Special places : a newsletter of The Trustees of Reservations

12 Pages·1994·1 MB·English

by  The Trustees of Reservations

PLACES
SPECIAL
A Newsletter ofThe Trustees ofReservations Volume 2, Issue No. 1, Winter 1994
land thatTheTrusteeshavebeenassemblingsince
1891. We are very grateful to our generous and
farsighted donors and to themany volunteers and
conservationpartners whohavehelped us toachieve
thesesuccesses.
CHASE WOODLANDS RESERVATION, DOVER
TheTrustees' 76th reservation willbe established on
FarmStreet, thanks to a very generous giftby
Theodore and Dorothea Chase of85.2acres of land,
togetherwith funds todefray start-up costs and
endow ourpermanentstewardship.
TheChases also donated a conservation restriction
on the adjacent 14 acres ofland, includingtheir
residential lot. The Chase Woodlands are a welcome
addition toTheTrustees' holdings inDoverand
Sherbom. As thecrow flies, the property is located
only450 feet from the Peters Reservationon the
CharlesRiver.
Two-MileFarm wasdonated to The This well-maintained property includes a mature
Trustees'affiliate, theMassachusetts white pine stand and pleasant trails windingthrough
LandConservation Trust, Inc. Once grovesofyellowbirch, hemlock, andbeech, especially
fundsareraisedforstart-upand resplendent inthe fall. Thebeech groveharborsa
endowment, thepropertymilbecomethe largeAmericanchestnut withnosignoftheblight
coreofour 77th reservation. thatvirtuallyeliminated mature specimensfromNew
'93 ends with a flurry of England in theearly part ofthiscentury.
We plan to construct a small parking area this
conservation successes spring, and hope the property will officiallyopento
visitors later this year.
The finalmonths of 1993 ended with a flurry of
TWO-MILE FARM, MARSHFIELD
importantconservationprojects. As a result. The
Mrs. GailWhelanhas donated toTheTrustees'
Trustees protected an additional 1,990 acres in 1993:
421 acres owned outright or "in-fee" and 1,569 acres affiliate, theMassachusetts Land Conservation
uthnidredrypeearrpientuaarlocwonisnewrhviatcihonwereshtarvicetipornost.eTchtiesdimsotrhee Tbroursdte,rIinncg.,t7h0eaNcorretshofRiwvoeordilnaMnadrsahnfdiemlad.rsWhelainndtend
than 1,000 acres, and the fourthofthepast five years this tobe thecore ofour77th reservation, followinga
inwhichwehavebeenable to acquire a new campaign thisspringto raise the $75,000 necessary
forstart-up expenses andpermanentendowment.
reservationforyour use and enjoyment.
Theeightend-of-yearprojects describedbelow When these fundshavebeenraised, theproperty will
illustrate the rangeand complexityofour be transferred toTheTrusteesforpermanent
protectionandmanagement.
conservationwork. Eachhascontributed in
importantways to the intricate quiltofprotected Continuedon Page3
Page2 Special Places
Dear Trustees:
Ican'trememberTheTrustees everbeingcalled included iscritical supportfor the state'snatural
"environmental activists." As a matterofpolicy, resourcesand geographicmapping, for anexciting
unchanged overmany years, there are relatively few program toencourageenvironmentaleducationin
political orlegislative issues onwhich we as an ourschools, and for timelyopen spaceandnatural
institutionhavechosentospeakout. Whilemany fine resourceplanningat the local and state level.
conservation groups takepositions onsuchimportant Akeycomponentofthisbillis theCommonwealth
issues as nuclearpower, acid rain, off-shore drillingor Land ConservationTrust, a mechanism designed to
toxic waste. TheTrustees ofReservations rarely does. encourage innovativepublic-private partnershipsin
We gopublic only when the subject relates directly to land conservation. Thenew entity is tobelocated
ourstated missionorthe defense ofourproperties. within the ExecutiveOffice ofEnvironmentalAffairs,
Indeed we are reluctant to volunteer anycommenton but governedbyaboard oftrustees representinga
matters where, frankly, we arenotexpert and where broad range ofprivate and public interests. Non-
tryingtoachieveaconsensus within the organization profit land trusts as well as municipalities willbe
would be time-cons—umingand divisive. Inshort, we encouraged to identify parcels andnegotiate purchase
sticktoourknitting tryingtopreserve thebestof agreements, withup to80% ofthe acquisitioncosts
theMassachusetts landscape. fundedby theCommonwealth. In addition, theTrust
Once in a greatwhile, though, an opportunity will demonstrate thatcost-effective stewardship of
comes along where a well-placed effort to influence open space parcels canbeprovided through
publicpolicyhas the potential to reap enormous managementagreementsbetweenstateagencies and
benefits forour work. The OpenSpace Bond Author- privatenon-profit organizations likeTheTrustees.
