In My Footsteps: 4K New England - Myles Standish Monument & Burying Grou...

In My Footsteps: Myles Standish Monument

Here is a video featuring a monument dedicated to legendary Pilgrim and leader of Plymouth Colony Myles Standish.  This is located high on a wooded hill in Duxbury and is a great spot to visit.  There is also a visit to his grave located nearby which is surrounded by four cannons.




The three books of the In My Footsteps series are available at Amazon.com.


In My Footsteps: A Cape Cod Travel Guide

In My Footsteps: A Traveler's Guide to Martha's Vineyard

In My Footsteps: A Traveler's Guide to Nantucket

In My Footsteps: Trip 73: Duxbury, Mass.

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 73:  Duxbury, Mass.

August 26, 2010

            Sitting only ten miles north of the Holy Grail of history, Plymouth, the town of Duxbury surprised me with how much history of its own it has inside its borders.  Plymouth may have the Mayflower and Plymouth Rock, but Duxbury may have just as much of a connection to the original Pilgrims.  It is here that many of those who arrived on the Mayflower were buried, and it is here where perhaps the most famous Pilgrim, Myles Standish, lived as well.

Powder Point Bridge leading to Duxbury Beach

            Yes, there is an overwhelming amount of historical significance throughout Duxbury there are also many other places to see as well.  The major attraction in this amazing South Shore town has to be Duxbury Beach.  It is made even more magnificent by the fact that it is accessible only by a drive across the narrow, wooden Powder Point Bridge.  The beach is very narrow at most points due to its exposure to any and all rough seas.  The Powder Point Bridge is popular for fishing and when I passed over it to go to the beach I had to make sure to go slowly. 

John Alden House

Gurnet Light

            As you travel south along the dirt road of Duxbury Beach you reach a point where it turns into the private Gurnet.  A twenty-seven acre peninsula The Gurnet is only accessible if you own a house at Gurnet Point, or if you are lucky enough like me to know someone who does.  My friend Steve’s family has a summer home on Gurnet Point and I was able to go out and take in the amazing views across Plymouth Harbor.  There is also Gurnet Light sitting high above the cliffs.  Originally there were twin lighthouses in this spot until one was torn down in 1924.  This lighthouse is difficult to see from the mainland and I was very glad that I got the chance to see it up close.

            My trip into the history Duxbury holds began at a cemetery called the ‘Myles Standish Burying Grounds.’  The oldest maintained cemetery in the United States it is here that many of the famous Pilgrims were laid to rest.  The most obvious name buried here is the one for whom the cemetery is named.  The grave of Myles Standish is unbelievable.  There are four cannons facing outward from the rock wall the surrounds the gravesite.  The ‘headstone’ is a large boulder with the name ‘Standish’ engraved on it.  I do not know how far beneath my feet the legendary Pilgrim was buried but it was an awesome feeling to be so close to someone so important to the beginnings of our country.

The grave of Capt. Myles Standish

            Not to be forgotten are the graves of John and Priscilla Alden which reside along the edge of the cemetery bordering Chestnut Street.  However there is a much better way to get a taste of what life was like for the Alden’s by visiting the John Alden House on Alden Street.  Dated 1653, the house is one of very few in the country from so far back to never have been renovated with such improvements as plumbing and electricity.  There is also the archaeological site of the original 1632 Alden Homestead on the grounds.  Archaeological pioneer Roland Wells Robbins excavated the site in 1960 and found the remains of the foundation of the original Alden house.  The house is now a museum and is open for tours throughout the summer months.     

Captain Myles Standish has a monument dedicated to him which located a short drive from the cemetery that bears his name as well.  On the way to the monument is the home of Standish’s son, Alexander.  Built in 1666 the house was occupied by Alexander and his wife Sarah Alden who was the daughter of John and Priscilla until 1688 when Sarah died.  Alexander then married Desire Doty.  Unfortunately the house is on private property and try as I might I was not even able to find a good vantage point for a shot of it.  I will have to take the Duxbury Historical Society’s word for it that it is there.

Myles Standish Monument

The Myles Standish Monument is located on Crescent Street atop the 200 foot Captain’s Hill, the 116-foot granite shaft is topped by a fourteen foot statue of Standish.  Myles Standish was hired to be a military adviser for Plymouth Colony and served as Plymouth’s representative to England.  He also helped found Duxbury and named it after Duxbury Woods in Chorley, Lancashire, England.  During the summer, mostly June and July, the monument is easy to get to, you can drive up the hill and park at the base of it.  However, on both of my trips up to the monument the gate was locked and I had to walk up the hill.  It is not a long walk and it should not dissuade any visitor from seeing this amazing tribute to an American legend.

