Special places summer 2006

Special PLACES F OR M EMB E R S A N D SUP P O RTE R S O F T H E T RU S T E E S O F R E S E RVAT I O N S

Picture This

SUMMER 2006 VOLUME 14

NO. 2

T H E T R U S T E E S O F R E S E RVAT I O N S We are over 100,000 people like you who want to protect the places they love or who simply like to be outdoors.

Together with our neighbors, we protect the distinct character of our communities and inspire

Upper Housatonic Valley National Heritage

a commitment to special places across the Commonwealth. Our passion is to share with

Area is awaiting action by Congress. Trustees’

everyone the irreplaceable landscapes and

sites – including Naumkeag, the Mission

landmarks that we care for – as we know how

House, Bartholomew’s Cobble, and Monument

Contents

© TOM KATES

life, the birth of industry, and the flowering of a culture of arts and letters.

KENDALL’S CORNER

The National Heritage framework – themes that link people and place – provides opportunities to make unexpected connections and deepen our understanding. Over time,

Seeing Deeply

new stories come to light that help us see places – and ourselves – in new ways. The story of an enslaved African woman, known

At The Trustees, the things we care for are as essential to our mission as the natural landscapes we preserve. Our 96 Reservations help protect the terrain of nearly 70 communities across Massachusetts, but we also preserve the material culture produced over centuries: houses and gardens, books, barns, paintings, maps, journals, furniture, ceramics, textiles, and tapestries – from the everyday to rare American treasures. It’s this combination of shared land and shared experience that is encompassed by the idea of heritage.

There are 27 National Heritage Areas in the United States today, special places knit together through rich associations of land-

as Mumbet, is a case in point.

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valuable they are to our every day lives.

story – and the Ashley House – is now the anchor point in a proposed Upper Housatonic Valley African American Heritage Trail. This summer, the Trail’s supporters and The Trustees

Tom Foster Vice President Field Operations Melanie Ingalls Vice President Education & Outreach Richard Ryan Vice President Finance & Administration, CFO Kate Saunders Vice President Institutional Advancement

Fields and farmlands, early morning light, wind on water – the landscape speaks to artists on the North Shore.

Chris Kennedy Islands Regional Director Steve McMahon Western Regional Director

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Wayne Mitton Northeast Regional Director

Weaving together fact and legend to tell the story of “the slave who ended slavery in Massachusetts.”

Steve Sloan Southeast Regional Director

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heritage we share and the variety of ways we interpret it. Our landscape is held together by nature and experience. Land preservation – part science, part art – means caring for both.

scape, history, and culture. This June, the

Reframing the summer season on Martha’s Vineyard.

EDITOR

Anne Donovan Communications Director

DESIGN

Kate Wollensak Creative Director Nicole Polillio Design & Production Manager

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Shore is among America’s great destinations, and The Trustees are proud to be a partner

SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN

Ready, Set, Draw Just draw what you see. But if it’s got six legs, make sure you draw them all!

We invite your articles, photographs, letters, and suggestions. Please send them to: Special Places Moose Hill Farm 396 Moose Hill Street Sharon, MA 02067 781.784.0567 TEL FAX 781.784.4796 EMAIL adonovan@ttor.org

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JOIN THE FUN

Five Summer Interludes

Essex County National Heritage Area is

Music lovers have properties of note to visit this summer.

For information about becoming a member

celebrating its 10th anniversary. The North

L A N D C O N S E RVAT I O N

Rules Rule

of the court case in which Mumbet sued This issue of Special Places looks at the

P E O P L E A N D P L AC E

Mumbet

Dick O’Brien Central Regional Director

Wes Ward Vice President Land Conservation

are helping celebrate the 225th anniversary Colonel Ashley for her freedom, and won.

C OV E R S TO RY

Picture This Andy Kendall President

Long a secondary character in the story of Colonel John Ashley of Sheffield, Mumbet’s

please contact us at 978.921.1944 x1858, email

Andy Kendall PRESIDENT

us at membership@ttor.org, or visit our website at www.thetrustees.org.

in preserving some of its most celebrated sites, from Appleton Farms to Misery Island

Special Places, May 2006.Volume 14, Issue

to the Crane Estate.

Number 2. Special Places (ISSN 1087-5026) is

ON THE COVER: Caleb Stone captures the vegetable

garden at Castle Hill on the Crane Estate. © TOM KATES

and donors of The Trustees of Reservations.

24 FIND YOUR PLACE

Copyright © 2006. All rights reserved. Printed on recycled paper.

Please recycle this magazine by passing it on to a friend or donating it to a school, library, business, or wherever it might be read.

Elliott Laurel, Phillipston © R.CHEEK

Linking 100 sites in 29 communities, the

14 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

published quarterly and distributed to members

In the west, a new National Heritage Area is taking shape along the Housatonic River.

SUMMER 2006 VO L . 1 4 NO. 2

W W W. T H E T R U S T E E S . O R G

Mountain – help lay the groundwork for a complex story of natural resources, colonial

S P E C I A L P L AC E S

© TOM KATES

COVER STORY

Picture This

By Mary Mulkerin Donius

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THE TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS

|

www.thetrustees.org

For generations, photographers, painters, and sculptors have found inspiration in Massachusetts’ rugged beauty.

COVER STORY

© TOM KATES

LEFT: Katrina Hart at work along the Prince of Wales Allée at Appleton Farms in Ipswich.

TOP: The

“It’s never the same,” she says of the local marshes that figure so prominently in her work. “You understand this landscape in so many ways, and experience it so many ways, but the layers keep building. It’s like a friend you know so well, and never get tired of.”

Caleb Stone is another renowned artist whose work will be featured in the October show. Son of the celebrated painter Don Stone, he paints in watercolors and oils and can be seen year-round, setting up his easel to create representational-impressionistic paintings of what surrounds him – beaches, harbors, rivers, open fields, and farmland.

Stone, who has been painting since he was four, usually has his car packed up with paints and canvases by seven o’clock and can often be seen with his students on Tuesday morning along the road near the Crane Estate or in the fields of Appleton Farms.

Well-versed in the work of painters who worked in the area, such as John Singer Sargent and Aldro Hibbard, Stone says he’s grateful for the landscape that has stayed largely unchanged for more than 100 years.

Katrina Hart feels the same way about the beauty that surrounds her at her home near Appleton Farms. “This is a very inspiring place if you’re interested in landscape, which is my specialty.”

In her pastels, Hart favors foggy beaches and cloudy skies.

“I never do a buoy or a barn,” she says. “Just nature. If there’s a barn in the way of what I’m painting, I just leave it out.”

Hart, who serves on the board of Appleton Farms volunteer committee, has chosen a spot on the property – the lawn where Mrs. Appleton used to sit – to paint in all seasons.

“It’s an open space with a hayfield and a driveway that lends itself to a natural design with wetlands,” she says. “It almost paints itself.”

Hart, too, continues to be inspired by landscapes painted by artists of the past, including Fitz Henry Lane and Winslow Homer.