ization Billnow before the MassachusettsGreatand So, in the tradition ofstaunchsupport forland
General Court is suchan opportunity. Passage ofthe protectionby the Commonwealth, ourstaffhas lenta
bill would extend the longtraditionofpublic support stronghand in shaping this bill and, onbehalfofthe
foropen spaceprotection in Massachusetts at a time StandingCommittee,has testified in its support at
when key properties are available at reasonableprices legislativehearings. Now itis time forallTrustees to
and beforehigh-priority, state-funded preservation pickup phone, pen and paperand askourState
programs run outofmoney. Senators and Representatives to securepassageofthe
Thebill, introduced last fallbyGovernorWeld, Open Space Bond Authorization. Aside fromyour
proposes a $300millionbond authorization for the continuedsupportofTheTrustees ofReservations,
nextfiveyears. It will fund protectionoffragile this is the singlemost importantaction you cantake
habitats, productive agricultural lands, watersheds for theMassachusetts landscape.
and municipal watersupplies, and the scenic and
historic landscapes thatare ofparticular relevance to
ourmission. Itwill fund development ofhiking trails
and bikeways as wellas restoration and improvement Frederic Winthrop,Jr.
ofthestate andmetropolitanparksystems. Also Direclor
Frederic Winthrop,Jr. Regional
Director Supervisors
JohnF. Coleman Richard O'Brien
The Trustees Deputy DireclorforFinance Central Region
andAdministration Christopher Kennedy
of Reservations Richard T. Howe Islands Region
DeputyDirectorfor Wayne N. Mitton
TheTrusteesofReservationsisdedicated topreserving PropertyManagement
Nortlieast Region
sfcoernpiuc,blhiicstuosreicaannddeencjoolyomgiecnatlpvraolpueertaicersososfMeaxcsespatcihouna-l LisDaepMuctFyaDdidreecntor ThomasS. Foster
setts. Founded in 1891, it is theworld'soldestland trust. forPublicInformation Soutlteast Region
totTaloidnagy,19T,5h0e0Tarcursest,eeasnodwpnroatencdtmaannaadgdieti7o6nparlo9p,er7t0i0es, Ann F. Powell StaWnelsetyerI.nPRieagticoznyc
Deputy Director
acres through the useofconservation restrictions.
TheTrusteesofReservations is a private, non-profit forDevelopment Lisa McFadden
organization and relies forsupportentirely upon WesleyT. Ward Marah Ren
membership dues, contributions, admission fees, grants Deputy Director NewsletterEditors
and endowments. forLand Conservation
special Places Page 3
Continuedfromfrontpage
Many thousands ofSouth Shore commuters and
travelers pass this beautiful property every day. It
comprisesmuch ofthebroad scenic view across the
North River from theSoutheast Expressway, Route3.
Itconsists ofpine woodlandsslopinggently toward
theextensivesaltmarsh along the North River, one of
the most beautiful and leastdeveloped tidal riversin
New England.
Walkingtrailsandcartroadscrisscrosstheproperty.
Stonewallsdelineateformeragriculturalfieldsand
pastures.Theproperty isinasignificantNativeAmeri-
canarchaeologicalarea.
HARDY MARSHLAND PARCEL,
CRANE WILDLIFE REFUGE, ESSEX
Robert and Ann Hardy donated a 6.75-acre saltmarsh
parcelnearDean's Island and HogIsland on the Essex
Riverestuary. Thisisamuch-welcomed additionto Thetopiarygardensat thehomeofMr. andMrs.
theextensiveEssex-Ipswich saltmarshes, protected WalterHiinneiuellareprotectedbyaconservation
foreverin the vicinity ofCastleNeckand HogIsland. restriction. Locatedon theshoreofLake Waban, they
are thought tobetheoldest topiarygardens in the
KELLMAN CONSERVATION RESTRICTION, country.
MENEMSHA HILLS, CHILMARK
Adjacent toMenemsha Hills Reservation,Rayand HUNNEWELL CONSERVATION RESTRICTION,
WELLESLEY
Lillian KelLmandonated a conservation restrictionon
3.1 acresofmeadow and woodland. Thisrestriction OverlookingLakeWabannearWellesleyCollege,
protects theborders ofthe reservation,aswellasour Walter and Luisa Hunnewell and theirchildren,
majorpublic trailwithin. Walter Hunnewell,Jr.;Maria Luisa Newman;JaneT.
Hunnewell;and Francis W. Hunnewell, donated a
CONSERVATION RESTRICTION, conservation restrictionprotecting5.7acres ofscenic
NEW MARLBOROUGH AND SANDISFIELD lakefront. This restrictionis adjacent to twoexisting
Adjacent to the Sandisfield State Forestand large restrictions on 8acres ofland known as thePinetum.
tractsofprotected land in the southern Berkshires, Thenewly restricted area is a prominent and un-
theBerkshireCounty Land Trustand Conservation mistakeable feature ofthe view from the lake and the
Fund and anassociated donorgaveconservation campus ofWellesleyCollege. It includes an Italianate
restrictions on 1,500 acresofrolling forest and farm- topiary garden datingbackto 1851, reputed tobethe
land, ponds, streams and marsh. The restrictions, tobe oldesttopiary garden inAmerica.
co-held with theNew MarlboroughLand Preservation The garden was constructed on a steep, seven-
Trust,protectamagnificent, unspoiledexpanse of tiered terrace overlookingthe lake, and at one time
Berkshirecountryside, includinganhistoric farm- had more than 100 topi—ary specimens. Twohistoric,
housecomplex, and provide a valuable linkbetween ornamental structure—s abrickpavilion (1890) and
thestate forestand twoproperties already subject to rustic gazebo (1852) overlookthe garden and the
conservation restrictionsheldbyTheTrustees. lake. Primarily drafted toprotectthe lakeshore and
theview from theWellesleyCollege campus, the
BARNETT CONSERVATION RESTRICTION, restriction also requires approval formajor alterations
WESTPORT RIVER, WESTPORT ofthegarden area and the twohistoricstructures.
