Location: Lynn Shore Dr & Prescott Rd, Lynn, MA ong Lynn Shore Drive (about 20 minutes north of Boston)
Cost: Free
Parking: metered parking along Lynn Shore Drive. IF you’re unable to find a spot along Lynn Shore, there is usually parking available on one of the side streets in the area.
Highlights: scenic views, easy walking and jogging path, walkway to the rocky water, spacious park
Tips:
During the months of July and August there are weekly concerts held along the Red Rock Park area
Try visiting during stormy weather to see some active waves
Fall has a way of sneaking up on you in New England. So, it’s important to make the best of each and every unseasonably warm day while you can. And Red Rock Park, just minutes north of Boston, seemed like the perfect place to enjoy the last gasps of our warm weather.
Despite the temptation to stay curled up in my bed on a Saturday morning, I was able to make it to Red Rock Park just after sunrise. The “golden hours” (the first 2 hours after sunset and the 2 hours before sunset) sure do make a difference when it comes to photography. In fact, some photographers won’t even take their camera out outside of those golden hours, at least not for nature photography.
When you see the sun glistening off the rocks, cement and sand during the morning sunrise, you can easily see why the park is called “Red Rock.” Red Algae which sometimes floats ashore, while giving off a pungent odor, could be the reason for the reddish hue of the rocks.
A walkway leads to the rocks along the beach that offers some nice views of the Boston skyline, Rock crabs, barnacle, mussels and sea stars inhabit the rocky waters. If you’re lucky, you may see one of these critters in the tidal pools that form between the rocks.
The walking path, which leads to is short and easy leads to Lynn Shore, a popular destination for cyclists and joggers. There are also ramps along the way.
With its easy walking path and spacious park, Red Rock is the perfect place to take your four legged friend. In fact, while I was there, I saw some dogs being trained at the park. The quarter mile marker is part of the Walking and Jogging Project launched to help promote physical activity of the Lynn, Swampscott and Nahant residents. This 1/4 mile marker is one of the medallion markers along the 3 mile stretch. Known as the Nahant, Swampscott and Lynn Good Health Partnership, the markers, placed at quarter mile spaces, go from the Tides restaurant (2B Wilson Rd) to the red Rock Bistro (141 Humphrey St).
Sampson, a friendly 12 week old Lab mix was enjoying the beautiful fall morning with his mom while I was visiting the park. He is a rescue from the North Shore Animal League.
Below is a video from the rocks along the water.
Red Rock Park is one of the more popular spots for residents of the area to visit during stormy weather. Below is a video of one of those stormy days in April, 2011. It actually gets much worse, flooding the entire Lynn Shore Drive, when we experience a tropical storm or hurricane. This video is courtesy of Steve Deveau.
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Location: 301 Wentworth Rd. (Route 1B), New Castle, NH, (1 hour northeast of Boston, MA, 1 hour southeast of Concord, NH)
Hours: Open daily 9 a.m. until 9 p.m.
Cost:
New Castle Residents:
– No admission charge if vehicle has current resident sticker.
– Residents may invite up to 25 guests at no charge – Over 25 guests, admission fees apply.
– Resident must be present for all guests.
Non-Residents:
– Admission charged from May to the end of September.
General Admission Fees
– Individuals:
0-5 yrs old free
6 to 65 years old $4.00
65 and older $2.00
Handicapped $1.00
Parking: There are about 50 or more parking spots available in the parking area
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
Dog Friendly: Yes, seasonally (pets are not allowed in the park or on the beach from May 15 to September 15)
Highlights: lighthouses, beach, places to grill, pavilions
Tips:
When you enter the park, you must turn right. The parking area is at the end of the circular paved road
If you want to use a pavilion, you may have to call ahead and reserve the area
No other name than Great Common Island may be more apt for this park. Except it’s not really an island. But, it is great.
The park, with attached beach, sits on the shore of New Castle ( a small town of 968 according to their 2010 census) just outside of Portsmouth, NH). The park and beach area are only 32 acres. But what it lacks in area it makes up for in beauty and charm.
The park offers some great views of the water. It is a good place to watch the waves crash against the rocks, although the waves weren’t too strong during my visit.
Great Island Common is popular with fishing enthusiasts, boaters and the occasional bird.
You can view two lighthouses from Great Island Common.
Whaleback Lighthouse was established in 1830. The granite lighthouse that stands there now was built in 1872 and it was automated in 1963.
Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse, just down the road from the park, is also visible from Great Island Common. During the summer, there are open houses at the lighthouse on Sundays from mid May to late October from 1-5. Since I was visiting on a Saturday I was not able to attend the open house. Next to the lighthouse (to the left of the lighthouse in the photo above) is Coast Guard Station Portsmouth Harbor and Fort Constitution. In the distance, past the lighthouse, you can see the foliage has just started to begin.
Wood Island Life Saving Station in Kittery, Maine, is also visible from the park. In 1827, Wood Island was given to the federal government so the U.S. Navy could build barracks. However, it would eventually be used to quarantine Spanish-American War prisoners who had Yellow Fever. It is presently not in use.