It’s worth noting that today’s artists look to the land and to their predecessors for inspiration. The upcoming Trustees art show – for which Hart was a member of the jury and where the work of both Stone and Monnelly will be on display – was inspired by the nearby Peabody Essex Museum, which has been celebrating New England artists and artwork for more than 200 years.

“It’s a wonderful place to paint, and a wonderful old house,” Hart says of the Crane Estate where The Trustees’ October show will be held. All artwork on display will be for sale, and proceeds will be split between the artists and The Trustees. Don’t miss it.

oils and brushes of Caleb Stone’s palette.

BOTTOM: After the Storm, Crane Beach, 2004, Katrina Hart pastel on paper, 24'' x 33''.

© TOM KATES

the day last September when she took what became one of her favorite photos, “Stillness at Dawn.”

When she awoke that morning at her Ipswich home near the Crane Estate, she was struck by “an unusually soft, pre-dawn light.”

She grabbed her camera and headed for the beach.

“I wanted to catch the sunrise, but when I arrived I saw that I was too late,” she said. “The sun was already up. But what was out there was altogether different, something unbelievably still and serene.”

As she clicked her camera, she was aware that marsh grasses might be obstructing the beach and the sun. When she developed the photos, however, she found that the effect of the grass and the sun and the sand was startling.

“I realized that it looked very beautiful, this picture with the fringe of marsh grass along the bottom, and the long narrow shapes of the creek channels and the islands and the silver disc of the sun,” she said. “It was one of those very magical days.”

There are lots of those, Monnelly says, in the corner of the world she shares with her husband, photographer Edward Monnelly.

He also shoots landscapes, but his are in color.

“I’ve learned so much right here about coming to a connection with nature and my lens,” she says. “I photograph in other places, but this is my home landscape.”

Monnelly’s work will be shown along with the work of 100 or so other artists at a show at the Crane Estate in October.

It’s the second time The Trustees have sponsored the show, which highlights artwork inspired by Trustees’ properties ( SEE PAGE 6 FOR DETAILS ) .

Even after 30-plus years photographing the salt marshes and beaches of the Crane Estate, Monnelly never stops being inspired by the landscape that is so familiar to her that she often describes it as an old friend.

Like generations of artists before her, she says her love of nature and her art – large format black and white photography – are so intertwined they’re nearly indistinguishable.

“If you have this intense experience of the landscape, it reaches out,” she says. “It is a central, driving engine that constantly feeds me. If it wasn’t there, I’d probably never have picked up a camera.”

Monnelly says her interest in ecology and natural science has kept her on the Trustees’ ecology committee for more than 25 years.

Her relationship with the marshes and the beach near her home is so deep and so complex that it is central to her entire experience as an artist.

She says she’s captivated by the sculpted beauty of the marshes and the meandering lines of creeks, and is inspired by the work of Arthur Wesley Dow, a 19th-century artist whose paintings, woodcuts, and photos, as Monnelly sees it, “put Ipswich on the map artistically.”

Much of the landscape around Ipswich that inspired Dow has been preserved, Monnelly says, but it’s constantly changing because of the increasing intensity of storms and erosion.

© TOM KATES

D O R O T H Y K E R P E R M O N N E L LY W E L L R E M E M B E R S

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PEOPLE AND PLACE

Mumbet: Truth Was Her Nature

By Dr. Laurie Robertson-Lorant

LEFT :

Moonrise, 1916, Arthur Wesley Dow. Oil on canvas, 24'' x 10''.

© IPSWICH HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND MUSEUMS, MASSACHUSETTS

RIGHT :

Witch Island, Daybreak, 2002, Dorothy Kerper Monnelly.

Castle Neck River, Ipswich.

Ar t Escapes Whether you’re an artist or an art lover, Essex County offers plenty to see this summer. And we’ve saved you a great vantage point.

Elizabeth Freeman, or “Mumbet,” as she has come to be known, was born a slave, but died a free woman. August 21 marks the 225th anniversary of the court case that won her freedom (SEE PAGE 23 FOR EVENT DETAILS ). In several of her writings, novelist Catharine Maria Sedgwick paid tribute to Mumbet, her surrogate mother and friend. Here, Laurie Robertson-Lorant – scholar, teacher, and author of “Good Mother, Farewell,” a one-act play about their friendship – weaves together fact and legend to bring to life the story of “the slave who ended slavery in Massachusetts.”

I M A G I N E , D E A R R E A D E R , T H AT YO U W E R E B O R N A RO U N D

Painting Summer in New England

Find Your Place: The Art of Essex County

Visions of the season by Winslow Homer, Andrew Wyeth, Edward Hopper, Alex Katz, Arthur Wesley Dow and nearly 80 others are on view at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem through September 4. See www.pem.org for details.

One hundred artists have been invited to interpret Trustees’ properties and exhibit their work at a special Fall show and sale.

Keep a lookout for them as you explore the North Shore this summer. On Friday, October 27, you can meet the artists at a special reception at Castle Hill on the Crane Estate in Ipswich.

Proceeds from sale of the work benefits The Trustees. For tickets call 978.921.1944. Members: $40. Nonmembers: $50.

The art show and sale continue on Saturday from 10AM-5PM and Sunday from 10AM-4PM. FREE and open to the public.

Art Escapes Trail Experience the places that inspired the art at more than 30 destinations from Cape Ann to Andover.

Visit www.essexheritage.org/artescapes for more.

A View of Your Own If you’re looking for an elegant home base for your art explorations, consider the Inn at Castle Hill on the Crane Estate in Ipswich (SEE PAGE 23 FOR DETAILS ).

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THE TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS

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www.thetrustees.org

1744 to parents who could barely remember their African names and probably could neither write their names nor read. They had no family Bible in which they could lovingly record your birth.

The birthdays of children descended from enslaved Africans did not matter to anyone but themselves, and the only number that mattered in America was the price you would fetch at the slave market in Albany, which was the cruelest in the northern states.

This was the situation when Pieter Hoogeboom, or Hogeboom, of Claverack, New York, purchased Bett, or Betty, and her younger sister Lizzie. After his death in 1758, his daughter Hannah brought them to Ashley Falls, Massachusetts, where she lived with her husband, Colonel John Ashley, a lawyer, politician, and wealthy landowner. According to Catharine Sedgwick, “He was the gentlest, most benign of men; she a shrew untamable…the most despotic of mistresses.”

Elizabeth Freeman, 1811, Susan Anne Livingston Ridley Sedgwick.

Watercolor on ivory. © COURTESY OF THE MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY

By the 1770s, relations between Britain and its colonial subjects in Massachusetts were so strained that some citizens of Sheffield formed a grievance committee under the chairmanship of John Ashley, who was by then a judge. Legend has it that one evening while Bett was serving refreshments to the men who were drafting the Sheffield Resolves, she heard Theodore Sedgwick say, “God and Nature have made us free.” She pondered those words until Hannah Ashley’s violent temper finally drove her to seek her freedom.

