In My Footsteps: Great Blue Hill - Milton, Mass.

            More than a hill, less than a mountain.  Great Blue Hill is part of the larger Blue Hills Reservation in Milton and Canton, Massachusetts.  It is a perfect hike for those who enjoy hiking but it is also small enough, 635 feet to the top, that anybody can enjoy it.  The name Blue Hills came from the first European explorers who noticed a bluish hue on the slopes of the hills when seen from a distance.

 

However, if hiking does not appeal there is also a Trailside Museum at ground level as well.  This features some cultural and natural history exhibits and also live animals outside.  When I was there I got to see deer, snow owls, hawks, and a playful otter that seemed to do tricks for me while I watched it in its tank.

            The hike up to the top of Great Blue Hill is the main attraction.  The hike begins on trails.  It’s a gradual climb which leads you across a paved road at one point.  That road is not for the average driver, it is for those who are authorized to visit the Blue Hill Observatory and Science Center at the summit.  Those are usually school groups or weather professionals. 

            In the summer the hike is much easier.  Add in some snow and it might get a little trickier.  The climb is never too steep but believe me when you’re trudging through six inches of snow it makes it a little slow going.  If there is a choice definitely choose warmer months for a hike.  There is skiing on Great Blue Hill also if that tickles your fancy.

            If you cannot visit Great Blue Hill when it’s warm there are some advantages.  One thing I noticed was the fact that there were hardly any other people along the way.  I was truly alone with my thoughts surrounded by the beauty of nature.  As you ascend to the summit of Great Blue Hill the scenery is not any different from any other forest walk.  That changes as you approach the top.  Suddenly it gets brighter and through the trees you begin to catch glimpses of the tremendous views awaiting you.

             At the top you can see all around you for miles.  There is a picnic area for use in warmer months.  In winter you can hear the sounds of skiers not too far away.  Though the views from the summit are spectacular there is a way to top that.  Eliot Tower is part of a stone building at the summit that can be climbed to the observation deck.  Built over seventy years ago the view from Eliot Tower is spectacular.  The Boston skyline was my favorite site to see from the tower; it’s difficult to miss.  I braved the snow and an icy floor in the tower for that view and it didn’t disappoint.  I made sure to shoot a video of my time there to whet the appetite of any potential travelers.

            Great Blue Hill has so much to offer.  The Trailside Museum has exhibits and animals, there is skiing in winter, a weather station for potential school trips, and of course the beautiful views from the summit at Eliot Tower.  Summer or winter it really does not matter, anytime is a great time to pay this spot a visit.  Have fun and happy traveling!

In My Footsteps: Great Blue Hill

Great Blue Hill:  Trailside Museum, 1904 Canton Ave (Route 138), Milton.  Take Rt I-93 to exit 2B (Milton, Rt 138 North). Follow the exit ramp to the first set of traffic lights. Go straight through the lights and the parking lot is 0.5 miles ahead on the right. The museum is at the end of the parking lot.

The summit trail in winter.

Friends of the Blue Hills.org

A deer at the Trailside Museum.

Coming up on Eliot Tower at the summit.

View of the Boston skyline from Eliot Tower.

In My Footsteps: Trip 108: Canton, Massachusetts

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 108:  Canton, Massachusetts

February 17, 2011

            Being a huge fan of all things outdoors it surprised me that I had not yet paid a visit to the Blue Hills Reservation.  It is 7,000 acres of amazing views and natural beauty stretching through several different towns.  For my trip I decided to hike up Great Blue Hill which straddles the line between Milton and Canton, the subject of this article.

The otter at the Trailside Museum.

            Great Blue Hill reaches 635 feet up into the sky with the Blue Hills Ski Area on the southern side of the mini-mountain, the Canton side.  I parked at the ski area lot and was immediately sidetracked from my hike up Great Blue Hill by something just as cool.  There is a Trailside Museum run by the Massachusetts Audubon Society at the foot of Great Blue Hill accompanied by a small collection of animals native to the area.

            I was particularly enamored with a pair of white-tailed Deer who were very friendly and came over to the fence to become better photo subjects.  There was also an adorable otter in a circular tank.  It acted relatively normal until it spotted me; then it put on a show by swimming back and forth across the tank making sure to flip upside down to swim once it reached the wall.  I ended up watching it for a while until I realized that there was still a big hike ahead of me.

Boston's skyline from atop Great Blue Hill

            Despite there being a paved road leading up Great Blue Hill to the weather observatory the only way up the hill is by walking.  The scenery was incredible.  It was a weird sort of dichotomy as the temperature on this day hovered near sixty but after a very eventful winter there was a good foot of snow on the ground for the hike.  I was warm and cold all at once.

            Once the climb started getting near the top, much more vertical, I began to get glimpses through the trees of the surrounding landscape.  The stone observatory building at the summit was really neat, the warmth was melting all of the snow on top of the roof and there was the constant sound of water falling.

            There is a tower to climb where the views will blow you away.  The Boston skyline is easily recognizable to the east.  I will not try to name all of the other spots I saw at the summit of Great Blue Hill but it is very likely you will spend a good chunk of time just turning your head side to side to see as much as you can of the surrounding landscape.  It was such a great way to begin my time in Canton.

