby historic building, and some outside sculptures. In the third part, I will describe the rest of the outside sculptures and give tips on how to visit the museum.

While taking a walk around downtown Plymouth, MA , I saw several pieces from the art installation Seal’d with Art: Plymouth Harbor Seals . This is the third time the Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce has given the opportunity for local businesses to sponsor artists in creating a themed sculpture, the first two being lobsters and seashells. The seals debuted in Spring 2025 and remain on display through Fall 2027, so you have plenty of time to see this whimsical art. Below are my favorite seals out of the twenty-five in the exhibition.

After spending the morning and early afternoon at Plimoth Patuxet Museums, I took a two-mile, out-and-back walk from the the free public parking at the Plimoth Grist Mill to Fisherman’s Memorial Park. Along the way, I stopped by Plymouth Rock, Mayflower II , Hedge House, and three statues dedicated to immigrant women. As an added bonus, I saw multiple public art displays , including the Plymouth Harbor Seals, which will receive their own post.

For my birthday in October, I visited Plymouth, MA, stopping at Plimoth Patuxet Museums before exploring some of the town. In my first post , I will discuss the Visitor Center, Craft Center, Historic Patuxet Homesite, and the Fort. In this post, I will discuss the 17 th -Century English Village. In the final post, I will describe Mayflower II, Plymouth Rock, and the Plymouth Harbor Seals public art display.

On the same day I visited Peak House Heritage Center and Medfield State Hospital National Historic Site , I took several walks in the area, including Shattuck Reservation & Noon Hill managed by the Trustees of Reservations, Medfield Rail Trail, and Kingsbury Pond Grist Mill. The colorful fall leaves made the woods even prettier than usual.

On the same day I visited Peak House Heritage Center , I went down the road to Medfield State Hospital National Historic Site . Established in 1892 as Medfield Insane Asylum, the Queen Anne-style red brick buildings stand at the top of hill near a large field. A family event was going on during my visit, but few people were walking among the shuttered buildings. The grounds have been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1994 .

In October 2025, I went to a special event at Peak House Heritage Center in Medfield, MA. Striking for its early colonial architecture and location on Main Street, Peak House has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1975 . Despite being a small property (the parking lot only fits five cars), the combination of a well-trained volunteer group, updated signage, and an easy to navigate website make this destination well worth the trip. This is an ideal house for families on their first historic house tour.

Thursday, April 9, was the fourth installment of the 2026 season of Parked at Home hosted by Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park (BRVNHP) . Park Ranger Allison Horrocks presented from Old Slater Mill in Pawtucket, RI, and was joined by Amanda Hatch of the Frances Perkins Center , the official philanthropic partner of the brand new Frances Perkins National Monument in Newcastle, Maine.

My last stop was Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens owned by the Trustees of Reservations , which I had last visited for Winterlights in 2024 . I have already shared details about the property and the family who lived there, but I was able to take a more extensive tour of the house and see the gardens during this second visit.

On the same day I visited Addison Gallery of American Art and Stevens Estate at Osgood Hill , I took a walk at Weir Hill run by the Trustees of Reservations in North Andover, MA. The 194-acre park is connected to Osgood Hill and part of the former Stevens family estate, along with an Essex National Heritage Site. With free parking an admission, plus clear signage on the four miles of trail, this is a great walk for those in the area, along with a place to learn about often overlooked local history.

In late September, I took a daytrip to Andover, MA. After a relaxing morning at Addison Gallery of American Art , I took a walk at Osgood Hill, a North Andover trail and a partner of Mass Audubon . While there, I saw Stevens Estate , a 1886 building on 143 acres listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1999 .

In late September 2025, I enabled my mild obsession with Old Sturbridge Village (OSV) , a living history museum in Sturbridge, MA. In this five-part series, I will cover the forty antique buildings depicting rural New England life during the 1830s, exhibits showcasing artifacts from the period, and an art installation featuring cows decorated by local artists. In Part 1 , I visited two meetinghouses, a country store, a tavern, a tin shop, and a pair of homes, along with watching costumed interpreters. In Part 2 , I explored a school, workshops, mills, a covered bridge, heritage breed animals, costumed interpreters, and houses. In Part 3 , I continued my visit to The Countryside by visiting the barn and a pair of workshops before returning to the Common & Center Village. In Part 4 , I stopped in shops around the Common & Center Village, learn about plants, and visited exhibits. In Part 5, I discuss the CowParade art exhibit and conclude my visit with information about open t...

In late September 2025, I enabled my mild obsession with Old Sturbridge Village (OSV) , a living history museum in Sturbridge, MA. In this five-part series, I will cover the forty antique buildings depicting rural New England life during the 1830s, exhibits showcasing artifacts from the period, and an art installation featuring cows decorated by local artists. In Part 1 , I visited two meetinghouses, a country store, a tavern, a tin shop, and a pair of homes, along with watching costumed interpreters. In Part 2 , I explored a school, workshops, mills, a covered bridge, heritage breed animals, costumed interpreters, and houses. In Part 3 , I continued my visit to The Countryside by visiting the barn and a pair of workshops before returning to the Common & Center Village. In Part 4, I stopped in shops around the Common & Center Village, learn about plants, and visited exhibits.

In late September 2025, I enabled my mild obsession with Old Sturbridge Village (OSV) , a living history museum in Sturbridge, MA. In this five-part series, I will cover the forty antique buildings depicting rural New England life during the 1830s, exhibits showcasing artifacts from the period, and an art installation featuring cows decorated by local artists. In Part 1 , I visited two meetinghouses, a country store, a tavern, a tin shop, and a pair of homes, along with watching costumed interpreters. In Part 2 , I explored a school, workshops, mills, a covered bridge, heritage breed animals, costumed interpreters, and houses. In >Part 3, I continue my visit to The Countryside by visiting the barn and a pair of workshops before returning to the Common & Center Village.

In late September 2025, I enabled my mild obsession with Old Sturbridge Village (OSV) , a living history museum in Sturbridge, MA. In this five-part series, I will cover the forty antique buildings depicting rural New England life during the 1830s, exhibits showcasing artifacts from the period, and an art installation featuring cows decorated by local artists. In Part 1 , I visited two meetinghouses, a country store, a tavern, a tin shop, and a pair of homes, along with watching costumed interpreters. In Part 2, I explore a school, workshops, mills, a covered bridge, heritage breed animals, costumed interpreters, and houses.

In early September 2025, I visited Brimfield, MA for the annual Brimfield Flea Market, a tradition that began back in 1959. Before a day of walking among vendors to find vintage bargains, I made a few quick history stops around the center of town, called Brimfield Center Historic District and on the National Register of Historic Places since 2006 . Like many other small New England towns, its center included a picturesque white church, town hall, war memorials, and a historic school.

On the same day that I visited the Clara Barton Birthplace , I took a walk on a highway turned forest trail, and then visited grave of legendary outdoorsman Grizzly Adams in nearby Charlton, MA. I will have to returning this area in warmer weather to see more quick history stops.