While baking a wheaten cake for the family’s dinner, Lizzie made a little side cake for herself, and when “Madame” came into the kitchen and saw this, she grabbed a red hot coal shovel from the stove and rushed at the poor girl, shouting “Thief, thief!”

Fortunately, Bett was there, and as the harpy swung her weapon toward Lizzie’s head, Bett raised her arm to shield her sister and absorbed the blow, though it seared and scarred her flesh.

SpecialPLACES | SUMMER 2006

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PEOPLE AND PLACE

Bett took the name Elizabeth Freeman, and she and Lizzie went to work in the Sedgwick household. Years later, she told Catharine Sedgwick, “Anytime, anytime while I was a slave, if one

essential, and inalienable rights,” she walked the three miles to the home of Theodore Sedgwick and said boldly, “Sir, I heard that paper read yesterday that says all men are born equal, and that every man has a right to freedom…I am not a dumb critter; won’t the law give me my freedom?”

minute’s freedom had been offered to me, and I had been told I must die at the end of that minute, I would have taken it – just to stand one minute on God's airth a free woman – I would.”

In 1785, Theodore Sedgwick moved his family to a mansion on the Main Street of Stockbridge, not far from the Mission

Sedgwick agreed to take her case, but because women had no rights in courts of law, he asked Cato Brom, another slave, to serve as co-plaintiff in the suit and filed a writ requesting their release. Finding that the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights had already confirmed all persons free by natural right,

House. Sadly, his wife Pamela Dwight Sedgwick was incapacitated by severe depression and could not take care of her children, so “Mumbet, that noble woman” whom the Sedgwick children called “Mah Bett,” “Mum-Bett,” and “Mother Bett,” became “the main pillar” of the Sedgwick household.

the Court ruled that Brom and Bett were free.

UPPER HOUSATONIC VALLEY HERITAGE AREA AND AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE TR AIL

UPPER HOUSATONIC VALLEY NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA

A winding river, 100+ sites, 29 communities, four themes connecting people and place add up to one great area to explore.Trustees’ properties – including the Ashley House, Naumkeag, Bartholomew’s Cobble, and the Mission House, help anchor the trail, which runs from the headwaters of the Housatonic in Dalton, Massachusetts, along the winding Housatonic to Kent, Connecticut.To learn more about the places to visit and pending action in Congress to designate this a National Heritage Area, visit www.upperhousatonicheritage.org, and the African American Trail website at www.uhvafamtrail.org.

“

…if one minute’s freedom had been offered to me…

I would have taken it – just to stand one minute in God’s airth, a free woman…

”

© TTOR ARCHIVES

Not long after this, the 1780 Massachusetts Constitution was read aloud in the streets and when Bett heard the proclamation “all men are born free and equal, and have certain natural,

Mumbet was as resourceful as she was brave. During Shays’ Rebellion, when outraged farmers were looting and burning the

Now that you know some of Mumbet’s story, gentle reader, you will surely want to visit the Ashley House in Sheffield, which

homes of the “ruffled shirts,” as they called the aristocrats, Judge Sedgwick moved his family to safety and left the servants in charge of the house. Mumbet hid the family’s jewelry and silver

now belongs to The Trustees of Reservations. You will enjoy its country setting and its wood-paneled rooms and elegant furnish-

plate in a large oaken chest, under her mother’s dress and the silks and chintzes she dearly loved to wear. One day, a gang of rebels burst into the house looking for valuables, and when they reached Bett’s small room and spotted her locked chest at the foot of the bed, they ordered her to open it. Undaunted, she cried out, “You and your men are no better than I thought. You

NEW

YOR

K

call me ‘wench’ and ‘nigger’ and you are not above rummaging through my chest.” When she shouted defiantly, “You will have to break it open to do it,” the men “slunk away” like whipped curs.

When she was on her deathbed, the doctor asked her if she was afraid to meet her God, and she replied, “No, sir. I am not afeard. I have tried to do my duty, and I am not afeard!” After Naumkeag

Goose Pond

Mission House

Mumbet’s death in 1829, Catharine praised “her strong love of justice,” her “incorruptible integrity,” and her “intelligent industry,” as well as other virtues. “I do not believe that any amount of

Tyringham Cobble

Monument Mtn.

temptation could have induced Mumbet to swerve from truth.

She knew nothing of the compromises of timidity or the over-

McLennan Ashintully Gardens

The Ashley House in Sheffield, circa 1925, before restoration – home to Colonel John Ashley and Mumbet, “the slave who ended slavery in Massachusetts.”

ings, secure in the knowledge that the remarkable woman who cleaned and polished the wide pine-board floors you will walk on in this handsome colonial home was the heroic Elizabeth Freeman, or “Mumbet.”

Dr. Laurie Robertson-Lorant is author of Melville: A Biography (1996 and 1998) and The Man Who Lived Among the Cannibals: Poems in the Voice of Herman Melville (2005). She is a Full-Time Visiting Lecturer in the Education Department at UMass Dartmouth.

F O R MO RE O N MU MBET Sedgwick, Catharine Maria. Slavery in New England, Bentley’s Miscellany, Vol. XXXIV. London: Richard Bentley, New Burlington Street, 1853.

Online text available at the Sedgwick Society’s website: www.salemstate.edu/imc/sedgwick.

Sedgwick, Catharine Maria. The Power of Her Sympathy: The Autobiography and Journal of Catharine Maria Sedgwick. Edited and with an Introduction by Mary Kelley. Boston:The Massachusetts Historical Society, 1993.

wrought conscientiousness of bigotry. Truth was her nature – the offspring of courage and loyalty.”

RIGHT :

Dry Hill

us a Ho

Elizabeth Freeman’s headstone in the Sedgwick family plot in Stockbridge, a stop along the Upper Housatonic Valley African American Heritage Trail, along with the Ashley House.

ic Ri ton

© TTOR

Bartholomew’s Cobble

C O N N EC T IC U

Trustees’ properties Other heritage sites

ver

Colonel John Ashley House

Questing

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SpecialPLACES | SUMMER 2006

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© S. TRUDEL / TTOR

LAND CONSERVATION

LEFT : The

Better beach management will mean less litter, removal of rusty fence posts, and clear signage and fencing for vehicle traffic. An around-the-clock ranger presence will also protect the peace and quiet, something that was often disturbed on the “no-man’s land” that was Norton Point. “We all share this place. People can fish, picnic, and enjoy swimming in the ocean surf,” says Chris Kennedy, Regional Director of The Trustees’ Islands Management Region. “But a beach that’s welcoming for all of us in the day time is not a place where people can party around a bonfire all night.”

The management change is welcome by many who frequent the beach. Says Pam Dolby, Executive Assistant for the Edgartown Board of Selectmen, “We know what we’re getting because we can see how The Trustees run their other beaches. They’re friendly and welcoming. Sure, they have rules, but we look forward to some rules to protect the beach.”

…secure for your children and your children’s children some of these scenes of special natural beauty which are still to be found…

- CHARLES ELIOT, FOUNDER OF THE TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS

catch of the day.

Surfcaster volunteers and Trustees staff remove rusting fence posts and miles of line from Norton Point on Martha’s Vineyard.