            The monument itself can be seen from miles around as it rises high above the trees.  During the summer months there are opportunities to climb it, although it is wise to have a group to go and to call ahead.  For those who do get to climb they are rewarded with an amazing view of Kingston Bay as well as Duxbury Bay and Clarks Island.  The forest surrounding the monument is beautiful and the sweet pine scent filled the air.  I made sure to take my time and enjoy the site of this towering granite structure. 

            Although it may tend to be overshadowed by Plymouth to the south Duxbury can hold its own as far as history goes with any other town in the state.  After taking some time to relax at Duxbury Beach make sure to enjoy some of this history by visiting the Myles Standish Burying Ground and Monument.  Don’t forget the 350-year old John Alden House as well.  Have fun and happy traveling!

     My first book, In My Footsteps: A Cape Cod Travel Guide, is now available through Schiffer Books!

Directions:  Myles Standish Monument: From Rt. 3 take Exit 10, turn right at Rt. 3A.  Turn right at Chestnut St., right at Standish St.  Take slight right onto Crescent Street.  Parking area for monument is on a hill on the right, if gate is closed road must be hiked to the top. 

John Alden House:  From Rt. 3A heading north turn right at Alden Street.  Follow it .3 miles to house located on right.

Duxbury Beach:  From Rt. 3A heading north turn right at Alden Street.  Turn right at St. George St., turn left at the end and bear right onto Powder Point Avenue.  Follow it across the Powder Point Bridge to the beach. 

References:  Duxbury History.org

            John Alden House

            Duxbury, Ma. - Official Town Site

            Myles Standish Monument State Reservation - DCR

           

In My Footsteps: Trip 34: Carver, Mass.

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In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 34: Carver, Mass.

March 18, 2010

            Carver is a small town with some big attractions.  Although it is synonymous with Edaville USA, and rightfully so, there is so much more to Carver that needs to be seen.  If Middleboro has small town charm, Carver is closer to a rural area, with the population spread out more which gives way to some incredible stretches of wooded scenery perfect for a drive on a summer day. 

            Carver became its own town in 1790 mostly thanks to the fact the many residents of Plympton, Massachusetts lived too far away to attend church.  Named for John Carver, the first governor of Plymouth Colony, the town became known for its iron ore found in its swamps and became further established thanks to a rail line which connected the small town to Boston and New York City.

            I paid a visit to Carver’s Town Hall(left) first off and noticed that the building fits right in with the rest of the town’s rural appeal.  Whereas Middleboro has a very large Hall, Carver’s is much more understated.  It faces a nicely maintained wooded area which contains a farmers market and has what can only be described as a vintage war gun on the front lawn.  The gun is from the World War II-era or earlier and I found it a little humorous that it is pointed eerily close to the farmers market.

            Up the road a ways, close to the ground of another famous attraction, the seasonal King Richard’s Faire, is a historic spot that can only be described as the first in America.  The Savery Historic District is home to a short stretch of road that is the first divided highway ever built in America(right).  Built in 1861 by William Savery the road is two lanes with a beautiful row of trees in between them.  The trees were left to be used as ‘shade and ornament for man and beast.’  A drive on this road is only a little over a minute but it is so unique that I had to circle back several times to get a feel of what it must have been like when this stretch of ‘highway’ was brand new.

            Located at the next right turn after the Savery Road sits the grounds of King Richard’s Faire which runs on weekends in September and October.  This fair is an authentic recreation of a 16^th Century English marketplace at festival time.  It is a great way to experience history firsthand and its popularity as a family tourist destination is equaled only by the next place I visited in Carver: Edaville Railroad, now known as Edaville USA.

            Edaville(right) is a cherished childhood memory of mine and I am sure of many thousands of others from New England.  Edaville was built in 1947 using the remains of most of Maine’s once thriving two-foot gauge rails.  The name Edaville comes from the man responsible for building the five and a half mile long track around his 1500 acre cranberry bogs, Ellis D. Atwood.  His initials (E.D.A.) make up part of the name.  Although it has undergone many changes since I first visited the park in the mid-1980’s, Edaville still maintains its charm and appeal for kids and adults alike.  There is nothing quite like taking the train ride around the vast cranberry bog during the Christmas season, even twenty-five years later I can picture that trip in my mind.  The park has many rides and a vintage carousel, it is easy to find and as previously stated is synonymous with the small town of Carver.