One of the biggest attractions at the park is a sculpture of a painter by an easel working on the scenic skyline.
Pretty good painting of me. It looks so life-like.
Great Island Common is not just a park. A beach is also attached to the park.
The park is spacious for kids to play in with lots of big trees for shade.
Erected in 1984, the memorial honors all of the people of New Castle who have served the country in all wars and conflicts. Two benches sit next to the memorial, one on each side of it.
Great Island Common is dog friendly except from May 15 to September 15. Luckily, I was able to visit the week after ban ended. It was a picture perfect day with a calm breeze. So, it was a great day to bring your dog out!
Miley is a 8 year old Yorkie Poodle.
Tuck is a 6 month Cocka Poo (Cocker Spaniel & Poodle mix)
Remy (on the left) is a 10 year old Puggle and Phoebe (On the right) is a 1 and a half year old Puggle.
Jaelo (pronounced “J Lo”)is a 10 year old Puggle.
Below is a video by the shore of Great Island Common.
Posted below is a drone video of the Great Island Common area on Paul Moore’s YouTube page
There is no parking lot at the park. Parking is allowed on the side of the road at and near the trail to the tower
Don’t forget to check out the scenic views on the way up to the tower by taking the trail closest to the ledge (the trail on the right after the trail splits
The trail has a steep incline at the beginning but evens out and becomes easier about halfway to the tower
If using a GPS: Parking is located on Summit Ridge Dr. Simsbury, CT 06070
Once the home of Gilbert Heublein (pronounced “High-Bline”), Heublein Tower offers some of the most pretty views in the Connecticut River Valley.
As legend has it, during a hike of Talcott Mountain with his fiance Louise M. Gundlach, he promised her that one day he would build her a castle there. He would make good on his promise in 1914 with the Heublein Tower.
Heublein manufactured such delicacies as A1 Steak Sauce and Smirnoff Vodka. Anyone else hungry for some steak and vodka? A barbecue, perhaps?
Heublein Tower is located along a trail that begins at Talcott Mountain State Park. Parking is available along the sides of the road to the tower.
Along the trail to the tower, you can take the trail on the right to see some pretty views of the Farmington River Valley. As you can also see by some of the photos, the trail does have some inclines. There are also some benches along the trail at the beginning of the trail.
During certain days you can enter the tower and view the rooms in the tower. The at times arduous hike is worth it for the views of the tower and the self guided tower of the inside of the tower.
The views from Heublein Tower are stunning.
The trails are not too hard for man nor beast. Dogs of a variety of sizes and breeds were on the trail during my visit.
Hiro is a 7 month old Cobberdog
Monte is a 2 year old Tibetan Terrier.
Kaiser is a 2 year old Airedale.
Roscoe (on the left) is a 3 year old Rottweiler. Love his bandanna!
Hours: Open daily, 9:00 – 5:00 (hours may vary depending on the season)
Cost:
Adult – $28.95
Senior (ages 65+) – $26.95
Youth (ages 4-14) – $18.95
Children (3 and younger) – Free
Parking: there is a free parking lot across the street from the Seaport Museum. There is also additional parking across the street from the parking lot for overflow
Handicapped Accessible: Yes, but not all of the buildings are accessible to the handicapped. Approximately one-third of our buildings have wheelchair-accessible entrances; interior access varies. The village’s unpaved roads are generally firm and stable suitable for wheelchairs and strollers. All roads are basically level with a few slight inclines located near the Children’s Museum, Treworgy Planetarium and Membership Building. (see link below for more info)
Highlights: living museum with character actors, boats, replicas of historic homes, figureheads, lighthouse replica, play area for children
Tips:
For an after museum viewing treat, Mystik Village, an open area shopping mall is a mere.9 miles away on Coogan Blvd
the museum’s main parking lot can fill up quickly if you don’t get there early. Additional parking can be found in the lots off Rossie St on the other side of the main parking lot
In my previous posts about Mystic Seaport, I shown you the figureheads and the ships and boats of Mystic Seaport.
In this final installment, part three, I am going to focus on some of the buildings and historical items at the museum. I hope you enjoy!
The first exhibit room at the Thompson Exhibition Hall has many interactive exhibits and artifacts and exhibits from a bygone era.
The first interactive exhibit is called “Sea States.” At this exhibit, you can watch video of the water from calm
to blustery
and every other weather condition you can think of.
In the Thompson Building is a very large room packed with lots of historical items. And many of these exhibits and items have interactive devices that give more information and historical context to the items.
These carved etchings were made on teeth and bones of whales.
People may think captains and other sailors were not attached to their families, being away from them for so long and because of traditional family dynamics. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Sailors seemed to have a very strong connection to their families, especially their children.
Pictured below are a glove box, photo of Captain Richard Columbus Mears and his Nellie, his daughter (Nellie Goodsell Mears Van Valkenburgh) and some wood carvings he made.