On theeastern shore oftheWestportRiver'sWest
Branch,James and Faith Bamettand their three GREAT POINT, NANTUCKET
childrendonated aconservationrestrictionprotecting As an addition to theCoskata-CoatueWildlife
27acres ofshorelands, including scenic pasture, Refuge, Christoph Lohmann and Pamela Fezandie
meadow and extensivemarshland. This is the fourth Lohmann have donated a second 25% undivided
conservationrestriction resultingfromourpartnership interest in 129 acres ofremotebeach, dune, wetland
with the West Branch Association and theWestport and saltpond. Thanks to the Lohmann'scontinued
Land ConservationTrust. Itbrings tomore thana mile generosity. TheTrusteesnow hold a 50% interestin
the totallength ofprotected scenic riverfronton the thisparcel, which is critical tothe integrity ofthe
WestBranch. WildUfeRefuge.'*
Page4 Special Places
Northeast Region
74
Coolidge Point
Manchester-by-the-Sea
(58 acres)
CoolidgePoint, originallyknownas GoldsmithFarm,
was purchased for$12,000 in 1871 byThomas
JeffersonCoolidge, the great-grandsonofPresident
ThomasJefferson. Educated atHarvard and active in
bankingand railroads,he received manydistin-
guishedpoliticalappointments, includingbeing
appointed Minister to France in 1892.
In 1873 Coolidgehadbuilt a large whiteclapboard
"countryhouse," andhe and his familyenjoyed many in 1992, thanks to theirvision and generosity, the
summers, weekends andholidays there. Duringthe Coolidge Reservation wasestablished. Today, aside
ensuingyears,hehad otherhousesbuilton the Point, from the parcels sold at the turn ofthecentury, most
where relatives spent theirsummers, andhesold ofthe land originallypurchasedbyThomasJefferson
several lots to friends and business associates. Coolidge is permanently preservedbyTheTrusteesof
In 1902, ThomasJeffersonCoolidge,Jr. engaged Reservationsforhistoric andconservationpurposes.
McKim, Mead and White to design a grand cottage. TheCoolidge Reservation totals 57.8 acres and
Known locally as the "Marble Palace," it was erected includes a wide variety ofnatural and landscaped
on theGreatLawn overlooking the ocean. Con- habitat. It includes forest, wetlands, rocky headlands,
structed ofbrickand white marble, and measuring a portion ofMagnolia Beach, and theexpansive Great
some230feet in length, its twowingsand Roman Lawn, withits magnificent trees and inspiring ocean
columns reflected theclassic revival style favored by views. Ofparticularinterestis Bungalow HiU, located
ThomasJefferson. Razed in the late 1950s tomake southeast ofthe parking lot, and Clarke Pond to the
way foranotherhouse, itwas one ofthe finestex- southwest. Trailsrun from the parkinglottothe top
amples ofthemagnificentmansionsbuiltduringthe ofBungalow Hill and around Clarke Pond. TheGreat
NorthShore's "Gold Coast" era. Today its footprintis Lawn is open tovisitors on Saturdays only. Walking,
outlined inbluestone on theGreat Lawn. nature study,photography, andpicnickingare
As yearspassed, succeedingCoolidge generations encouraged.
lived amidst thedesigned andnaturalbeauty of
Coolidge Point. Schooners andmotorboatswere Directions: SummerStreetinManchester-by-the-Sea.
occasionally anchored offthe point. The familyhad a From Route 128, Exit 14, follow SchoolStreettoward
busy sociallife and several dignitaries were guestson Manchester .5 mile toLincolnStreet. Turn lefton
thePoint, including President andMrs. Woodrow LincolnStreetand follow for .5mile tostop sign at
Wilsonand Crown PrinceOlav ofNorway. Overthe intersection ofRoute 127. Turn leftonRoute 127
years, Coolidge Pointremained a smallcommunity of North (SummerStreet). Go2.2miles tosign and
congenial families. parkingarea ontheright.
By themid-1970s, the Coolidge familybegan to To
considerthe possibility ofpreservingCoolidge Point. visitRavenswood Park,continuenorthonRoute
In 1990and 1991, the Coolidge family donated to The 127for 1.7miles and lookforparkingarea onthe left.
Trustees ofReservations a total of41.6 acres, which
became thecoreoftheCoolidge Reservation. Their
generous giftwasaugmented in 1992by a donationof
16.2 additional acres from EssexCounty Greenbelt Clip these descriptions and save
Association, towhich theCoolidgefamilyhad given them with your Property Guide!
the parcel in 1983.
.
