In My Footsteps: Trip 121: Wellesley, Massachusetts

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 121:  Wellesley, Massachusetts

April 14, 2011

Morses Pond

            One of the most affluent and highly educated towns in the United States, Wellesley might seem to get lost in the shuffle as far as places to see and visit.  That could not be further from the truth as it has many amazing spots that anybody can check out, even if you are not rich.  I will admit that there are seemingly endless streams of lavish homes up and down nearly every street in Wellesley but if you go just below the surface you will find the true soul of this town.

            One such spot I enjoyed was Morses Pond on Turner Road.  Of course when I arrived the gate was closed so driving right up to the edge of the water was not possible.  Still, taking a walk on a warm spring afternoon was not the worst thing in the world.  I chose to stay on the paved road as I walked although there was an intriguing path which led off to the right.  I could not be certain that it led to the pond and did not feel like going way off track so I played it safe.

Wellesley Town Hall

            The pond was a nice scenic spot, there was a narrow land bridge between a small pond and Morses Pond which was cool.  There is a playground area for families but the highlights of my walk to the pond were the little finger of land sticking out into the water with a picnic table at the end as well as a swan that seemed to be unhappy that I was walking by.  The swan got really close to shore and basically kept me from checking out the picnic table at the end of the finger of land.  It was still a great walk and would be worthwhile to any traveler especially if the gates are open.

            Wellesley is also unique in the fact that its Town Hall is as impressive as many historic mansions I have seen.  It reminded me of the beautiful stone buildings I saw in Easton and Fairhaven; the buildings in Easton designed by renowned architect Henry Hobson Richardson.  It was such a cool place with many great photo opportunities from the sloping front lawn of the Town Hall.  A little added bonus is Morton Park which is part of the Town Hall grounds.

Charles River behind the old Eaton-Moulton Mill building.

            I parked at the bottom of the hill where the Town Hall building is located which is right next to a small duck pond at Morton Park.  There are some trails there, one called the Crosstown Trail is about five and a half miles long and goes through Morton Park following the Cochituate Aqueduct.  It continues on until it intersects with the Charles River Path.  I did not follow the trail but did have a good time checking out the ducks waddling around the shore of the pond. 

            I found a cool spot while checking out the building which once housed the Eaton-Moulton Mill on Walnut Street.  The building, built in 1853, is a pretty standard gray stone-faced structure but behind it is what caught my eye.  The sound of rushing water lured me back to a falls area of the Charles River that passed under a footbridge.  There was a walkway which ran along the side of the loud rushing water so close that I was getting splashed.  It is easy to get lost in the rhythmic sound of the nonstop water passing by and if you have the time it is nice to allow yourself to do just that for a bit.

Sprague Memorial Tower

            The last place I visited in Wellesley is a spot I saw on a previous trip as I passed through much like when I saw downtown Natick.  The Sprague Memorial Tower is easy to spot as you travel along Washington Street.  The tower was built in 1928 but the clock and bell which reside inside were given to the town in 1874.  The surrounding area is pretty busy but it seems like when you step onto the grounds where the tower sits that it is in its own world.  The only trouble was that the green around the tower was small which meant that trying to get a photo of the entire height of the tower was difficult.  I found myself bending and kneeling all over trying to fit it in.

            Though it may be one of the most affluent and well educated towns in all of the country Wellesley has so much more for the average person such as me.  Morses Pond was amazing even with its long walk and Sprague Memorial Tower was a spot I knew I needed to see from the time I passed through Wellesley heading home from a previous trip.  Of course there are seemingly endless streams of large expensive homes to see as well but that should not be the only thing that a traveler takes from Wellesley.  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:  Morses Pond:  From Rt. 3 take Exit 20A for I-93S toward I-95, continue onto Rt. 1 S, continue onto I-95 N.  Take Exit 17, turn right onto Rt. 135 W., follow 2 miles take slight left at Great Plain Ave., at rotary take 3^rd exit onto Wellesley Ave.  Follow half mile, turn left onto Washington St., continue onto Central St., slight right onto Weston Rd.  Take 1^st left onto Turner Rd., follow to the pond, where you park depends on whether the gates are opened.

            Sprague Memorial Tower:  From Rt. 3 take Exit 20A for I-93S toward I-95, continue onto Rt. 1 S, continue onto I-95 N.  Take Exit 21, turn left onto Washington St., follow 1.8 miles, tower is on the right.

