HISTORY HILL

Meadow Alternative One

This design activates the meadow area as a space for gathering and walking, while minimizing cost and impact. The existing pull-off is formalized (see previous sheet), and an all-person's trail leading from the parking to the homestead begins opposite the road, keeping people as far from traffic as possible. Implementation of this parking alternative is less expensive than a regraded driveway, and also opens up design opportunities around the homestead. The old driveway is replaced with a colonial-style revival garden, which provides historical context for the buildings and lets people know they've arrived at the beginning of their journey through the site (A). The landscape history trail (detailed on sheet 17) brings people from the open structure of the meadow to the shady canopy of the forest. Benches along the trail allow people to rest and enjoy the view down the hill and into the meadow, which is now managed to promote wildlife, such as pollinators. The top of the hill has become a formalized destination, with picnic tables and fruit trees to provide shade and snacks. The path follows the old stone wall and the view down the hill highlights the meadow and the old homestead.

Interface with Site-Wide Trail Design

Alternative 1, being relatively low cost and low impact, does not include any clearing of the Boy Scout forest to the east of the barn. However, selective clearing of the Boy Scout forest would be required in order to implement Phase Two of Site-Wide Trail Design (sheet 12). As there are no design elements precluding trail expansion into the Boy Scout forest, expansion could be a future phase of this alternative, in order to connect the meadow to the other points of interest on site.