Special Places Pa^e5
Northeast Region
75
Ravenswood ParkisbeingmaintainedbyThe
Ravenswood Park Trustees ofReservations as Samuel Sawyer intended:
asa refugefor the enjoymentofnature. Cross-country
Gloucester skiing,hiking,naturestudy,photography and
picnickingareencouraged.
(500 acres)
Directions: Western Avenue inGloucester. From
Route 128, Exit 15, follow Route 133east for3miles to
Ravenswood Parkwas established in 1889by Samuel Route 127south. Turn rightonto Route 127and
E. Sawyer, a far-sightednative ofGloucester who proceed2miles. Look for sign and parkingarea on
wanted topreserveforothers the woodlandshehad theright.
enjoyed inhisboyhood and throughouthis longlife. To
He wasbom inGloucesterin 1812. Inhis willheleft visitCoolidge Point, continue southonRoute
Ravenswood to thestewardship oftrustees. They and 127for 1.7miles andlookforparkingareaon theleft.
theirsuccessors were responsibleforitsmanagement
formore than a century. In 1993, ownership ofthe
Parkwas transferred toTheTrustees ofReservations.
Ravenswood encompasses morethan500 acres of
woodlands remaininginanaturalstate and long
knownfortheirpeace andbeauty atallseasons ofthe
year. Threemiles ofcarriage roads and sevenmiles of
trailshave been laid outtoprovidepleasantwalks.
Someofthe trails wind throughfields of"glacial
erratics,"boulders leftby the glacier duringits retreat.
One trailleads toclearingfromwhich youcanview
Glouc'esterharbor.
One ofthemostnotablefeatures ofRavenswood
Parkis the Magnolia Swamp from which thenearby
village ofMagnolia gets itsname. In 1806,Judge
Theophilus Parsonsdiscovered theSweetbaymagno-
Ua,Magnolia virginiana, at this site, itsnorthernm—ost
location. Thediscovery—attractedmanyvisitors
Thoreauamong them andbymid-century the
magnoliapopulationwas ontheverge ofextinction.
Plants werebeing takenbycollectorsand thefragrant
flowerswere sometimes sold attheMagnolia railroad
station. Thanks to replanting, and to thecareful
protectionofwildflowersbyRavenswood stewards,
themagnolia populationhas survived.
Thewoodlands at Ravenswood Parkare generally
typicalofCapeAnn. Red oak, white pine and paper
birchforests are found throughout the reservation,
withhemlock,birchand maple forestdominatingthe
older, less disturbed sections ofthepark. The under-
storyincludes a widevarietyofshrubs;huckleberry,
low-bushblueberry, mountain laurel, arrowwoodand
witchhazelare commonlyfound. PinkLadySlippers,
bluebead lily, trailing arbutus andcoloniesofferns
add to the regionaldiversity.
Page 6 Special Places
Field update: bi-annualdeerherdcensus on the2,050 acres
oftheCrane Properties;
deer management
theestablishmentofharvestquotasforthe
annualhunt;
Manymembers ofTheTrustees willrememberthe selectionofhuntersbased on skilland
controversial and oftencontentious years duringthe knowledgedemonstratedon annual tests;and
mid-1980s when white-tailed deermanagementat the
Crane Memorial Reservation and Crane Wildlife collectionofdeerbodyweightsand otherdata
Refuge was a hottopic. Afterconveninga committee fromharvested deertomonitorhealth.
toexplore alloptions. TheTrustees optedin 1985 to TheTrustees arenow faced withlookingbeyond
implement a limited, controlled publichunt tomanage
theCrane properties asotherpropertiesbecome
the overpopulated deerherd. Butwas this the right
decision? And whathas beenlearned thatmaybe affectedby theoverall growth ofthe deerherd in
easternMassachusetts. Should managementbe
transferred to otherTrustees' properties
andbeyond? implemented before oraftera problemis
identified? And how do weobjectively
Theanswers tosome ofthese
assess the impactofdeer? At two
questions areevidentfromeight
properties in theNortheastRegion
years ofscientific data thathas
(LongHill andGreenwood Farm),
been collected from theharvested
landscapes arebeingalteredbydeer
deer and theirhabitats at the
over-browsingandcontrolled
Craneproperties.
hunting witharcheryand firearms is
Thehealth ofthe deerherd beingused. Warningsigns and
has improved measurably, temporaryclosuresprotectthepublic,
based onbody weights and and thelong-termbenefits ofdeer
othercriteria. control should outweigh anyshort-
Damage to vegetation terminconvenience tovisitors.
TheTrustees areproud ofthe
causedbyover-browsing
successfuldeermanagement
hasbeen reduced
program at theCrane Properties.
dramatically.