References:  Wellesley - Official Town Site

            Wellesley Historical Society.org

           

In My Footsteps: Trip 116: Newton, Massachusetts

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 116:  Newton, Massachusetts

March 30, 2011

            Ranked third on the list of best places to live by CNN Money for 2010 the city of Newton is unique for a variety of reasons.  First is the fact that it is made up of a whopping twelve ‘villages’ which is amazing in and of itself.  Though it is a suburb of Boston, Newton has a feel of its own, not merely a smaller Boston.  It is also known for the famous ‘Heartbreak Hill’ which is part of the Boston Marathon.  A fun bit of trivia is that the Fig Newton cookie is named for the city.

City Hall from the walking bridge.

            I began by visiting the Heartbreak Hill area which is close to City Hall.  I did not run it but it did look imposing.  I knew Newton was special when their City Hall was such a cool area.  From where I parked I crossed over a small creek thanks to a bridge to get to the building.  I don’t know many City Halls with bridges and creeks around them.  I stuck around in the warm spring sun shooting for a bit but there was so much more to see in the twelve villages of Newton.

            I took a spin down to Crystal Lake in the village of Newton Highlands next.  Being a fan of the Friday the 13th movies when I heard the name Crystal Lake I immediately began to think of the famed horror movie franchise.  Luckily for me the lake is nothing like that.  In fact the majority of the shore is dotted with private homes; the recreation and swimming area is relatively small.  The beach area was seemingly only large enough for a few people, though there is another swimming area that I did not visit which might be larger.  The crews were cleaning up the picnic area in anticipation of the upcoming season while I was there so I did not hang out there very long.

            An historic home I checked out after Crystal Lake is far more important in the history of America than any other in the city as far as I am concerned.  The Jackson Homestead is so meaningful because of the fact that it was used as a stop on the Underground Railroad before the Civil War.  William Jackson, who was elected to Congress in 1832, was associated with other abolitionists which led to him using his home as part of the Underground Railroad. 

Jackson Homestead and Museum

            Located on Washington Street the home was built in 1809 and stands out with its yellow exterior and green shutters.  It became a museum showcasing the early history of Newton in 1950 after being given to the city a year earlier.  It is open year round but closed on Mondays and most major holidays.  The tours show you areas such as the cellar where runaway slaves may have hidden during the time that the house was used on the Underground Railroad.  It is a very deep and unique experience to say the least.

            As you know by now the natural beauty of the places I visit are what I enjoy the most and this was the case in Newton as well.  In the village of Newton Upper Falls there is a really great place called Hemlock Gorge, named for the trees which cluster around the gorge.  It is known more for Echo Bridge which I will get to in a moment, but this small area along the Charles River needs to be expanded on a bit more.

The dam at Hemlock Gorge

            The first thing I did was follow the sound of the rushing water to a small dam where a muskrat or something like that was swimming around.  The water runs north and continues underneath Rt. 9.  I never did see that muskrat again once I shot some photos of the dam.  After shooting that area I began to walk my way up the rocky cliff faces of Hemlock Gorge toward Echo Bridge.  The cliffs get pretty high, well thirty feet or so which is high when it’s a drop onto more rocks below.  The views are amazing though, just watch your step.

Echo Bridge

            Echo Bridge, completed in 1877, was an aqueduct which carried water from the Sudbury River to Boston during its prime.  It is no longer in use but is still maintained by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority.  There are two observation areas associated with the bridge.  The one I checked is underneath it which is where visitors can hear the echoes of the flowing water against the stone arch of the bridge overhead.  While I believe this to be the case the water was so calm when I was there that the only echo I heard was that of a pair of geese arguing on the other side of the river.  I did enjoy the peace and serenity of Hemlock Gorge despite not hearing any echoes underneath the bridge.

            Newton may be made up of twelve villages but there is one vibe to the city when you arrive.  Whether you want to see a piece of American history in the Jackson Homestead, or take in a more natural spot like Hemlock Gorge you cannot go wrong.  Make sure to try to time it right to catch the Charles River when it’s a little rougher going under Echo Bridge.  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:  Jackson Homestead and Museum:  From Rt. 3 take exit 20B for I-93 N, take exit 20 toward Worcester.  Merge onto I-90 W, take exit 17 toward Newton.  Take a slight left onto Washington St., after .6 mi., turn right onto Jackson Rd.  Museum is on left.

            Hemlock Gorge:  From Rt. 3 take exit 20A toward I-95, continue onto Rt. 1, continue onto I-95 N, take exit 19B.  Merge onto Highland Ave., turn right Gould St., turn right onto Central Ave., continue onto Elliot St.  Turn left at Chestnut St., take 1^st left onto Ellis St., there is a small parking area on the right at the intersection.

References:  Best Places to Live 2010 - Newton, Ma.

            City of Newton, Ma.

            Historic Newton.org