April 13, 2016

Rutland State Park (Rutland, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Visited: April 10, 2016

Location: White Hall Rd, Rutland, Massachusetts

Cost: Free since I visited during the off season.  It costs $8 for MA vehicles and $10 for out of state vehicles once the main season begins (around early May)

Parking is limited.  Since it was not the peak of the season, I found a spot without any trouble.  But, there are only 20 or so spots in the main parking areas. There are some additional parking areas off the main trail to the lake.

Boats are not allowed in the water, although fishing is allowed.  Trout and bass are the most common fish in the water.

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I had been interested in visitng Rutland State ever since I heard about the remnants of the state prison camp  and the views of the water.

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There was a strong wind, evident by the ripples in the water.

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The gates at the entrances to some of the trails prevented some vehicles from entering the trails.  This is because during this time of the year it rains a lot and bikes and other vehicles can get stuck on the trails.  So, it was a pretty empty trail when I went.  Which was just fine by me.  Miles of near solitude in nature with a cloudless, cold blue sky on a bright New England morning….yes please!

The main trail I stayed on was easy with some moderate includes.  The only thing you may find annoying is the long stretches of nothing but trees and water on each side of the trail.  This was heaven for me, though.  I was also pleased to see a dirt trail rather than gravel or, gasp, paved road.

As I continued on the main trail, I began to see signs of ruins of structures frozen in time.  A stairwell and frame of a building, now adorned with graffiti (get used to it as it is a constant theme), stood on the outskirts of the trail.

At around the 2 mile mark of the trail there are remnants of a prison camp.  The camp was constructed in 1903 for housing petty criminals.  It would later be converted into a farm.  The first structure, again riddled with graffiti, was used for solitary confinement.

When you consider just how small and confining the spaces in the building are you can only imagine the distress it caused some of the prisoners.

Something happened when I visited the remnants of the prison camp.  What I had once considered “cool” and interesting, seemed dank and sad.  In fact, it wasn’t until after I left the structure and cave that it really sunk in.  It seems like a grim existence at the least. When you realize people lived in these conditions and suffered, largely for committing petty crimes (such as drunkeness), it makes you think we should be more cognizant of the history of the building and area.  If it wasn’t so tragic it would be more interesting.  Rather than being “cool”, it just made me depressed.

Farther along the trail is an arch that appears to be a root-like cellar.  I am not sure what it was used for but my gut tells me nothing good.

There are also some interesting tunnels and holes in the ground at the old prison site.  I decided to investigate.

Given the architecture of the structures and the history of the area, it is easy to see why the park is considered haunted.  Disembodied voices and apparitions are said to have been witnessed by visitors. There are even claims the area was once used for satanic worship. The area was the subject of the book The Soul Collector, written by Joni Mayhan.

On a brighter note, I saw lots of four legged friends at Rutland State Park.

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(left to right) Grayson, 7, an American Pit Bull Terrier and Gamble, 6, a Pit Bull and Boxer mix.

DSC_0789DSC_0788 Blackie, 4 years old, a part husky.

I also saw some other four legged friends.

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Panda, in front, is a training horse.  Calvin is the horse on the right and the horse in the back left (who is difficult to see) is Jack.

There were also a few kids playing on their motor bikes and ATV’s.

The videos below are some videos from my visit.  Thank you for reading!

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About New England Nomad

Hi I'm Wayne. Welcome to my blog. I am a true New Englander through and through. I love everything about New England. I especially love discovering new places in New England and sharing my experiences with everyone. I tend to focus on the more unique and lesser known places and things in New England on my blog. Oh yeah, and I love dogs. I always try to include at least one dog in each of my blog posts. I discovered my love of photography a couple of years ago. I know, I got a late start. Now, I photograph anything that seems out of the ordinary, interesting, beautiful and/or unique. And I have noticed how every person, place or thing I photograph has a story behind it or him or her. I don't just photograph things or people or animals. I try to get their background, history or as much information as possible to give the subject more context and meaning. It's interesting how one simple photograph can evoke so much. I am currently using a Nikon D3200 "beginner's camera." Even though there are better cameras on the market, and I will upgrade some time, I love how it functions (usually) and it has served me well. The great thing about my blog is you don't have to be from New England, or even like New England to like my blog (although I've never met anyone who doesn't). All you have to like is to see and read about new or interesting places and things. Hopefully, you'll join me on my many adventures in New England! View all posts by New England Nomad
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