. . Deer overpopulation insuburbanor
Thenumberofdeer ticks semi-suburbanareas isa growing
(carriers ofLyme disease) has problem in the Northeast. Manage-
decreased. mentprograms arecomplex and
require thebalancingofbiological
Theseresults satisfied the original
concernswithsocial and logistical factors.
objectives ofthehunt and would havebeen difficultif TheTrusteeshave developed a model program that
notimpossible toproduce usingany otherdeer has overcomemanyobstacles. Manyagencies,
managementprogram. The controlled huntwashighly
government and private, areextremely interested in
effective. usingourprogramasatemplate.Weneedtocontinueto
Equally important is the factthatTheTrustees thinkaboutdoingthesamewithinourownorganization.
learned hozv toestablisha program tomanagedeerat As protectorsofopenspace and valuable wildlife
theCrane Properties. Theprocess tookseveralyears as habitat in Massachusetts, we have learned that
Trustees staffworked with wildlifeexperts and managingwildlifecan attimesbemore challenging
ecologists fromacademia and governmentagencies,
and demanding than managing the landscape itself.
S.P.C.A. officials and animal rights activists todevelop
Whether it is thepipingplovers onourbarrierbeaches
soundmethodologies fortheprogram. Following the or the white-tailed deerin ourwoods and fields, we
inception ofthe program in 1985, lawsuits were
arebecomingincreasinglypro-active whilemanaging
brought againstThe Trustees and theMassachusetts
wildlife on our diverse and wildlife-rich acres of
DivisionofFisheries and Wildlife tostop thehunt, and protected open space. Morestafftime thanever is
threats ofinterferencewere common. However, as the
beingcommitted to wildlife-related issues.
yearspassed, the program persevered with good As wehead into thenextcentury, thevalueofour
science and commonsense, andeventually the
properties towildlifewill only grow. TheTrustees
controversy faded away.
stand ready to address these sensitiveecological
Currently, the goal ofthe programis tomaintainthe issues and develop innovative and effectivewildlife
deerherd at itsnatural carrycapacity. To achieve this. managementprograms.^
TheTrusteescontinue with a scientificprogram that —
includes: David W. Rimmer, NortheastRegional Ecologist
Special Places Page 7
Trustees publish dedicated community whomadepreservation of that
property a reality."
centennial history TheTrustees areextremely grateful toGordon
Abbottforthe years ofworkhe putinto thisbook.
SAVING SPECIAL With hisextensivebackground injournalism, and
PLACES: A Centennial havingserved as DirectorofThe Trustees from 1966 to
History ofTheTrustees 1984, Gordon was theobviouschoice topenour
aovfaRileasbelrev!aRteisoenasricshneodwand htihsetoorryg.anAiszaFtrieodnWbietnttehrrtohpanexGpolaridnos,n"ANbboototn.eNkonoownseis
writtenbyGordon morequalified to write itshistory."
SAVING SinceitspublicationbyThe Ipswich Press in
Abbott,
Jr., September, SAVING SPECIAL PLACES has enjoyed
SPECIAL PLACES
brisksales. We'rehappy tobe able to offer the 352-
oIrSdtihneasrtyopryeoopfltehewhexotrhaa-ve pagebook toyou ata specialMembers-Onlyprice: $16
— for paperbound editions and $25 for limited-edition
served TheTrustees
Gordon Abbott,Jr. asvolunteers in the field hardbounds, a substantialsavingsovertheretailprice
of$20 and $35. Use thecouponbelow to orderyour
andonourgoverning
copy ofSAVING SPECIAL PLACES today.*
board and as members ofourprofessionalstaff.
Gordon'sodyssey throughourfirst 100years
proved thepoint thatTheTrustees ofReservations isa Horovitzes named
successful land conservation organization forone
reason: because ofthe people whohavechosen to Volunteers of the Year
supportitsmission.
"It wascleartome from early on that SAVING
SPECIAL PLACES shouldbe a tribute to the generous Doverresidents
and committedpropertyownerswhohaveused the Paul and Betsey
organization toprotectthe lands and landscapes they Horovitzhave
loved," says the author. "Behind virtuallyevery beennamedThe
propertyTheTrustees own orhold a deed restriction Trustees of
on, there is a family, a group ofvolunteers, ora q Reservations
1993Volunteers
r
oftheYear.
YES! I'd like a copy of
"Paul and
SAVING SPECIAL PLACES.
BetseyHorovitz
epitomizethe
#ofcopies
tremendous
HARDBOUND
volunteerspirit
X$25 Member's price
thatfuels this
PAPERBOUND
organization,"
X $16 Member'sprice said DirectorFredWinthrop in presenting the award.
Mass. residents include 5% salestax "They areinvaluableleadersin theCharles River
Valley, and their talents and dedication havehad a
Plus$2 perbookforshipping &handling marked impacton theorganizationstatewide."
TOTALAMOUNTENCLOSED TheHorovitzes werepresentedwith a teakgarden
bench to thank them for theirextraordinaryservice.
Send to: Long-timemembers ofTheTrustees, Pauland
Name Betseybecame active volvmteers in 1985, whenwe first
acquiredNoanetWoodlands. Most recently, theyhave
Address beenintegralto ourefforts toaccommodate theneeds
ofdifferentusergroups atthatproperty. Paulisalso
City
chairingourstatewideMembership Committee, and
State Zip Betsey remains ourmostactiveand accomplished
photographerintheCharles Riverregion.