Captain Mears, born in Accomack County, Virginia in 1829, was a merchant ship captain based mainly out of New York.
The black and gold item on the left is a glove box that Captain Mears sent to Nellie for her 13th birthday. Believe it or not before plastics were invented people made these objects out of turtle shell. This particular glove box was made out of a hawksbill turtle shell.
The photo next to the glove box is a photo of Captain Mears with Nellie. To the right of the display are wood carvings by Captain Mears. The napkin ring, also carved by Captain Mears has the letters N E L L I E with a heart next to it.
This crib also has turtle shell in its design. In the second photo you can see the turtle shell reflected in the mirror under the crib.
Most museums do not want you to touch their exhibits. But, the Seaport Museum has this replica of a turtle for people to touch to see what they felt like that. It was smooth and silky. I want one. A real one.
This bed from that era, pictured below, had some interesting designs on it.
These carvings are miniature figureheads. They are models of life sized figureheads that adorned ships of those days.
There are also several models of boats from the earlier days of the seaport.
Nikki McClure’s book To Market, To Market was on display at the Mallory Building. McClure, a papercut artist based out of Olympia, Washington, is an author and illustrator who mainly writes children’s books with an environmental theme. I love her art!
The were other works of art from her books Waiting For High Tide and Life In Balance.
I liked these pieces from her exhibit best.
I also loved the educational historical buildings with the re-enactors. The people in these buildings are very knowledgeable and friendly.
In this building, The Cooperage, coopers (barrel makers) were making barrels. The old fashioned way.
This is the Nautical Instruments Shop. They have many clocks and timepieces as well as nautical devices such as compasses in this building.
The Mystic Print Shop is a true to life replica of the print shops of the 1800’s. If you look closely at the photos in the corner, you will see how the template or blocks on the metal pad match up with the words on the printed sheets.
The people at the Shipsmith Shop and Hoop Shop reenact ship and mast builders.
There is also a replica of a lighthouse that you can enter. A short documentary plays on a loop in the lighthouse.
There are also several shops that are replicas of the buildings of the 1800’s.
The Geo. H. Stone & Co store is a replica of the stores of the time.
Of course no living history museum would be complete with a school house.
The drug store had some interesting remedies of the time.
The Seamen’s Friend Society was a place the seamen could go to read, learn to read or have a book read to them. Since sailors spent a lot of time at sea and began working at a very early age sometimes they were not literate. They came to places like to be tutored or just to have someone read to them.
Formerly located in Saybrook, Connecticut, the Buckingham-Hall House is a two story building with two bedrooms and several sitting and family rooms. Being self-sufficient people, there was also a sewing and quilting area with a variety of fibers. The house was owned by William Hall Jr., from the estate of Samuel Buckingham. I love how they used to design the windows in those days. They weren’t big as many windows are these days. But, they were much more fancy and, despite their small size, allowed for a good amount of light. There was also an open hearth cooking demonstration in the kitchen during my visit.
One of the other homes at the Seaport Museum is the Thomas Greenman House. The house was originally built for Thomas and Charlotte Greenman in 1942. THomas Greenman was originally from Westerly, Rhode Island but made his way to Mystic later in his life.
The kitchen and the second floor are not accessible to visitors. But the rooms on the first floor are decorated and furnished in the Victorian style of the 1870’s. I always think I want to live in these types of houses because of their ornate designs and their charm. Then I realize just how oppressive it must have been during the hot summers and frigid winters. Not to mention they didn’t even have WI-FI.
The Burrows House is a very small home, yet almost as big as my apartment, that stands as an example of many of the homes of that era. The house, which is said to have been built between 1805 and 1925, was the home of storekeeper Seth Winthrop Burrows and his milliner wife, Jane. That is some tight stairwell.
The Stillman Building has a variety of interactive displays and historical items collected over the years of the seaport’s history. My favorite part of their exhibits in this building are the notes children wrote about whales and the sea.
This timepiece, found by the children’s play area, acts like a sundial and gives precise times throughout the day. But, people seemed more interesting in using it for coat and backpack storage. I was tempted to check out that boat there.
Lastly, the walkways to the different buildings is level and handicapped accessible (although some of the older historic buildings are not). And there are lots of pretty views along the way. I love the old pumper, which had to be moved manually.
Mystic Seaport is a dog friendly museum (although they are not allowed in the buildings). These two cute curly dogs were hanging out by the bench with their guardians.
Fuzzy (the white dog on on the left) is a 4 year old female Goldendoodle.