            Located a little further east in Carver, as well as in the neighboring town of Plymouth sits a place that is worthy of its own article.  Myles Standish State Forest is the largest publicly owned recreation area in the state and is home to many beautiful kettle ponds.  Covering approximately 15,000 acres of land this amazing landscape is home to the endangered Plymouth Red-bellied turtle which populates several of the kettle ponds.

            Although it is filled with incredible scenery no matter the time of day it is highly recommended that you visit Myles Standish State Forest at either sunrise or sunset.  I went close to sunset which gives a beautiful orange glow to the pine trees and colors the water of the ponds a blue gray.  With daylight fading I had to pick and choose which ponds I visited, first up was College Pond.  This pond is very popular and has areas for swimming, picnicking, and fishing.  I visited the other side of the pond which was dotted with several small cabins, the facilities on the main side of College Pond were still visible despite the sunlight fading. 

            Furnace Pond is on the western side of the forest and I ran into a flock of turkeys heading out of New Long Pond on the way there.  Down a dirt road which needed to be walked I found a pair of swans quietly swimming across Furnace Pond(left) and it made for a fitting end to my trip. 

            Carver maybe a small and rural town but it has a lot to be seen.  Give some time to visit the country’s first divided highway, take a tour around Edaville USA, and then enjoy the quiet majesty of Myles Standish State Forest.  Bring the whole family and feel the spirit of this little town all around you.  Have fun and happy traveling!





     My first book, In My Footsteps: A Cape Cod Travel Guide, is now available at SchifferBooks.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and Amazon.com, soon to be in stores everywhere!  Follow me on Twitter!

Directions:  Savery Road:  From I-495, take the exit for Rt. 58 N.  Turn left after 2.5 miles to stay on Rt. 58.  Follow Rt. 58 for 3 more miles, the Savery divided highway is on the left.

            Edaville USA:  From I-495, take the exit for Rt. 58 N.  Turn left after 2.5 miles to stay on Rt. 58.  Follow Rt. 58 for another mile and turn left onto Dump Rd.  Continue onto Rochester Rd., turn right at Eda Ave. 

            Myles Standish State Forest:  From Rt. 3 take Exit 5, turn right onto Long Pond Rd.  Continue on for 3 miles, the park entrance is on the right.

References:  Edaville USA

            DCR - Myles Standish State Forest

            King Richard's Faire

            Town of Carver Homepage

In My Footsteps: Trip 28: Centerville, Osterville, Cotuit, Mass.

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 28: Centerville, Osterville, Cotuit, Mass.

February 28, 2010

            Centerville, Osterville, and Cotuit are three small villages considered part of the larger town of Barnstable on the south side of Cape Cod that can easily be passed by on a trip from Falmouth to Hyannis.  Taking you on a trip through Cape history and passing some of the most amazing natural sites as well these three small villages must be seen and appreciated by any traveler to this area.

            Centerville was originally called Chequaquet by the Wampanoag Indians when it was purchased by Myles Standish in 1648.  The village has done a good job of hanging on to its history as Main Street still feels like a walk back through the 19^th Century.  The best example of this is the 1856 Country Store(left) located on Main Street.  It has been a general merchandise store since 1856 and still to this day sells homemade jams and jellies as well as classic penny candies that will bring you back to childhood days.  The store now sells its catalog online as it has kept up with technology, but nothing beats taking a walk down Main Street and stopping into the 1856 Country Store.

            For those not looking for trips through history there is the very popular and well known Craigville Beach to visit.   Craigville Beach lies on the similarly named Craigville Beach Road and is bordered on the east by the smaller Covell’s Beach.  It is also bordered on the north by a river flowing in from East Bay; there are many beautiful private homes along the river.  The Kennedy Compound is able to be seen after a long walk on the beach, Craigville Beach is a popular starting and finishing point for many road races and marathons on the Cape and Eastern Massachusetts. 

            Continuing west leads you into Osterville.  There are numerous summer residences here along the beautiful oceanfront and especially in the private Oyster Harbors section of Osterville.  There is a drawbridge connecting Oyster Harbors(below) to the mainland but it is a gated community and thus cannot be accessed by visitors unless they are residents.

            A great place that can be visited by anyone is the Osterville Historic Society Museum located on West Bay Road.  On the grounds sits the Herbert Crosby Boat Shop, it still contains many of the same boat building tools originally used by Mr. Crosby and his family in the mid 19^th Century.  The Crosby name is most synonymously associated with the Crosby Catboat which became a hit with sailors not too long after being developed in the latter half of the 19^th Century.  The Crosby’s themselves built over 3,000 Catboats from 1850 to 1970.  The Captain Parker House stands closest to the road and was built in 1824.  It belonged to the afore mentioned Captain Parker who like many 19^th Century Cape residents made his living on the seas as a fisherman.