Telephone
Congratulations toboth Betseyand Paul,and our
MakecheckspayabletoTheTrusteesofReservationsand thanks foraU theirfine work!«'
mail to SAVING SPECIAL PLACES,572EssexStreet,
MA
I^Beverly, 01915-1530. J
A N D A
C L E R
A
Listing of Updated and Newly Scheduled Events
SAT- MON, APR 16-18 Commemoration ofthe
Battle at the Old North Bridge
SUN, MAR 6 The OldManse, Concord. 508-369-3909
Friends ofthe Rock House Gathering Specialhouse tours willcommemorate the Battle at
Salem Cross Inn, West Brookfield. 508-840-4446 theOld North Bridge and William Emerson's role
AM
Entertaimnent,education, and enjoyment!John in that battle. April 16, 10 to 4:30 PM. April 17
Green, interpretivenaturalist,provides the enter- and 18, 1-4:30 PM. Member adults and children
tainmentvv^ith oneofhisstimningsUdeprograms free. Non-memberadults $4.50, seniors and
set tomusic. Friends oftheRockHouseprovidethe students $3.50, children 6-12 $2.50.
educationwith an overview ofthe goals and future
plans fortheRockHouse Reservation. Youprovide SAT, APR 23 Earth Day/ArborDay Celebration
theenjoymentasyoubid onchoice items in a silent RockHouseReservation, West Brookfield. 508-840-4446
auction, the proceeds ofwhichgo toward the Come hlep us landscape the parking area/entrance
suc2cePsMs otfot4h:e30RoPcMk.HLoiughsterLeafnrdesshcmaepnetsprwoijlelctb.e atondRoschkruHbosuassewReelslearsvastpiroena.dWien'gllwboeodplcahnitpisn,g trees
providedby the SalemCrossInn. Pre-registration installingwooden guard rails and posts and other
required. Members andnon-memberswelcome.
tasks in an effort tobeautify the parking area/
entrance. Bring a shovel, rake, wheelbarrow, or
pitchfork, your workgloves and a bag lunch. We'll
have drinks and gooaies. The day begins at8:00
AM
SAT, APR 2 and ends at4:00 PM, but you don'thave to
VolunteerWork Day come for theentire day tojoin us.
BartJwlomew's Cobble,Ashley
Falls. 413-229-8600 SUN, APR 24 Great House Tour
Bring your gloves and hand The Great House, Castle Hill, Ipswich. 508-356-4351
tools, and comehelp prepare Tourthe59-roommansiondesignedbyarchitect
the Cobble for the season DavidAdlerforRichard T. Crane,Jr.,whomarketed
ahead. Friendlyneighbors will thefirstdecorativebathroomensemblesintheearly
be there and plenty ofwork twentiethcentury. Toursbetween 1 and4PM.
will be offered! 9 AM tonoon. Memberadultsandchildrenfree.Non-member
adults$5,children6-12$3. Seniors$3. ContactBetsy
Hathawayformoreinformation.
SAT, APR30 Sounds ofa Spring Evening
SAT, APR 9 Bartholomew's Cobble,AshleyFalls.
Spring DiscoveryDay 413-229-8600
Bartholomew's Cobble,AshleyFalls. 413-229-8600 Did you everwonderwhat all thatnoise is about
Welcome spring and the return ofmeadowlarks, on a spring
soaringvultures, gartersnakes and thescents of evening? Learn
AM
wildflowers. 10 to noon. Member adults $3, who, what, and
children6-12$1. Non-memberadults$5,children$2. why. Bring the
family and a
SAT, APR 16 flashlighton this
Season Opening atThe Old Manse venture. 7 PM.
The OldManse, Concord. 508-369-3909 Member adults $3,
TourTheOld Manse, located inConcord on children 6-12 $1.
MonumentStreetnext to theNorth Bridge. Builtin Non-member adults $5, children $2.
1770by the Reverend William Emerson, grand-
fatherofRalph WaldoEmerson, the Manse was the
honeymoonhomeoftheNathanielHawthomes
and the Ripley familyhome for 169 years. SUN, MAY 1
Open dailyexceptTuesday. Monday-Saturday Season Opening at Stevens-Coolidge Place
AM
10 to4:30 PM. Sunday 1-5 PM. Members Stevens-CoolidgePlace, North Andover. 508-682-3580
admitted free. Non-memberadults $4.50, seniors Tour the formerCoolidge summerhome, filled
andstudents$3.50,children6-12$2.50. Forgroup with a renowned collectionofChineseexport
ratesandinformation,pleasecallStephanieGuidetti. porcelainandAmerican decorativeartspieces.
Then enjoy strollingand picnicking in the restored names? Children ofall ages are invited tojoin
gardens. Grounds open daily year-round. House open naturalist Daphne Drury to meet the flowers of
Sundays 1 to 5 PM and Wednesdays 2 to 4 PM. By spring and learn theirstories. 9AM to 11 AM.
special appointment forgroups. Members admitted Memberadults$3,children6-12$1. Non-member
free. Non-member adults $3, children 6-12 $.50. adults$5,children$2.