Anne Donovan is Communications Director for The Trustees of Reservations.

© TTOR

ABOVE :

A Community Call to Order at Norton Point

By Anne Donovan T H E L A S T S T R AW WA S T H E R U S T E D F E N C E P O S T S .

That was what finally stirred the Martha’s Vineyard Surfcasters Association to take up the cause of Norton Point – a two-mile sandy beach on Martha’s Vineyard that connects Edgartown to Chappaquiddick.

“The beach is a great recreational area. We use it to fish and access Chappy,” explains Ron Domurat, Treasurer of the Association, whose mission is to encourage the sport of surfcasting and uphold sound conservation practices. “But it

New

management

gives new life to a favorite beach.

What’s Good for the Plover…

A big part of beach management is helping people share the space with wildlife. Norton Point is home to rare birds, including piping plovers, which are protected under state and federal guidelines. For about a month starting around the end of May, vehicles must be kept clear of the plover nesting sites scratched out of the sand. Once the eggs hatch, vehicles must stay at least 100 meters away from the very mobile chicks. On a narrow beach like Norton Point, that means closing the entire beach to vehicles. But what’s good for the plover is also good for the would-be driver. It takes about one month to raise a plover chick – and when adults lose their

if you have planned a legacy for the trustees, please let us know so that we may welcome you to the semper virens society.

nest, they start over.

“The best thing we can do is to protect the birds early,” says The Trustees’ Chris Kennedy. “That way, we may be able to open the beach by mid-July, rather than keep it closed the whole summer season, like it has been in the past.”

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© S. LAPIDES / LYMAN RESERVE,

Rules Rule

was a mess and it was time for a change.” So, the Surfcasters contacted an organization they thought could help: The Trustees.

The Surfcasters’ concern was how to put more resources toward management and maintenance when Dukes County, which owns and operates the beach, has so many other pressing priorities. “The County tried very hard to manage the beach,” says Jane Varkonda of the Edgartown Parks Department, “but they just didn’t have the manpower.”

After more than a year of meetings, The Trustees and the County struck a deal on March 31 – just in time to get beach management plans in place for this year. The Trustees will take over the responsibility for beach management from the County, which will continue to own the property. “We have great hopes this partnership will be successful for both The Trustees and the County, but especially for the residents of Martha’s Vineyard,” says Winn Davis, County Manager.

for further information please contact: Advancement Office 572 Essex Street Beverly, MA 01915 tel 978.921.1944 x1841 email plannedgiving@ttor.org www.thetrustees.org/pg.cfm ■

YOUR INQUIRY IS CONFIDENTIAL AND DOES NOT OBLIGATE YOU IN ANY WAY.

THE TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS

SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN

Five Summer Interludes

978.921.1944

2 Fiddles (and More!) among the Flowers N AU M K E AG

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Prospect Hill Road, Stockbridge

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413.298.3239 x3000

Naumkeag is renowned for its gorgeous Afternoon Garden, and with beautiful music playing, this spectacular spot truly sings. Enjoy performances by classical guitarist Jon Suters, harpist Teresa Mango, the Berkshire Fiddlers (ages 9-14), and more. Sundays from July 2-July 30 | 2-3PM. Members: FREE. Nonmembers: Adult $10; Child (6-12) $3 (children under 6 are FREE). Includes tour of house.

3 Rockin’ on the Music Court FRANCIS WILLIAM BIRD PARK Washington Street,Walpole

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Hingham resident Mary Mulkerin Donius is a freelance writer and member of The Trustees of Reservations.

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508.668.6136

The Ballou Brothers blend classic and southern rock ’n’ roll to kick off this summer’s concert series. Enjoy refreshments sold by the Friends of Bird Park, who bring in these top-notch bands.Also catch big band, orchestra, and jazz musicians, and a show tailor-made for children. Ballou Brothers, Saturday, June 17 | 4-7PM. FREE.

4 Children Should Be Seen, and Heard!

Clare Walker Leslie’s book Keeping a Nature Journal: Discover a

W I L L I A M C U L L E N B RYA N T H O M E S T E A D

Whole New Way of Seeing the World Around You won the 2004

Bryant Road, Cummington

John Borrough’s Award for nature literature for young readers.

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413.634.2244

Bring a blanket and the whole family for an afternoon of exquisite chamber music performed from the Homestead’s lovely front porch by the talented teens of Greenwood Music Camp. Sunday, July 30 | 3-4:30PM. FREE. © TTOR

Donovan McGrath, age 6.

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5 Time-Travel to the Tune of Folk Music TH E O L D M A N S E

© K. WOLLENSAK

ILLUSTRATIONS : Ellen

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Pack a picnic supper and head to Castle Hill for the quintessential summertime concert series.As the sun sets, gather on the lawn that rolls to the sea and jam to Crazy Maggy, Jah Spirit, Entrain, and more. Thursdays, July 6-August 24 | 7-9PM. Members: $15 per car. Nonmembers: $20 per car. Tickets available at gate only.

© TTOR

the beach, or in your own backyard, consider recording what you see as a way to connect to the world around you.

That’s the advice of Clare Walker Leslie, a naturalist, author, and teacher who has made a career of combining the study of nature and art in nature journals. “It only takes a pencil, and some paper,” she says. “You’ll train yourself to see so much more.”

Leslie was inspired to keep a nature journal in 1974 by reading Rachel Carson’s classic book, A Sense of Wonder. Children, she says, are especially open to drawing and labeling what they see in the workshops she runs at schools all over the country.

Artistic talent is not a requirement.

“I don’t care what the pictures look like,” she says. “They can be very simple. I just want kids to draw what they see.” In her workshops Leslie doesn’t talk about rainforests or the Arctic, she’s more interested in what's just outside the window.

Everyone knows that children today are less connected to the land, that they spend more time indoors with electronics than ever before. The good news is that even the youngest children know more about their environment than you might think, and are interested in learning more.

290 Argilla Road, Ipswich

© T. KATES

N E X T T I M E YO U TA K E A WA L K I N T H E WO O D S , A L O N G

C ASTLE HILL, THE CRANE ESTAT E

© TTOR

By Mary Mulkerin Donius

1 Eat, Dance, Be Merry

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269 Monument Street, Concord

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978.369.3909

Folk musicians celebrating different places and eras transport you back in time at the Manse, one-time home to Nathaniel Hawthorne and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Bring a seat and a picnic and let musicians serenade you while the Concord River flows past. Or soak up the music while you stroll on historic footpaths to the North Bridge, where the American Revolution began.

Sundays from July 9-August 27 | 2-4PM. FREE. © TTOR

Ready, Set, Draw

“They are aware that flowers are blooming, or that there was a skunk in their backyard,” Leslie says, “but they don’t get an opportunity to talk about it.”

The notion that nature journals are just for kids is a mistake, she says. Parents and elders can get just as much out of it. As Leslie says, “If we don’t connect to nature, then how do we protect it? Nobody was aware of the importance of wetlands and barrier beaches in New Orleans and look what happened there.”