C-Doo (short for Colossus of Doodle), on the right, is a 1 year old Goldendoodle
Hours: Open daily, 9:00 – 5:00 (hours may vary depending on the season)
Cost:
Adult – $28.95
Senior (ages 65+) – $26.95
Youth (ages 4-14) – $18.95
Children (3 and younger) – Free
Parking: there is a free parking lot across the street from the Seaport Museum. There is also additional parking across the street from the parking lot for overflow
Handicapped Accessible: Yes, but not all of the buildings are accessible to the handicapped. Approximately one-third of our buildings have wheelchair-accessible entrances; interior access varies. The village’s unpaved roads are generally firm and stable suitable for wheelchairs and strollers. All roads are basically level with a few slight inclines located near the Children’s Museum, Treworgy Planetarium and Membership Building. (see link below for more info)
Highlights: living museum with character actors, boats, replicas of historic homes, figureheads, lighthouse replica, play area for children
Tips:
For an after museum viewing treat, Mystik Village, an open area shopping mall is a mere.9 miles away on Coogan Blvd
the museum’s main parking lot can fill up quickly if you don’t get there early. Additional parking can be found in the lots off Rossie St on the other side of the main parking lot
In part I of my blog posts about Mystic Seaport I showed you all of the figureheads and some other decorations and statues at the Seaport Museum. Since there were so many interesting things to see and photograph there, I decided to break the blog post into two or three installments . In this installment I will include photos of the boats and ships from the Seaport Museum (it is a seaport museum after all). I hope you enjoy!
The ship pictured above and the staple of the Seaport Museum is the Charles W. Morgan,the last of an American whaling fleet that once numbered more than 2,700 vessels. The Morgan, built and launched in 1841, is presently America’s oldest commercial ship still afloat. In fact, it is only second to “Old Ironsides”, the USS Constitution, in terms of age. It’s also very hard to fit the entire vessel in the frame of your camera’s view.
As I travel all over New England, I have become more aware of how all of the states in this region are interconnected. Evidence of this is how the Morgan was launched in 1841 in the city of New Bedford, Massachusetts, an area that enjoys a prominent role in American fishing and whaling history.
Clocking in at 106 feet, 11 inches in length on deck and a beam measuring 27 feet, 9 inches, the Morgan was and still is one of the larger vessels in the New England area. Her main truck is 110 feet above the deck and fully-rigged, and her sail measures in at 7,134 square feet.
But, lest you think the Seaport Museum is a one trick pony, there are lots of other sea worthy watercraft at the museum.
The Calypso stretches 23′ in length with a 7’4” beam with a 2’5″ centerboard up. It is made of fiberglass in an old French wooden boat design. Built in 2004 at Latitude 46 Yachts, Ile de Re, France, the Calypso has a 9 horsepower Yanmar diesel engine. Yeah I don’t know what that means either.
Calypso spent a decade racing and day-sailing along the South Shrewsbury and Navesink Rivers in New Jersey. After being damaged during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, the boat was fully restored. The boat is on exhibit and used for museum programs.
Designed by Nathanael G. Herreshoff, Aida was built in 1926 by Herreshoff Manufacturing Co in Bristol, Rhode Island. Aida measures out to 33’6″ in length with a beam of 9’2″ and it has a draft of 3’1″.
Aida was owned by author Maynard Bray who used it to sail the waters of Maine. She is planked with Longleaf yellow pine and Douglas fir and is framed with white oak. She is fastened with bronze. She is available for charter.
While there are other boats both on exhibit and available for charter, some of them were not available for photography. I did find this Smallboat Exhibit.
Originally launched as George Stage, the Joseph Conrad, an iron hulled sailing ship, is also docked at the Seaport Museum. She served as a training ship for American and Denmark sailors, separately, and has been used as a yacht in the past. She 100’8″ on her deck, her bean is 25’3″ and her draft is 12′.
They were raising her sails when I began photographing the vessel.
Speaking of figureheads and masts, check out the figurehead on the Joseph Conrad.
You never know what you’ll see at the museum. Randomly, a man who works at the museum began singing on this boat.
This boiler is from an old ship that was once sea worthy.
There is also a replica of a Verande which was used in the planning of a much longer Viking longship. The Verande would be sea tested by towing, rowing and sailing to test its seaworthiness, ease of handling, safety and speed.
In the Stillman Building, there is a replica of a captain’s quarters for the 1883 ship Benjamin F. Packard. It felt pretty cool being able to access the living quarters of a captain without actually having to go out on a boat.
It looks cozy for sure. The articles in the last photo are the figurehead, a billethead, and some of the other items that would be on the ship.
This concludes the ships and boats installment of my blog posts from Mystic Seaport. Next, I will post about the buildings and some of the historical items on exhibit at the museum. Thank you for reading!
Outside of the Stillman Building, I saw these two adorable Longhaired Dachshunds.