Brookwood Farm in the shadow of Great Blue Hill.

            Ironically the next spot I visited was made even better by the looming shadow of Great Blue Hill.  The Brookwood Community Farm is another spot that straddles the line between Canton and Milton; it is a working organic farm with amazing scenery as well.  The weather observatory on Great Blue Hill is clearly visible as you walk the grounds of Brookwood and it can distract you a bit from the lush farmland, not that I am complaining.  It gave the farm a different feel.

            The farm is on two different parcels of land.  The one I visited is seventy acres and is on the Blue Hills Reservation.  The other location, a ninety acre farm called the Bradley Estate, is a few minutes south.  Not only does Brookwood sell their produce at the Milton and Roslindale Farmers Markets but anybody can be a volunteer and actually have a hand in creating that very same produce.

            For the history lover in me I made a stop at the David Tilden House at Pequitside Farm.  The red house built in 1725 sits back from Pleasant Street which made for a beautiful scene when coupled with the snow.  Also when you park here you can cross the street and check out Reservoir Pond.  The house is in a bit of disrepair and contributions can be made to help restore it.  It was a little tough getting around the house thanks to the foot of snow but I did get several great photos while trudging through the snow.   

David Tilden House c.1725

            David Tilden was one of the earliest settlers of Canton and the land on which the home stands is the very same tract that Tilden purchased from the Ponkapoag tribe of Native Americans.  The Pequitside Farm is thirty-three acres and owned by the town.  The Colonial Era Main House is available for weddings and other functions.  I imagine it must be an awesome place to have a get together when the weather is warm and the flowers are in bloom.

            The final spot I visited in Canton was something that seemed very much out of place. The Canton Viaduct looks like something straight out of Ancient Rome but in reality it is one of the two oldest multiple arched stone railroad bridges in the United States.  That is a lot of information but all you really need to know is that it is a spectacular site.  I drove under it on Neponset Street to find a better place to park and get a great view. 

The amazing Canton Viaduct

            It literally looks like the aqueducts used in Ancient Rome.  The Viaduct stands out yet somehow fits right in.  It was built in 1835, is over 600 feet in length and crosses over the Canton River.  There are two similar bridges to the Canton Viaduct in Russia and both were designed by a man who had a hand in the Viaduct.  As a side note, the man was George Washington Whistler, his son, James, is the artist who painted the world renowned Whistler’s Mother in 1871.  There is an entirely different article in that fact alone.

            Whether hiking up Great Blue Hill, visiting Brookwood Farm, or standing in amazement next to the Viaduct the town of Canton is a fabulous place to spend the day.  Although it may take longer as Great Blue Hill itself is a day trip.  I highly recommend taking your time to enjoy all of what this small part of Greater Boston has to offer.  Have fun and happy traveling!    

For more In My Footsteps items follow my Twitter Feed, view more photos at the In My Footsteps fan page on Facebook, or visit my homepage at ChristopherSetterlund.com.   Thanks for reading! 

Directions:  Great Blue Hill:  From Rt. 3 take exit 20A to merge onto I-93 S., take exit 2B to merge onto Rt. 138 N.  Parking for Great Blue Hill is 1.4 miles on right.

            Brookwood Farm:  From Rt. 3 take exit 20A to merge onto I-93 S., take exit 2B to merge onto Rt. 138 N.  After a half mile turn right onto Blue Hill River Rd., Brookwood is .4 mi. on right.

            Canton Viaduct:  From Rt. 3 take exit 20A to merge onto I-93 S., take exit 1 to merge onto I-95 S.  Take exit 11A to merge onto Neponset St. toward Canton.  Follow just over 1.5 miles.  The Viaduct will be ahead of you, parking is the difficult part there are areas a short walk away though.

References:  Ski Blue Hills.com

            Blue Hill.org

            Brookwood Community Farm.org

            Canton, Ma. Official Town Page

In My Footsteps: Trip 39: Quincy, Mass.

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 39: Quincy, Mass.

April 1, 2010

            Called the ‘City of Presidents,’ and the ‘City of Legends,’ Quincy is a city that lives up to that lofty praise.  Located only eleven miles south of Boston the seventh largest city in the state is a lot like the capital in places while also maintaining a separate identity.  Being the birthplace of John Adams and John Quincy Adams, as well as John Hancock, it is apparent that history is a major attraction of Quincy.  The area was first settled by a party led by Captain Wollaston in 1625.  The settlement was located near the south shore of Quincy Bay and was named Mount Wollaston in his honor.  He left the area for Virginia shortly after the town was settled.  It was not until 1792 when the town got its name in honor of famed local politician John Quincy.  His granddaughter Abigail Adams named her son John Quincy Adams in his honor as well.

            It is therefore only natural to begin any trip to Quincy with a visit to the Adams National Historic Park.  It is here on Adams Street where you will find the birthplaces of both John Adams and John Quincy Adams, as well as the Peacefield home that saw four generations of the Adams family live within its walls.  Also known as the ‘Old House,’ Peacefield(left) was originally built in 1731, it was acquired by John and Abigail Adams in 1787 when the owners at the time abandoned it as they remained loyal to the British throne after the Revolution.