Leslie’s advice to parents is to arm kids with notebooks, pencils, and maybe even some watercolors and take them out for a “nature treasure hunt.” Record the date, the time, the weather, and where the sun is in the sky. Then start exploring. How many different kinds of trees can you find? How many types of insects?

Animals, rocks, and moss are all fair game.

In her school workshops, Walker is fine with simple drawings, stick figures will do, but she’s a stickler for details. “If the insect has six legs, I insist they draw six legs,” she says. She also helps the children label what they see as accurately as possible.

But for parents who themselves may not know the difference between a crow and a mockingbird, labeling is not so important.

However, curiosity may lead you to pick up an inexpensive field guide, ask a park ranger, or go to the library.

After more than 30 years of nature journaling, Leslie is still surprised at what she sees. Last year, while conducting a school workshop, she discovered a praying mantis, something she had not seen in years. “I spent 10 minutes drawing it,” she says. “The kids and I were so excited.”

5

SUMMER EVENTS!

Daily, May 29-October 9 | 9AM-5PM

Poucha Pond Self-Guided Discovery Tour CAPE POGE WILDLIFE REFUGE, CHAPPAQUIDDICK 508.627.3599

Reap the benefits of Trustees membership as you paddle through Poucha Pond at your own pace with a self-guided trail map in hand.

Members only. $25 for 4 hours, $35 for 8 hours (per canoe or kayak). Special membership offer available.

JUNE THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2006

Find more to do online – visit us at www.thetrustees.org

been shaped by the hands of humans and the forces of nature. Leaves from special toursonly parking area at the off-season entrance gate at the end of Deep Bottom Road.

Members: Adult $15. Child (15 and under) $10.

Nonmembers: Adult $20; Child (15 and under) $10.

Wednesdays in July & August | Call for times

Garden Volunteer Days MYTOI GARDEN, CHAPPAQUIDDICK 508.627.3599

Daily, June-October | 1-2PM Daily, May 29-October 9 | 9AM-5PM ( QUEST TAKES 3 HOURS )

CONSERVATION WORKS!

Cape Poge Quest

Saturday, October 28

CAPE POGE WILDLIFE REFUGE,

Join us for our annual volunteer day.

There is something for everyone and no one is too small to pitch in.

Look for details in the next issue of Special Places.

A remarkable journey awaits as you search by oversand vehicle through 516 acres of wildlife refuge on a treasure hunt for the quest box.

Reservation and oversand vehicle permit required. Materials available at Chappaquiddick Gatehouses. FREE to OSV permit holders.

GREAT POINT LIGHTHOUSE, COSKATA-COATUE

CHAPPAQUIDDICK 508.627.3599

WILDLIFE REFUGE, NANTUCKET 508.228.6799

FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES…

The lighthouse is open! Trustees members are invited to climb the Great Point Lighthouse and enjoy the view, while learning about this historic structure.Transportation to Great Point is not provided. Members only. FREE.

Explore the Shore

Daily, June-October | 9:30AM & 1:30PM (Tour takes 2.5 hours)

Natural History Tours * TRANSPORTATION

COSKATA-COATUE WILDLIFE REFUGE,

FROM THE FERRY IS AVAILABLE IF YOU REGISTER IN ADVANCE .

© TTOR

CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS

NANTUCKET 508.228.6799

A naturalist will guide you on this oversand vehicle ride through Coskata-Coatue. Discover the human history and natural wonders of Nantucket’s most expansive salt marsh.

Members: Adult $30; Child (12 and under) $15.

Nonmembers: Adult $40; Child (12 and under) $15.

Daily, May 29-October 9 | 9AM, 12PM, & 2PM ( TOUR

LASTS 1.5 HOURS )

Cape Poge Lighthouse Tour* CAPE POGE WILDLIFE REFUGE,

Menemsha Hills Quest MENEMSHA HILLS RESERVATION, CHILMARK 508.693.7662

Discover the many treasures of Menemsha Hills during a fun self-guided family treasure hunt. Materials available at Menemsha Hills entrance bulletin board. FREE. Daily, May 29-October 9 | 9AM & 2PM ( TOUR

TAKES 2.5 HOURS )

Cape Poge Natural History Tour* CAPE POGE WILDLIFE REFUGE, CHAPPAQUIDDICK 508.627.3599

Join this oversand vehicle journey across Chappaquiddick’s sandy barrier beaches and through rare maritime forests. Enjoy birding, beachcombing, and the sights from the Cape Poge Lighthouse. Members: Adult $30; Child (15 and under) $15. Nonmembers: Adult $35; Child (15 and under) $18.

CHAPPAQUIDDICK 508.627.3599

Learn the art of surf casting and the life histories of some amazing fish. Our accomplished fishing naturalist will lead you by oversand vehicle across legendary fishing beaches. Members only: Adult $60; Child (15 and under) $25.

Special membership offer available.

v 14

THE TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS

Paddle into the Night ISLANDS MANAGEMENT REGION 508.693.7662

Daily, May 29-October 9 | 8:30AM & 1:30PM ( TOUR TAKES 4 HOURS ) CAPE POGE WILDLIFE REFUGE,

Volunteers needed!

Come create unforgettable memories as your children get their hands wet, sandy, and sometimes slimy through seaside exploration.

FREE with admission to property.

Wednesdays and Saturdays in July & August 2-2:30PM LONG POINT WILDLIFE REFUGE,WEST TISBURY

Summer Season (May 26-September 4)

At Long Cove Pond

Camp at Tully Lake!

Thursdays in July | 1:30-2PM

TULLY LAKE CAMPGROUND,

CAPE POGE WILDLIFE REFUGE,

ROYALSTON 978.249.4957

CHAPPAQUIDDICK

At East Beach Bathing Beach Thursdays in August | 1:30-2PM WASQUE RESERVATION, CHAPPAQUIDDICK

On the forested shores of Tully Lake, enjoy walk-in tent-only camp sites and exceptional hiking, biking, and paddling opportunities. Call for rates and reservations.

SUMMER KAYAK TRIPS

Journey by oversand vehicle, drink in the views from atop the lighthouse, and learn of the men who watched over Cape Poge waters for nearly 150 years. Members: Adult $15; Child (15 and under) $10. Nonmembers: Adult $20; Child (15 and under) $12.

Fishing Discovery Tour*

ISLANDS MANAGEMENT REGION 508.693.7662

At Wasque Bathing Beach

CHAPPAQUIDDICK 508.627.3599

© TTOR

Daily, April-December | Sunrise-Sunset ( QUEST TAKES 3 HOURS )

Spend some time caring for the only public Japanese-style garden on the Islands. FREE.

© R. HEATH

S AV E T H E D AT E

Open Lighthouse

v

Daily, May 29-October 9 | 9AM & 2PM ( TOUR LASTS 2.5 HOURS )

Wildlife Canoe /Kayak Tour* CAPE POGE WILDLIFE REFUGE, CHAPPAQUIDDICK 508.627.3599

Paddle through the marine habitats of Chappaquiddick with a naturalist and learn how we affect the animals and plants that call Cape Poge Bay home.