Hours: Open daily, 9:00 – 5:00 (hours may vary depending on the season)
Cost:
Adult – $28.95
Senior (ages 65+) – $26.95
Youth (ages 4-14) – $18.95
Children (3 and younger) – Free
Parking: there is a free parking lot across the street from the Seaport Museum. There is also additional parking across the street from the parking lot for overflow
Handicapped Accessible: Yes, but not all of the buildings are accessible to the handicapped. Approximately one-third of our buildings have wheelchair-accessible entrances; interior access varies. The village’s unpaved roads are generally firm and stable suitable for wheelchairs and strollers. All roads are basically level with a few slight inclines located near the Children’s Museum, Treworgy Planetarium and Membership Building. (see link below for more info)
Highlights: living museum with character actors, boats, replicas of historic homes, figureheads, lighthouse replica, play area for children
Tips:
For an after museum viewing treat, Mystik Village, an open area shopping mall is a mere.9 miles away on Coogan Blvd
the museum’s main parking lot can fill up quickly if you don’t get there early. Additional parking can be found in the lots off Rossie St on the other side of the main parking lot
Once a major seaport, Mystic Seaport no longer functions as the busy hub of commerce and fishing or transportation. But, they have preserved some of the historical atmosphere while still incorporating modern technology.
Since Mystic Seaport is such a big attraction, I am posting my blog posts in three or possibly four installments. My first installment deals with the Viking ship display which was being featured at the museum as well as the figureheads, decorations and other sculptures at the museum.
During my visit, there was a Viking ship docked at the museum. Tours were being provided for a small charge.
By far, my favorite part of the museum is the figurehead museum. The dimly lit room, which made photography challenging, in the Wendel Building added to the mystique of these treasured works of art.
This scroll billethead figurehead is the oldest one in the museum. Many ships used these billetheads in lieu of figureheads because they were easier to carve and less expensive than the full sized figureheads.
There are several other figureheads in the museum which stood out to me.
This scary cat timber was used while lifting the anchor and keep it away from the ship so it would not damage the vessel.
Most of the figureheads are of people, though.
This figure titles Woman With A Comb. Although it’s hard to tell when some of these figureheads were made, it appears this figurehead was made during the 1820’s. This figurehead shows a hairstyle and clothing style that was popular during the 1820’s. Unlike some of the figureheads you may have seen previously where the figurehead leans forward and under the bowspirit, this figurehead stands upright, which was common until the 1840’s when they changed to the design that leans forward.
Woman With Roses has an interesting historical background. This figureheads, which resembles a portrait more than an actual figurehead, was originally called Belva Lockwood when it first came to the seaport museum. Belva Ann Bennet Lockwood, who this figurehead resembles, was a leader in the women’s suffrage movement during the late 1800’s. She was nominated for President of the United States in 1884 and 1888. Despite her historical significance and the likelihood that a ship would have been named after her, there are no records that show her name on any vessel.
Donald McKay is a figurehead made for the 1855 clipper ship Donald McKay. Named and designed after the famous ship builder and designer Donald McKay, this figurehead was broken off its vessel and stood unprotected, outdoors in the Cape Verdes islands off the coast of Africa. It was restored and repainted but it still shows the effects of being exposed to the conditions. The first figurehead for the vessel was lost at sea and this figurehead which replaced the original one was believed to have been carved by the ship’s carpenter while the ship was out at sea.
Seminole decorated the ship vessel of the same name for over 40 years. The figurehead, which was built by Maxon Fish & Co in 1865 in Mystic, CT, is believed to have been carved by James N. Colby and James Campbell. Colby and Campbell were prominent ship and sign carvers and decorators in the Mystic area from the 1850’s until 1877. Seminole, an offshoot of the Creek Confederation, means “separatist” or “runaway.”
Seminole carried cargo from New York to San Francisco and vice versa for over 20 years. It was captained by another Mystic, CT, native Joseph Warren Holmes. Holmes would go on to make 84 passes by Cape Horn, a record among captains at that time. Eventually, the Seminole ended up in the west coast lumber trade and was finally broken up at Port Adelaide, Australia, in 1904. The figurehead was salvaged and, 50 years later, Mystic Seaport acquired it.
Magdalena is the largest figure of the collection. Magdalena once adorned the bow of the 421 feet long British Royal Mail steam packet Magdalena which launched in 1889 in Glasgow, Scotland.
Iolanda is considered the second figurehead for the steam yacht of the same name. The industrialist Morton F. Plant of New York and Groton, Connecticut, had this figurehead adorned to his yacht when he made his 33,000 mile voyage to India, China, Japan and the Mediterranean.
After Plant, the figurehead had many more owners including a Russian Princess and the British Navy where she saw service in both World Wars.
The figured pictured above called Aleppo could not be identified since there are no records or photographs to match it to any vessel. I find this makes the figureheads even more mysterious and interesting.
This figurehead once adorned the Rhine shipping vessel which was built in Scotland in 1886. The harp and caduceus necklace are said to portray her as a classical figure rather than a portrait or national symbol. It is typical of the British sail and steam vessels of the late 19th century.
The Rhine transported laborers from India and China, jute from Calcutta and lumber from Boston. After being damaged by a fire after World War I, she was sold to a junk dealer for $925. Shen then became a barge in New York.