There is also an authentic ‘jelly house’ on the grounds.  These were used along road sides mostly prior to World War II to sell all sorts of delicious jams and jellies to travelers.  Once gift shops began selling the same products the houses became obsolete and were sold to individuals.  It is a very unique look into Olde Cape Cod when you stand before this tiny shack that now contains a play set for children.  The grounds can be walked at anytime but the museum itself is open daily from mid-June to mid-September.

The third village of Barnstable to be visited was Cotuit.  As with Centerville and Osterville, a trip down through the Historic District of Main Street will give you a great vision of the town’s past.  Located in the same parking area along Main Street is the Freedom Hall, built in 1860.  There is a marker near the road which is dedicated to the memory of those who first settled the Cotuit area in 1648.  Next door is the Old Meeting House, built in 1846.  It now houses the Masons.

On the opposite side of Main Street sits the Cotuit Library, built in 1874 which sits next to the Cotuit Memorial Park.  There are benches giving a great view of one of the least densely populated areas of the Cape.  Along the roadside sits a stone with a plaque naming all of those Cotuit residents that served in World War I and the two who died during that horrible conflict. 

Directly across from the library and park is Oyster Place.  This short road takes you to the town landing where the dock gives you a tremendous view of Cotuit Bay.  Across the bay, almost straight south is the Col. Charles Codman Estate.  Built in 1870 by John Sturgis, it is part of the National Historic Register.   Col. Codman served in both World Wars and was an aide to Gen. George Patton during World War II.

The last spot to visit ended up being the most spectacular for me.  A little further down Main Street is Oceanview Avenue and Loop Beach.  The road itself is a one-way loop, thus the beach name.  The beach itself is nice but it is the walk back up the hill that is Oceanview Ave. that gives some of the most amazing views on the Cape.  Though mostly dotted with private homes there are still several open patches of landscape allowing for a view of Cotuit Bay, Oyster Harbors, and the Sampson’s Island Sanctuary(left).  It is easy to see why these people chose to live on such a spot.  It capped off a great ride through the western sections of Barnstable.

Barnstable has many small villages; each one has its own share of natural beauty and historical significance.  When the bustle of Rt. 28 and Rt. 132 have overloaded your senses, take a turn down Craigville Beach Road and start your journey through a simpler, quieter section of the Cape.  It is worth the trip.  Have fun and happy traveling!

 Directions:  Craigville Beach: From Rt. 28 heading east, turn right onto Old Stage Road.  Old Stage Rd. becomes Main Street, 1856 Country Store is on the left.  Continue on as Main Street becomes Craigville Beach Rd.  The beach is on the right.

Osterville Historical Museum: From Rt. 28 heading east, turn right onto Old East Osterville Rd.  Follow it to the end and turn right onto Bumps River Rd. bear left onto Pond St.  Follow Pond St. to Main Street.  Turn right at Yachtsman Circle, continue onto Parker Rd.  Turn right at West Bay Rd., Historical Museum is on the left.

Cotuit Memorial Park/Loop Beach: From Rt. 28 heading east, turn right onto Main Street just after end of Rt. 130.  Follow Main Street a mile and a half, Cotuit Library and Memorial Park are on the right.  Continue on about 1,000 feet, Oceanview Avenue is on the left, follow it to Loop Beach.

References:  1856 Country Store

            Osterville Historical Museum

            Mass Audubon - Sampsons Island

            Cotuit Cape Cod.com  

Centerville on Dwellable

Cotuit on Dwellable

In My Footsteps: Trip 25: Plymouth & Duxbury, Mass.

In My Footsteps

Christopher Setterlund

Trip 25: Plymouth & Duxbury, Mass.

February 19, 2010

            It is one thing to discover the amazing historical sites that nearly every town in New England has to offer, it is another thing all together to go to where the history of the country began.  Sure Jamestown, Virginia was technically the first settlement in the New World but the spot where the Pilgrims landed in 1620 is overflowing with history and that is Plymouth, Massachusetts.  One only has to round the corner on Water Street and come face to face with the Mayflower II or the granite monument housing Plymouth Rock to realize that you are in a very special place.

            Before hitting the two main attractions of Downtown Plymouth there is another area that needs to be seen.  Located diagonally across from the parking area for the Pilgrim Memorial State Park is the Elder Brewster Gardens.  This park which runs along both sides of Town Brook is on the original grounds of the garden land given to Elder William Brewster in 1620.  There was a huge congregation of ducks on this day despite signs telling visitors not to feed them it is safe to assume that people still do as these ducks were quite docile and showed little fear of humans.