Members: Adult $30; Child (15 and under) $15. Nonmembers: Adult $35; Child (15 and under) $18. Special membership offer available.

Discover the beauty as the light of day turns to night on the water.Weather permitting.

Pre-registration required, space is very limited.

Members: Adult $40; Child $25.

Nonmembers: Adult $45; Child $28.

Saturday, June 10; Monday, July 10; & Tuesday, August 8 | 6:30-8:30PM CAPE POGE WILDLIFE REFUGE, CHAPPAQUIDDICK

Tuesday, July 11;Wednesday, August 9; & Friday, September 8 | 6:30-8:30PM

JULY SNORKELING

Submerged Adventures CAPE POGE WILDLIFE REFUGE, CHAPPAQUIDDICK 508.627.3599

Come see what’s under the sea. Masks and snorkels provided. Pre-registration required, space is very limited. Meet at Dike Bridge.

Tuesdays, July 11, 18, & 25 3:30-4:30PM Parent/guardian must attend.

Members: Child $10. Nonmembers: Child $15.

AGE 6-13

Thursdays in July | 3:30-5:30PM Members: $20. Nonmembers: $25.

ADULT

LONG POINT WILDLIFE REFUGE,WEST TISBURY

Wednesday, August 16 | 5:30-7:30PM Daily, June 15-September 4 | 8:30AM, 11AM, and 1:30PM ( TOUR LASTS 1.5 HOURS )

Great Goldfish Release

Wildlife Discovery Tour

Bring the family to Mytoi for goldfish games, goldfish puzzles, and of course the great goldfish release! Meet at Mytoi. FREE

LONG POINT WILDLIFE REFUGE, WEST TISBURY 508.693.7392

Kayak through Tisbury Great Pond, witness this timeless landscape, and discover how it’s

CENTRAL REGION Throughout Summer | TBA

Summer Programs at the Campground TULLY LAKE CAMPGROUND, ROYALSTON 978.249.4957

While at Tully, enjoy nature and recreational programs offered by The Trustees, Athol Bird and Nature Club, and the US Army Corps.

See our website for updates.

MYTOI GARDEN, CHAPPAQUIDDICK 508.693.7662

SpecialPLACES | SUMMER 2006

15

GREATER BOSTON

Open through October 31 Mondays-Saturdays | 10AM-5PM (EXCEPT HOLIDAYS) Sundays & Holidays | 12-5PM (LAST TOUR BY 4:30PM)

Saturday, June 10 | 12-2PM

Meet Henry Thoreau THE OLD MANSE, CONCORD 978.369.3909

Go back to 1847 and chat with Henry David Thoreau at the Old Manse. Discuss his new book, his boat, and his buddy, Nathaniel Hawthorne. FREE.

The Old Manse in History THE OLD MANSE, CONCORD 978.369.3909

© COURTESY OF THE PEABODY ESSEX MUSEUM

Saturdays, June 10, July 8, & August 12, September 9 | 10AM -12:30PM

Paddling Back in Time THE OLD MANSE, CONCORD 978.369.3909

Take a guided trip down the Concord River to the Old Manse to see what inspired Emerson, Thoreau, and Hawthorne. Bring your own canoe or kayak or rent one here (available with advanced registration). Reservations and pre-payment required. Members: Adult $8; Child $5. Nonmembers: Adult $16; Child $10.

Visit the centerpiece of Concord’s political, social, and literary revolutions.

Explore the Manse’s role as inspiration for its famous inhabitants, Emerson and Hawthorne. Members: FREE. Nonmembers: Adult $8; Senior/Student $7; Child $5.

Sundays, May 14-October 8 | 1-5PM Wednesdays, June-August | 2-4PM

The Stevens-Coolidge House Guided Tours THE STEVENS-COOLIDGE PLACE, NORTH ANDOVER 978.682.3580

Step back in time and learn how the Coolidges transformed a family farm into a bucolic summer estate. House features original collections, murals, and unique garden glimpses. (Groups by appointment for guided house and/or garden tours.) Members: FREE. Nonmembers: Adult $8; Children (6-12)/Students $5. Grounds are FREE, 8AM-sunset.

508.668.6136

Enjoy free music on the lawn. Refreshments sold by the Friends of Francis William Bird Park benefit park restoration efforts. Bring blankets/chairs. FREE. Saturday, June 17 | 4-7PM The Ballou Brothers Band (Rhythm and Blues) August and September | Check our website or call for dates and times

Saturday & Sunday, July 29 & 30 | 5-7:30PM

Floral Inspiration at the Bradley Estate

Shakespeare in the Park

THE BRADLEY ESTATE, CANTON 781.401.3285

508.668.6136

Explore the fabulous world of flowers and get decorating ideas for outdoor ceremonies, parties, and weddings. Please pre-register.

Members: FREE. Nonmembers: $5.

Presented by the Gazebo Players of Medfield, As You Like It will bring our historic stage to life. Bring a picnic and blankets/chairs. FREE.

The Gardener’s Tale BRADLEY ESTATE, CANTON 781.821.2996

From the formal garden to the kitchen garden and everything in between, see the Bradley Estate through the eyes of those who care for it year-round. Please pre-register. FREE. Sunday, June 18 | 2PM THE OLD MANSE, CONCORD 978.369.3909

Celebrate Father’s Day looking back on residents of the Manse.What were Nathaniel and Sophia Hawthorne like as parents? Ralph Waldo Emerson as a child? Please pre-register.

Members: Adult $6; Child $4. Nonmembers: Adult $12; Child $8. One adult FREE with each paid child’s admission.

Illyria Remembered: The Crane Pacific Expedition, 1928-29

978.921.1944

APPLETON FARMS, IPSWICH/HAMILTON

The fields of Appleton Farms are one of New England’s largest breeding sites for grassland birds including bobolinks and rare eastern meadowlarks. Meet at Waldingfield Street parking area. Please pre-register. Members: FREE. Nonmembers: $5.

THE GREAT HOUSE AT THE CRANE ESTATE, IPSWICH 978.921.1944

Aboard his yacht Illyria, Cornelius Crane set out on an anthropological expedition to the South Seas.The exhibit contains a unique collection of photographs and memorabilia.

Members: FREE. Nonmembers: $5 parking fee.

Thursdays, June 15, July 20, & August 17 3-4:30PM

Meet the Cows

Glimpse the Good Life at the Great House

Paine House Guided Tours

GREAT FUN FOR FAMILIES

GREENWOOD FARM, IPSWICH 978.356.4351

APPLETON FARMS, IPSWICH/HAMILTON

Discover this 1694 house on its original saltwater farm location, and enjoy surrounding walking trails.Tours focus on architectural

978.921.1944

Take a guided tour this 1928 mansion and see

Welcome calves! Meet heifers and cows in their pasture.Visit the dairy barn and see where our milk comes from. Pre-registration required, space is limited. Directions sent to registrants. Members: Adult $5; Family $10.

Nonmembers: Adult $10; Family $15.