This ghost-like carving called White Lady is not a figurehead, despite its strikingly similarities to other figureheads. One of the reasons the museum was able to determine it is more likely a decoration or sign are because the posture is too erect. Figureheads were carved to fit the curving shape of the vessel’s bow. Another reason this was not a figurehead is that her outstretched arm would have been particularly vulnerable to damage at sea. Also, her elaborate scrollwork base is very unusual for a figurehead. Lastly, there is no evidence of the wooden or iron fastenings that would typically have held the carving to a ship’s bow. You know, the obvious reasons.
Cover your eyes! This unidentified figurehead which has been named Women With Goblet by the museum is said to have been the victim of well intentioned but overdone restoration. The flowers around the bae were reconstructed and the outstretched right arm with the goblet is not original. Typically, carvers made the arms close to the body because it reduced the possibility of damage by the sea.
This figured, The Great Admiral, was craved in the honor of and dedicated to Admiral David G. Farragut. Farragut was an Admiral in the United States Navy during the Civil War. In 1869, a new clipper ship, The Great Admiral, was commissioned in his honor with this figured on the bow.
The figurehead was eventually salvaged after the ship was wrecked off the coast of Oregon in 1906 and it eventually made its way all the way to Mystic.
Woman With Beads was carved in the classical British figurehead style. It is said to represent one of Victorian England’s literary or historic characters.
Abigail is believed to have been carved for the vessel of the same name which was named after the ship’s owner’s wide, Abigail Chandler. The figurehead was found after the ship crashed along the coast of Massachusetts in 1817.
Great Republic once adorned the largest American ship of its day, if only for a few weeks. This figurehead was once on Donald McKay’s clipper ship The Great Republic. Built in 1853, the 335 feet long The Great Republic is the largest cargo ship ever built in the United States.
The eagle, which was carved by S.W. Gleason & Sons of Boston, was on the ship for a few weeks when the ship was damaged by a fire. The eagle was then removed and kept by Captain Nathaniel Palmer of Stonington, CT. Captain Palmer had the burned out hull of The Great Republic removed and built into a smaller ship. A new bow carving was replaced on The Great Republic when it was repaired.
This bust of a woman is believed to be from the mid 19th century. Although it is not clear who the woman is portrayed in this bust, it is most likely a wife, girlfriend or relative of a captain or ship builder.
The Gray Man is a bust of a man from around the 1830’s. It really isn’t a bust. It was originally a figurehead on a ship. However, after it was removed from its original vessel, it was painted blue-gray and the base was altered which makes it look more like a marble statue than a figurehead
This carved gold leafed pine eagle pictured above is believed to be carved by William Rush but this claim has yet to be verified.
While this eagle with its arms extended may have been originally intended to be posted on the flat transom at the stern of the ship, it is also very similar to the décor on public buildings during the 1800’s. It is something that looks familiar to me as I have noticed decorations and sculptures like this on or inside older buildings while visiting the historic homes and area of New England.
This carving of a mountain sunrise, Mt Washington Lunette once adorned the steamship The Mount Washington, a steamship on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. This fan-shaped panel, called a lunette, was located at the center of one of the boxes that covered the steamboat’s paddle wheels. The half round paddle boxes served two purposes. They helped to protect the wheels from damage while shielding passengers from the turning wheels as well as the water that was thrown up by their blades.
There are other statues and decorations scattered through out the living museum.
These sculptures above, I believe of a sea mammal, were located outside one of the buildings.
This horsehead, located outside one of the historical homes, may have been used to tie the reigns of your horse.
This outdated statue was located outside a cigar and supply shop. It is displayed, I am sure, simply to give an accurate display of what the shops at that time looked like. The craftsmanship is impressive regardless.
The Carver’s Shop is one of the shops replicated to show how statues and other carvings were made and sold. The carving in the last photo (bottom right) may look similar to the cat carving at the figurehead museum.
These are two other cute decorations I noticed at the museum during my visit.
There were several dogs at the museum. Who knew dogs were so fond of the sea?
Since I am posting these blog posts as a series, I will post one set of photos for each dog or group of dogs I saw there.
I saw Brandi (On the left) and Colby (on the right) sitting by a bench with their guardian before I entered the museum. They are both 6 year old Chihuahua and Japanese Chin mix breeds.
See you soon with the next installment from my visit here!
Below is a short video of the figureheads and the restoration of figureheads from Mystic Seaport’s website.
***WordPress ate my original post (either that or I goofed up). So, I have reposted my blog post. Thank you for reading!***
Date Of Visit: September 9, 2017
Location: 149 Farms Village Road (Route 309), Simsbury, CT
Hours: open daily, sunrise to sunset
Cost: On weekends and holidays, admission tot he park costs $9 for residents of Simsbury and $15 for non residents. There is no charge during weekdays and during the off season.
Parking: There are a few parking areas with ample parking
Trail Size/Difficulty: The main hiking and biking trail is 1.2 miles (2.4 round trip). The trail is easy.