            The park grounds include a paved pathway that travels underneath both the Market Street and Route 3A bridges.  The water rushing by echoes against the walls of the bridges as it heads down toward Plymouth Harbor.  The end of the pathway is the Jenney Grist Mill(left) and Museum.  Built in 1636 by John Jenney the mill is still operational.  It was strategically placed along Town Brook because the drop in elevation of the river allowed for a great amount of power in the water flow.  The river is spring fed which meant in times of drought for the Pilgrims the river never would run dry; also Town Brook is home to ample amounts of herring during the warmer months.  The Run of the Mill Tavern is located next to the mill and is a great family place to stop for lunch or dinner.  This park is a great first stop on a walk through downtown, but it is only the beginning of a magical trip through American history.

            Across the street from the Brewster Gardens is the Pilgrim Memorial State Park.  Here you can see not only a replica of the ship the Pilgrims took from England to America, but also the spot where they landed.  Plymouth Rock(right) is located on the shore of Plymouth Harbor at the foot of Cole’s Hill and is an amazing symbol of our heritage.  Although it is open to debate as to whether the rock is actually on the exact location where the Pilgrims disembarked one cannot deny the rock’s meaning.  The current granite house that covers the rock was built in 1920.

            Sitting a few hundred feet north of Plymouth Rock is the replica of the Mayflower called Mayflower II.  The ship was built in a joint effort between Englishman Warwick Charlton and Plimoth Plantation in 1955-56, and used 17^th Century building methods.  It was also built using Plimoth Planation’s Mayflower blueprints and is considered to be a nearly exact replica but for small enhancements like electric lights.  The ship is only 106 feet long and 25 feet wide which makes it even more amazing that such a vessel carrying about 130-135 people made the voyage across the Atlantic nearly 400 years ago.  The ship can be toured during the warmer months and I highly recommend it.

            The whole of Plymouth’s downtown is a great way to spend a day from Brewster Gardens to Plymouth Rock and the Mayflower II(left).  However there is much more including several monuments to 30-time Governor of Plymouth, William Bradford and Wampanoag Indian legend Masasoit who is credited as being a ‘protector and preserver of the Pilgrims.’  Plimoth Plantation, a faithful recreation of the first colony at Plymouth, is also a must see.  It is located on Warren Avenue and is made a memorable experience thanks greatly to the folks who are completely dedicated to portraying their 17^th Century counterparts. 

            Another legend of American history, Myles Standish, has his own monument located a short drive north of Plymouth in Duxbury(below).  Located on Crescent Street atop the 200 foot Captain’s Hill, the 116 foot granite shaft is topped by a fourteen foot statue of Standish.  Myles Standish was hired to be a military advisor for Plymouth Colony and served as Plymouth’s representative to England.  He also helped found Duxbury and named it after Duxbury Woods in Chorley, Lancashire, England. 

            The monument itself can be seen from miles around as it rises high above the trees.  During the summer months it can be climbed and rewards those who do climb with an amazing view of Kingston Bay as well as Duxbury Bay and Clarks Island.  The forest surrounding the monument is beautiful and even on a winter day the sweet pine scent filled the air and made me hopeful for a return trip in the spring.

            Plymouth is the Holy Grail, if you will, of historic towns.  No other place in the United States can top being basically the starting point of all that we are today in this country.  It goes deeper than just Plymouth Rock and the Mayflower II, there are many other historic places and monuments to see but those two should be first and foremost on any visitor’s list.  Take an amazing trip back through the first period of American history and visit Plymouth.  Have fun and happy traveling!

Directions: Plimoth Plantation: From Rt. 3 take Exit 5, turn right at South St., take 1^st right at Obery St.  Take slight left at Sandwich St.  Turn right at Rt. 3A/Warren Ave.  Plimoth Plantation is on the right designated by a sign.

Plymouth Historic Downtown: From Rt. 3 take Exit 5, turn right at South Street and keep right on South St.  Turn left at Rt. 3A North, take 3^rd right onto Water Street.  Parking is available at Pilgrim Memorial State Park.  Plymouth Rock and Mayflower II are on the right side, Brewster Gardens is on the left side diagonal from the parking area.

Myles Standish Monument: From Rt. 3 take Exit 10, turn right at Rt. 3A.  Turn right at Chestnut St., right at Standish St.  Take slight right onto Crescent Street.  Parking area for monument is on a hill on the right, if gate is closed road must be hiked to the top. 

References:  Plimoth Plantation

            Pilgrim Hall Museum

            Visit Plymouth - Plymouth Rock

            Mayflower History    

Plymouth on Dwellable

Plymouth on Dwellable