FRANCIS WILLIAM BIRD PARK, EAST WALPOLE

Saturdays, June 17, July 15*, August 19, & September 16 | 10AM-2PM (SHUTTLE BOAT DEPARTS AT 10AM)

Saturday, August 19 | 10AM -5PM

Choate Island Journey

The Old Manse and the Civil War

MEET AT THE CRANE BEACH GATE, IPSWICH

Annual Ice Cream Social Celebration

THE OLD MANSE, CONCORD 978.369.3909

978.921.1944

FRANCIS WILLIAM BIRD PARK, EAST WALPOLE

Join the 8th annual Civil War encampment reenactment with crafts, games, and drilling and firing demonstrations. Also enjoy the ice cream social. Suggested donation: $2/person or $10/family. (Additional charge for ice cream.)

Step on Choate Island and step back in time.

Our preservation of farm buildings and fields reveals centuries of agricultural life. Bring a picnic.

Pre-registration required (online registration preferred at www.craneestate.org), space is limited.

Members:Adult $14. Nonmembers:Adult $20.

Music, storytelling, old-fashioned games and, of course, ice cream sundaes are all on the menu to celebrate the beginning of summer!

Bring a chair or blanket. FREE.

Friday, September 15 | 10AM -1PM Saturday, July 8 | 12-4PM

Meet Signal Hill on the Neponset

Waiting with Thoreau

SIGNAL HILL, CANTON 781.784.0567 X7000

THE OLD MANSE, CONCORD 978.369.3909

Come canoe one of our newest reservations.

Some canoes (and instruction) will be provided

by Blue Hill Adventure, or bring your own craft!

Rain or shine. Please pre-register. Members only.

FREE.

Join Henry Thoreau as he readies the Manse as his gift for newlyweds Nathaniel and Sophia Hawthorne, due to arrive the next day. FREE.

Growing Up at the Old Manse

Rare Grassland Birds

Saturday, June 24 | 4-6:30PM

508.668.6136

Saturday, June 17 & Tuesday, June 20 | 9:30AM

Saturday, June 10 | 7:30-9:30AM Wednesdays & Thursdays, May 31-October 5 10AM -4PM

Sundays, July 9-August 27 | 2-4PM

Music at the Manse THE OLD MANSE, CONCORD 978.369.3909

A perennial favorite, these old-fashioned lawn concerts feature a mix of folk music from different periods and places. Bring a seat, a picnic, and a friend. FREE.

© T. KATES

FRANCIS WILLIAM BIRD PARK, EAST WALPOLE

Tuesday, June 20 | 6-7:30PM

construction, archaeology, and the Colonial Revival. (Group tours available on other dates by appointment.) Members: FREE. Nonmembers: Adult $8; Child (6-12)/Students $5. Grounds are FREE.

Sundays, June 4-October 8 | 1-5PM

IPSWICH 978.921.1944

Concerts at the Music Court

how the Cranes, together with their architects and landscape architects, transformed their seaside summer property into a national treasure. Members: FREE. Nonmembers: Adults $10; Child/Senior/Student $8.

Wednesdays & Thursdays, May 31-October 5 and Columbus Day, October 9 | 10AM-4PM

THE GREAT HOUSE AT THE CRANE ESTATE,

Through the Summer

16

NORTHEAST REGION

Tuesday, June 27 | 10AM -12PM

Propagation by Cuttings Workshop LONG HILL, BEVERLY 978.921.1944

Throughout the Summer and Early Fall

Historic Landscape Tours of Castle Hill THE CRANE ESTATE, IPSWICH 978.921.1944

Explore the grounds of this seaside summer estate and see the designs of landscape architects Olmsted Bros. and Arthur Shurcliff. Comfortable footwear/water bottle recommended. Members: FREE. Nonmembers: $5 parking fee.

Grow Long Hill’s signature plants from your own cuttings. Experienced propagators demonstrate setting up a propagation box, caring for growing plants, and transplanting. Materials provided.

(Bring your own pruners if you wish.)

Members: $25. Nonmembers: $35.

DATES ABOVE WITH * ARE DURING GREENHEAD FLY SEASON .

Wednesdays & Thursdays, May 31-October 5 | 11:15AM -12:45PM Meet at the Great House east terrace.

Saturdays (bi-weekly on first and third week of the month), June 3-September 30 10-11:45AM Meet at lower parking lot by barn complex.

THE TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS

|

www.thetrustees.org

SpecialPLACES | SUMMER 2006

17

Thursdays, July 6-August 24 | 7-9PM

Tuesday, August 29 | 10AM

Saturday, June 24 | 7-9PM

Thursday, July 6 | 9AM-12PM

Picnic Concerts

Uncommon Lilacs: Species and their Cultivars

Summer Solstice by Candlelight

Little Farmers

SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS BIORESERVE,

AGE 4

LONG HILL, BEVERLY 978.921.1944

FALL RIVER 508.679.2115

WEIR RIVER FARM, HINGHAM 781.740.4796

Learn about lilacs at this lecture by experts Evie King and Roger Coggeshall. Discover lilacs with graceful form, good fall color, heavenly scent, gorgeous blossoms, and mildew resistance.

Members: $20. Nonmembers: $30.

Celebrate the official arrival of summer and the quiet beauty of Copicut Woods at twilight with a candlelit walk down Miller Lane. Please pre-register. FREE.

Introduce your preschooler to life on the farm with this one-day, drop-off program. Please pre-register. Members: $25. Nonmembers: $30.

Pack a picnic and your dancing shoes and bring the family for an evening of great entertainment on Castle Hill’s seaside lawn under the stars.

Members: $15 per car. Nonmembers: $20 per car.

Tickets available at gate only. Concerts will be cancelled in severe weather. Call for last-minute update.

July 6 | Grupo Fantasia

SOUTHEAST REGION

July 13 | Crazy Maggy July 20 | Roundabout

Sundays, July 9, August 13, & September 10 | 3-5PM

Farmstead Tour APPLETON FARMS, IPSWICH/HAMILTON 978.921.1944

Walk along the meadows, planted fields, and cattle-grazing pastures of one of New England’s oldest working farms.Visit historic buildings and the dairy (ordinarily closed to the public).

Meet at Waldingfield Road parking area. Please pre-register. Members: FREE. Nonmembers: $5.

ABOVE :

1909 Haying Homefield at Appleton Farms.

Fridays through Summer | 9:30-10:30AM

July 27 | Back Eddy Bluegrass

Senior Walking Club

August 3 | Jah Spirit

WORLD’S END, HINGHAM 781.740.6665

Join other seniors for a stroll of beautiful World’s End every Friday. All ages and abilities welcome.Walks take place rain or shine. FREE.

August 10 | Entrain August 17 | Orange Crush August 24 | Orville Giddings Band

Thursdays, June 29, July 27, & August 31 8 -10AM

Monday, July 3 | 5-10PM (Rain Date:Tuesday, July 4)

Wildlife on the Neck GREAT FUN FOR FAMILIES

Independence Day Concert & Fireworks

CRANE BEACH AT THE CRANE ESTATE, IPSWICH

GRAND ALLEE, CASTLE HILL ON THE CRANE

978.921.1944

ESTATE, IPSWICH 978.921.1944

See Castle Neck through the eyes of a naturalist and enhance your own wildlife observation skills. General beach admission applies. Meet at the Crane Beach Visitor Services Area.