Highlights: trails, covered bridge, beach, lake, swimming, fishing, cycling trails
Tips:
admission to the park is free during the weekdays and after Labor Day (or at least it was free during my visit the week after Labor Day)
Stratton Brooks is considered the first “completely wheelchair accessible” park in Connecticut
The nature center is open on certain days (it was closed during my visit)
There’s a reason why the Connecticut tourism website calls September the “second summer.” With the last vestiges of summer lingering and the sparks of autumn blooming, this is perhaps the best time of the year to visit the parks and attractions of New England.
The trails at Stratton Brooks are easy and level with hardly any inclines. The main trail goes past some residential homes. So, it’s important to stay on the trail.
Brooks Stratton, originally called Massacoe State Forest, was originally used to demonstrate forest fire control adjacent to railroads. The railroad tracks have since been replaced by a biking and hiking trail. White pines line the main hiking trail.
The covered bridge at the park was built in 1985, spans 45″. It offers pretty views of Stratton Brook.
The beach at the park is a popular destination during hot summer days. It has a decent sized beach area and enough room for everyone to splash around.
In 1996, this park became Connecticut’s first state park that is completely accessible by wheelchair. But, I think some areas, such as the main hiking trail which can be rocky and the beach area, may be hard to maneuver around.
Besides hiking, cycling, running and swimming, the park also offers an area for fishing, trout is the main fish people catch. During the winter ice fishing, cross country skiing, snow shoeing and ice skating are popular activities at the park. Besides the trout that swim in the pond, there are other inhabitants of the pond such as ducks and a few frogs.
There is lots of room for dogs to roam around and play. I saw quite a few cute dogs during my visit at Stratton Brooks.
Adisson is a playful one and a half year old Terrier mix,
Juju (short for Jujube) is a Chihuahua mix. Fun fact: Juju doesn’t care for other dogs but she likes cats and people!
Sage is a rescue dog. His guardian wasn’t sure what his breed or age is. But, he’s a sweetheart!
When entering the park, go to the left to see the waterfalls
Watch for and follow the pink tags on the trees to stay on the easiest, most traveled trail
the rocks by the waterfall can be slippery, especially in the morning or after a rainfall
the best times to visit is after a rainfall or in early spring when the snow and ice on the stream are melting
Fishing and swimming (more on this later) are allowed at the falls
Part of the 2,000 acre Ender’s Fall State Forest, the waterfalls at Ender’s Falls is one of the most photographed and highly regarded waterfalls in all of Connecticut, if not New England. Although I enjoyed the falls at Wadsworth Park, I think I would agree.
There are 5 waterfalls at Ender’s Falls.
The hardest part of photographing Ender’s Falls is finding the waterfalls. Some are pretty easy to find, particularly the first one at the end of the entrance to the park.
However, due to how the sound travels and the lack of ability to view some of the stream from higher ground, it’s hard to determine what may be a gushing waterfall and what is just the sound of water running along the stream.
And, let’s talk about the paths to the stream. Due to the steep decline of the terrain and the fact it had rained the previous day, it was no joke going down the side of the trail to get to the stream. So, while the main trail on higher ground is easy with some moderate inclines and a few downed trees, if you choose to travel closer to the stream, it can be difficult. In fact, I stumbled upon this news story about the dangers of the trails at the park. But, I’m a trained professional. So, I was alright. Follow the pink tags to stay on the trail.
The rocks and trees by the waterfalls have some amusing, interesting and heartfelt graffiti on them.
The graffiti in the first photo (top left) on a rock high above the stream refers to track number 4 on the self titled “Third Eye Blind” cd. I’ll let you Google that for a sec. Even the casual Third Eye Blind Fan knows what the song is. The second and third photos (going clockwise) include a phrase that refers to a TLC song. You get it.
Ender’s Falls is a truly beautiful place, particularly with summer quietly coming to a close and fall starting to make an entrance. There truly is nothing more beautiful in New England than the blending of these two seasons. I love it and I look forward to more colorful photo shoots in the upcoming weekends!
My only gripe is how the trail at Ender’s falls just seems to stop at both ends of the trail. And, to be fair, it’s not just something that I have noticed at Ender’s Falls. In fact, it’s fairly common. Due to the developments in the area and the obvious barriers such as roadways that have been constructed, the trails just seem to end without warning. I can only imagine they went on for much longer distances in the past. At least at the end of the trail to the right of the entrance stops at the bridge, giving you some warning ahead of time. There is a narrrow path in the brush at one end. But, it didn’t seem to go anywhere.
When you can get down to the stream safely, I do recommend it, though. The closer view does offer some pretty views.
Ender’s Falls is a great place to take your pooch. But, it may be too rocky and difficult terrain for some older dogs.
Gemma is a 3 month old Black Labrador.
Below are some videos of the mighty waterfalls:
This is a video posted by YouTuber Just Living who is clearly braver (or crazier) than I am!
Location: Spring Hill Rd, off Berwick Rd., Ogunquit, ME
Hours: Open daily, dusk to dawn
Parking: There is room for about 4 or 5 cars by the entrance with additional parking on the side of the road to the park.