SAT, MAY 7 Splashes ofColor SAT, MAY 21 An Evening with Livingston Taylor
Bartholomeiv's Cobble, Ashley Falls. 413-229-8600 Sponsored by the Ipswich Shellfish Group
Early spring is time fortheCobbles famous wild Castle Hill, Ipswich. 508-356-4351
flowershow. Join well-known naturalist Alva Sanborn Livingston Taylorwill perform one show, approxi-
forthisintroduction totheCobble'sspringephemerals. mately 75 minutes in length, plus encore, for the
10AM tonoon. Memberadults$3,children6-12$1. benefit ofTheTrusteesofReservations' Ecology
Non-memberadults$5,children$2. Program. Reception to follow performance. Tickets
will be available beginning March 15 at $100each,
SUN, MAY 8 Splendorof Spring GardenTours which will include the concert as well as the recep-
Bradley Reservation, Canton. 617-821-2977 tion. Food and drink willbe served.
The formal gardens will be at their peak at this time Proceeds willbenefit the Ecology Program,
with a largenumberofbulbs in bloom. Join us for which focuses on balancing the impactofrecreation
guided tours ofthe grounds giveneveryhour on the with preservation of the fragileecological systems
AM
hour from 11 to3 PM. Admission is free and open of4.5-mile Crane Beach: dune stabilization, habitat
to thepublic. restoration and endangered species protection.
Please call 356-4351 for additional information.
SUN, MAY 8 Rare Plant Sale and Auction
Sedgivick Garden, Long Hill, Beverly. 508-921-1944 SAT, MAY28 Woodland Wildflowers
The 6th annual Rare Plant Sale and Auction will be Bartholomew's Cobble, Ashley Falls. 413-229-8600
held at Long Hill on Mother's Day. Rare and prized Joinnaturalist, botanist, and writerJoe Strauch for
hardy plants for sale by auction and at pre-priced this walk identifyingspring wildflowers. 10 AM.
tables. 10 AM to 4 PM. Admission is free and open to Member adults $3, children 6-12 $1. Non-member
the public. Call 921-1944 for additional information. adults $5, children $2.
SAT, MAY 14 SAT-MON, MAY 28-30
Birding forBeginners Ralph Waldo Emerson atThe Old Manse
Bartholomexv's Cobble, AshleyFalls. 413-229-8600 The OldManse, Concord. 508-369-3909
Joinnaturalist and Hoffman Bird Club President ThiswasRalphWaldoEmerson'shome,too!Housetours
TomCollinsforthis wiUfocusonEmerson'sstayatTheOldManse.May28,
introduction to thebirds 10AMto4:30PM.May29-30, 1 PMto4:30PM.Member
ofthe Berkshires, both adultsandchildrenfree.Non-memberadults$4.50,
nesting species and seniorsandstudents$3.50,children6-12$2.50.
AM
migrants. 8 to 10
AM. Memberadults$3, SUN, MAY 29 The Utility ofPlants
children6-12$1. Non- Bartholomew's Cobble, AshleyFalls. 413-229-8600
memberadults$5, Plants havemany uses from foods tomedicines,
children$2. and some are poisonous. This is the utility ofplants.
Learn aboutplant utilitywithnaturalist David
StJames. 10 AM. Member adults $3, children 6-12
SAT, MAY 14 Stevens-Coolidge Place Plant Sale $1. Non-member adults $5, children $2.
Stevens-Coolidge Place, North Andover. 508-682-3580
Theannualplantsale,inconjunctionwiththeNorth
AndoverGardenClub,willoffera widevarietyof
annuals, perennials,andhard-to-findoldroses.Thefirst 1994 Long Hill Horticultural Lecture
floorofthehousewiUfeaturefloralarrangements and Workshop Series
providedbytheGardenClub. Displayandsaleby
AM
AndoverArtistsGuild. 10 to2PM. Freeadmission.
Plan tojoin us when we kick offthe 1994 Series in
SUN, MAY 15 April. The list ofspeakers includes Helen Dillon,
Bird Songs and Wildflowers noted Irish gardener and author, Nancy
Bartholomeiv's Cobble,AshleyFalls. 413-229-8600 Goodwin, whoran thefamous Montrose Nursery
Brush up on your warbler songs and wildflowers at for many years, Brian Bixley from Toronto, and
thesame time. Join Naturalist David StJames on this Fellows Davis, a noted local teacherand
introduction tobird songand wildflowers. architecturalhistorian.
AM
9 to 11 AM. Member adults $3, children6-12 $1.
Non-memberadults $5, children$2. CallLong Hill at508-921-1944 to request a Series
MAY brochure ifyouhaven'treceived one in the past.
SAT, 21 Wildflowers andTheir Stories Lecture seriespatrons shouldbewatching for
Bartholomew's Cobble, AshleyFalls. 413-229-8600 theirspecialmailing.
Didyoueverwonderwhy orhow flowers got their
CONVERSATIONS WITH SPECIAL PEOPLE
Following isan interviezvwith RobertMurray, The Trustees' "1993 Employeeofthe Year." Boblias been with The
Trustees sincehisgraduationfrom the UniversityofMassachusetts in 1981. A life-long resident ofAndover, helives
therewith his wifeMaggi, son Christopher, daughter "Lainie,"and theiroldmutt "Acer."
AsSuperintendentoftheAndaver/NorthAndoverManagementUnitfortheNortlieastRegionofTheTrusteesofReservations,
BobmanagestheStevens-CoolidgePbceandtlieWeirHillandWardReservations.