            Next to Peacefield is perhaps the first ever Presidential library built in 1870 in a Gothic style.  Inside it houses 14,000 volumes.  With vines crawling up the façade of the stone walls it adds to the haunting beauty of this library(right).  The location around these structures is nothing short of magnificent with wild flowers scattered across the green grass and an ankle-high hedge maze carved into the side yard of Peacefield.  The actual birthplaces of Adams and Quincy Adams are a five minute drive away on the corner of Franklin Street and Presidents Avenue.

            John Adams’ birthplace is a classic ‘saltbox’ home where he was born in 1735.  His son’s birthplace is literally only a few feet away.  The Adams’ and their wives are buried beneath the floor of the United First Parish Church on Hancock Street.  Built in 1828, and funded by John Adams himself, the church is made from Quincy granite and stands alone on an island surrounded by roads.  It is a can’t miss destination, as all of these locations are as they are important pieces of our beginnings as an independent nation.  

            Despite being called the ‘City of Presidents’ there is a lot more to see in Quincy.  One such place is the site of the U.S.S. Salem battleship(right).  Commissioned in 1947 the Salem was a fleet flagship that was sent on seven missions to the Mediterranean Sea during the 1950’s.  After being decommissioned in 1959 the Salem began a long journey and finally returned to its proper home in Quincy where it sits as a museum near Kings Cove very close to Route 3A.  The ship is purported to be haunted and the museum owners play up this notion very well with a painted up hearse along side the ship.  There is also a miniature golf course on the grounds as well and the USS Salem houses the USS Newport News museum as well.

            For those looking to enjoy some natural beauty Quincy has that as well.  First there is a smaller park area called Moswetuset Hummock(left) located along Quincy Bay on the north end of Wollaston Beach.  This area was a summer gathering spot for the Massachusett Native Americans back in the 17^th century.  It also contains a spot known as Arrowhead Hill which was the base maintained by Chickatawbut, the sachem, or chief, of the Massachusett tribe.  Chickatawbut met with Myles Standish and Squanto, shortly after the Pilgrims arrival in Plymouth, in 1621.

            Chickatawbut’s legacy in Quincy goes further than Moswetuset Hummock.  It extends to another spectacular conservation and recreation area known as Blue Hills.  Stretching more than 7,000 acres into neighboring Dedham, Milton, and Randolph, Blue Hills has more than 125 miles of trails and peaks of up to 635 feet on Great Blue Hill.  This area got the name ‘blue hills’ from the settling Europeans who noticed a bluish hue on the slopes when they were viewed from a distance.

            As for Massachusett sachem Chickatawbut his name is all over Blue Hills.  One of the Blue Hills Reservation Parkways is named Chickatawbut Road, and the highest point in Quincy, at 517 feet, is named Chickatawbut Hill.  It is hard not to associate this Native American legend with the city of Quincy and its heritage.

            A ‘City of Presidents’ and so much more, Quincy is a city surrounded by natural beauty and history.  The birthplaces of John and Abigail Adams as well as their son John Quincy Adams are must sees, as is Peacefield.  Don’t forget the purportedly haunted U.S.S. Salem.  Beyond the history there is the natural beauty of Blue Hills and Moswetuset Hummock as well.  There is so much to see in Quincy and with it being so close by there is no reason not to get out and enjoy it.  Have fun and happy traveling!

Directions: U.S.S. Salem - From I-95 North take the I-93 North exit, bear left to stay on I-93N at the Route 3 split. Take Exit 8 and take a right at the bottom of the ramp onto Furnace Brook Parkway.  Travel 2.3 take a right onto Route 3A South.  Drive 1.5 miles turn left onto Washington Street which is also Rt. 3A South.  Follow Washington Street 1/2 mile take the first right in rotary into the Harbor Express and USS Salem parking area.

Adams National Historic Site - Traveling north on Route 3, take exit 19 and follow signs towards Quincy Center.  Continue straight on Burgin Parkway through six sets of traffic lights. At the seventh set of traffic lights, turn right on to Dimmock Street. Follow Dimmock Street one block to the intersection of Hancock Street. Turn right on to Hancock Street. The National Park Service Visitor Center located in the Galleria at Presidents Place is two blocks on your left, 1250 Hancock Street. Validated parking is in the garage in the rear of the building, turn left on Saville Avenue just before the building.

John Adams & John Quincy Adams Birthplaces – From Rt. 3 North continue onto Rt. 44 and back onto Rt. 3 North.  Take Exit 19 for Burgin Pkwy, turn left at Penn St.  Slight right at Liberty St., take 1^st right onto Water St.  Turn right at Franklin St., both houses will be on the right.

Blue Hills Reservation – Take Rt. 3 North, continue onto Yankee Division Highway and merge onto I-93.  Take Exit 3 for Ponkapoag Trail, turn right at Blue Hill River Rd., turn right at Hillside St.  This is the main headquarters.

References:  Blue Hills Reservation

            White House.gov - John Adams

            Adams National Historic Park

            USS Salem.org