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
Highlights: spacious park for dogs to play, kiddie pool, balls to throw, seating
Tips:
The park is located on a side road (Spring Hill Rd) with no other businesses or buildings, so there is ample parking on the side of the road if you can’t find a spot in the main parking area
I had some difficulty finding the park. The website says to use this in your GPS as the address: 323 Berwick Rd. Ogunquit. You will see a sign on Berwick Rd for the park. It is the turn after Meadow Lane if you are coming from the east. Or, if you are coming from the west and you see Meadow Lane you have gone too far.
Since its opening on January 15, 2011, Ogunquit Dog Park has been a play land for dogs of all breeds. But, it may be it’s hidden history and a very special dog that makes the park so special.
Ogunquit Dog Park is spacious enough for lots of dogs to run around and play. There are also benches and chairs to sit at while your dog enjoys the park. And, of course, trees.
The one acre park is has a pool, shed, hydrant and tennis balls to throw to the dogs. The shed at the entrance was built by the students at the local vocational high school in Wells, Maine. The wood shavings on the ground give the park a pretty look.
Perhaps the highlight of the park is the memorial to Perkins, and all beloved dogs, that is set up inconspicuously near the center of the park by a tree.
After Perkins, a golden retriever who used to frequent the park, passed away on Monday, October 26th, 2015, the pet’s guardian (Martin) and some other people came together to set up a memorial for him. Perkins, whose “nana” worked in Perkins Cove, used to act as the “greeter” standing outside the door greeting customers and being cute. Eventually, Perkins’ dad would decided to look into opening the park. And, from there, the idea began to snowball. There is also a note from the dog’s guardian and some photos of him. I wish I could have met him.
For safety purposes during entry and exit of the park, the dog park is fully fenced with double gates. There is a separate section for small dogs and a small trail to thee side of the park. Water that is piped in from a 3 year old, 600 foot deep well at the Transfer Station is available from April 1 to mid-November. Also, the area is sprayed for ticks every 2 months with an organic solution.
There was a steady flow of four legged visitors during my visit.
Ruby is a 7 year old Wheaton Terrier. She also played an instrumental role in the opening of the dog park as she helped pull the yellow ribbon on the gate of the park to formally open the park.
Dice is an 11 month old Husky and Blue Heeler. If you look closely, you may notice he has one brown eye and one blue eye.
Drisky is 7 months old. Love his white socks!
Delaney is a mixed breed from South Carolina.
Rudy, the brown and white dog in the photos above, is a 9 year old Brittany Spaniel.
Today’s New England related link of the day is a poem dedicated to Perkins written by Richard W. Perkins:
Location: Shore Rd, Ogunquit, ME (2 hours and 45 minutes south of Bangor, ME and 1 hour and 15 minutes northeast of Concord, NH)
Hours: daily, sunrise to sunset
Cost: Free
Parking: There are several parking lots in the area and limited street parking is also available. I parked at a lot on School St which is directly across from the entrance to Marginal Way. The lots usually charge by the hour. Below is a link to the municipal parking lots in the area:
Located Marginal Walk is anything but. With its scenic views along the rocky coastline, access to Ogunquit Beach and pretty flowers and trees, Marginal Way is a must see for anyone residing in or visiting Maine.
From the beginning of the walk, Marginal Way serves up some pretty views and a wide spectrum of colorful flowers. The flowers from Sparhawk, the hotel located next to the entrance.
There are some stunning views along the way.
The path along the walk is generally wide with some narrow areas. Most of the path is paved and I did see people with strollers. There is also a bridge that is wide enough for two traffic and also seems to be handicapped accessible.
One of the unique things about this cliff walk is that you can walk down to the beach. I noticed a few surfers ( I wish I learned how to surf in my younger days – maybe next year!)and sun seekers enjoying this part of the beach. The rocks on the beach gave the beach a more natural feel. There are also a few sandbars which allow you to walk out pretty far in the water.
Perhaps the best part of the walk, or at least the most rewarding part, is Perkins Cove at the end of the walk. There are a few eateries, several shops and a bridge. The arts and crafts shops, coffee shop and candy store (which I highly recommend) give the area a quaint feel.
Sadly, dogs were not allowed on Marginal Way during my visit since they are only allowed on the walk during the fall and winter seasons. But, I did see lots of dogs on the way to my car and at the end of the walk.
Gus, a 5 year old English Bulldog, was dressed to the nines for his photo shoot.
Landon, a 7 year old mixed hound retriever, showed me his pearly whites.
Below are some videos from my walk. Just listening to the surf is so soothing.
After Perkins, a golden retriever who used to frequent the park, passed away on Monday, October 26th, 2015, the pet’s guardian (Martin) and some other people came together to set up a memorial for him. Perkins, whose “nana” worked in Perkins Cove, used to act as the “greeter” standing outside the door greeting customers and being cute. Eventually, Perkins’ dad would decided to look into opening the park. And, from there, the idea began to snowball. There is also a note from the dog’s guardian and some photos of him. I wish I could have met him.
New England Nomad 