Special Places: With threesuch diverseproperties tocare mural,thusmaintainingitsintegrityandeasing
for, what isyourgreatest management challenge? concernsaboutlong-termcompatibility.
RobertMurray Withouta doubt, the greatestchallenge With thepaintnow stabilized, a lot ofus are
ofmyjob is tom:anagemy time effectively. There are so breathingeasier,but what's reallyexciting is that
many things thatneed attentionand so little time. At Cweu'nvneinragihsaedm-aAdddiatimosnatlofbuengdisnttohealplroowceMsss.ofin-
times itcanbe a realjugglingact. painting, orfillinginforthemissingflakes. Bydown-
playingthe white ofthebareplaster, you can literally
SP: Whataspectofyourworkdoyou mostenjoy?
see the details ofthe originalpainting comeback into
RM: There are so manyaspects Ienjoy. Firstofall, I focus. This is going tohave a tremendous impact on
think the diversity ofmyworkkeeps things interesting. the overall appearance of thehallway, and make
Whether it's working in the museum, orcuttinga vista quite animpressiononvisitors.
on a hill top, orworkingin thegreenhouse and gardens, Itishoped that the lowerhallby thefrontentrance
there are alwaysnew challengesand new opportunities willbecompletely restoredby theseason's opening.
to learn. Also, much ofmy time is spentonvery tangible
projects, so thatwhen these projects are completed, I can SP: YourotlierfocusatSCPhasbeentherestorationofthe
literally stand backand see what I'veaccomplished and sunkenrosegarden.Infact,youresearcltedandimplementeda
that is very gratifying. Finally, Ireallycouldn'taskfora processtintliastakenseveralyearstocomplete.Hawdidyougo
nicersettinginwhich to work. aboutrestoringthegardensotintitishistoricallyaccurate?
RM: We are really quite fortunate thatMrs. Coolidge
SP: There's ongoingrestoration workhappeningatStevens- bequeathedherhouse to TheTrustees fully intact.
CoolidgePlace. Can you tell usabout the workbeingdoneon Thissavednotonly themany fine objects thatfillthe
thepainted mural in thecentralhallway? rooms,butalso awealth ofinformation in the form of
RM: This is a veryexcitingproject. In 1918, the photographs, correspondence,bills andinvoices, and
Coolidges, underthedirectionofarchitectJosephChan- plans. These resources, alongwiththeirdiaries,
dler,hired an "itinerantSpaniard" (accordingtoMr. which areheld at the PeabodyEssexMuseum,have
Coolidge) topainta ratherexoticlandscapeonthewallsof beenextremelyvaluableinprovidinginsightintowhothe
thetwo-storycentralhallway. Unfortunately,overthelast Coolidgeswereandhowtheyhved.
75years, thepainthasbegun toflake, duelargely to Ofcourse, what was critical to the success of
fluctuationsinrelativehumidity. recreatingMrs. Coolidge'srose garden was to find
Over the lastfiveyears, wehavebeenworkinghard someone whocould pull all this informationtogether.
tostabilize theenvironmentwithin themuseum. The We found thatsomeonein volunteerRuthanne
workhas included replacing gutters, reflashingand Rogers. Shespentcountlesshourscombing the diaries
insulatingchimneys, puttinginperipheraldrainage and thearchives for anything on the garden. Beinga
around thehouse, and installinga ventilatingsystem gardenhistorian, she was also able to put this garden
and a new heatingsystem. However, the flakingofthe into thecontextofwhatwashappeningintheearly
muralcontinued tobea greatconcern. Initialestimates twentiethcentury,andwhythisgardenwassignificant.
to conserve the mural werecost-prohibitive,butwith a From this wealth ofinformation, we were ableto
bitofluck, Christy Cunningham-Adams, a renowned determine that Mrs. Coolidgehad hybrid tea roses;
conservatorand restoration specialist,crossed ourpath. that thecolorscheme was pink, yellow, andwhite;
She was quite impressed with themurals and felt how and where the plants were used; and that the
strongly that they needed tobe stabilized assoon as gardenwas mostsignificantduring the 1930s, whenit
possible. Sheput togetheraproposal, whichincluded a wonseveralawards.
significantdonation ofsomeofher time, toconserve the Whathas takenmore time than theactual research
mural. We were fortunate to receive a grantfromThe is the acquisitionofthe appropriateplantmaterial.
Stevens Foundation to fund theproposal. Ironically, antiquerosesareeasier to find than early
Ms.Cunningham-Adamshasdevelopeda techniqueof 20th-century roses. Threeyears after the first rose was
reintroducingrabbitskinglue(theoriginalbondingagent) reintroduced, the gardenisfuUystocked. IamreaUy
tothepaintsurface,therebyreattachingthelooseflakesto lookingforwardtonextJune,whenforthefirsttimewe
theplasterwalls. Thewonderfulthingaboutthisapproach willexperiencethefuUimpactofMrs. Coolidge's
isthatitdoesn'tintroduceneworforeignmaterial tothe garden,assheenjoyeditinthe 1930s. "3?