Members: FREE. Nonmembers: Adult $5.

Online registration at www.craneestate.org.

Celebrate our nation’s independence with a concert and fireworks at Castle Hill with activities for all ages. Members: Adult $10, Child $5. Nonmembers: Adult $20, Child $10. Tickets available in advance, online, or at the gate (online registration preferred at www.craneestate.org).

Gates open at 3PM for picnicking; activities begin at 5PM.

Saturdays, July 1, August 5, September 2 1-3PM

Pinnacle to Pinnacle APPLETON FARMS, IPSWICH/HAMILTON

Sundays, July 9*, August 13, & September 10 8-10AM

978.921.1944

Marsh Meander

Stroll through designed landscapes completed by the Appleton family in the early 1900s and visit the four pinnacles that formerly adorned Harvard’s Gore Hall Library. Meet at Highland Street parking area. Please pre-register.

Members: FREE. Nonmembers: $5.

THE CRANE ESTATE, IPSWICH 978.921.1944

Enjoy a morning stroll along the marsh where shipbuilding ruins and historic cranberry bogs reveal bygone times. Meet at the Inn at Castle Hill Gate. Members: Adult $8. Nonmembers: Adult $10. Online registration at www.craneestate.org.

S AV E T H E DAT E S !

Saturday, September 16 | 11AM -3PM ( RAIN

DATE : SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 )

Family Picnic Day at Long Hill Sunday, September 24 | 10AM -3PM ( RAIN

OR SHINE )

6th Annual Family Farm Day at Appleton Farms

AGE 6

July 10-14 | 9AM -12PM or 1-4PM

Outdoor Story Hour

AGE 7

July 31-August 4 | 9AM-12PM or 1-4PM

Barnyard stories come to life when your child gets to meet the main characters.

Members: FREE. Nonmembers: $3.

Ipswich Birds over the Centuries

Calling all future scientists. Your help is needed to explore the history and habitats of World’s End, a great summer adventure. Pre-registration began April 6, please call for availability. Members: $120. Nonmembers: $150.

Lend a hand around the farm.Young farmers will get the chance to get their hands dirty while making new connections with friends, animals, and this magical place. Pre-registration began April 6, please call for availability. Members: $120. Nonmembers: $150.

Wednesdays, June-August | 10-11AM WEIR RIVER FARM, HINGHAM 781.740.7233

Wednesday, August 16 | 7:30PM

WORLD’S END, HINGHAM 781.740.4796

WEIR RIVER FARM, HINGHAM 781.740.4796

June 26-30 | 9AM -12PM or 1-4PM

Make-a-Trough Workshop For a new garden accent – try a trough. After a demonstration, create a lightweight, weatherproof, stone trough great for perennials, dwarf shrubs, and alpines. Registrants will be sent a list of common household items to bring.

Fills quickly so register soon. Members: $25.

Nonmembers: $35.

Young Ecologists Summer Program

Farm Hands Summer Program

AGE 5

Tuesday, August 15 | 3:30-5:30PM LONG HILL, BEVERLY 978.921.1944

SUMMER SESSIONS FOR KIDS SUMMER SESSIONS FOR KIDS

Saturday, June 10 | 9-11AM

Biodiversity Day

AGE 8-10

AGE 5

August 14-18 | 9AM-12PM

AGE 6

August 21-25 | 9AM-12PM

AGE 7

July 17-21 | 9AM-12PM

AGE 8

July 24-28 | 9AM-12PM

August 7-11 | 9AM -12PM or 1-4PM

v

SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS BIORESERVE, FALL RIVER 508.679.2115

Protect biodiversity at the Bioreserve by helping us create a species list of flora and fauna as part of the state’s Biodiversity Days. Please pre-register. FREE.

THE GREAT HOUSE AT THE CRANE ESTATE, IPSWICH 978.921.1944

Renowned birder Jim Berry will offer an historical perspective on changing bird populations in a lecture featuring a number of Trustees’ properties. Members (and Ipswich Historical Society Members): FREE. Nonmembers: $5.

Saturday, August 19 | 8AM - 4PM (Rain date: August 20)

Sandblast! at Crane Beach

v

CRANE BEACH AT THE CRANE ESTATE, IPSWICH 978.921.1944

Join us for sun and fun at the annual Crane Beach Sand Sculpture Competition.This year’s theme is The Big Dig. Spectators welcome with regular beach admission. Advance Registration Fee (includes parking for one car): Member Team: $18. Nonmember Team: $29. Day of Registration Fee: $7/team + regular beach parking fees.

Advance registration strongly recommended. Online registration preferred at www.craneestate.org.

DATES ABOVE WITH * ARE DURING GREENHEAD FLY SEASON .

Sunday, June 11 | 7AM

Birding at Eastover Farm EASTOVER FARM, ROCHESTER 508.679.2115

Protecting farms protects habitat for grassland birds. Join Bill Gil of the Paskamansett Bird Club to explore one of The Trustees’ newest properties. FREE. Wednesday, June 21 | 6-8:30PM

Summer Solstice Celebration

v

© T. KATES

© TTOR ARCHIVES

THE CRANE ESTATE, IPSWICH 978.921.1944

WORLD’S END, HINGHAM 781.740.6665

Almost 40 years ago the people of Hingham generously raised funds to protect World’s End forever. Bring your family and a picnic for our annual “thank you” celebration complete with music, drinks, dessert, and a breathtaking sunset. Members: Adult $5. Nonmembers: Adult $10.

Children under 12 are FREE.

Saturdays through Fall | 12-3PM

Open Barnyard at Weir River Farm WEIR RIVER FARM, HINGHAM 781.740.7233

A hundred years ago, family farms were a common sight in Hingham. Come share The Trustees’ efforts to preserve one of the last examples in town. Members: FREE. Nonmembers: $3.

19

Saturday, July 15 | 9-11AM

Butterflies of the Bioreserve

Fridays-Sundays (AND MONDAY HOLIDAYS), June 23-September 4 | 1-5PM Saturdays & Sundays (AND MONDAY HOLIDAYS), September 9-October 9 | 1-5PM

SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS BIORESERVE, FALL RIVER 508.679.2115

Sunday, September 10 | 1-3PM

The delicately beautiful butterfly plays an important role in ecosystem health. Get a closeup look with Mark Mello from the Lloyd Center for Environmental Studies. Please pre-register. FREE.

I Spy

Frederick Law Olmsted, A Man with a Plan

BRYANT HOMESTEAD, CUMMINGTON 413.634.2244

Be a detective and discover the Homestead’s secrets on this self-guided walk using a hands-on “SPY PACK.” All children must be accompanied by an adult. Members: Child $4.

Nonmembers: Child $6.

WORLD’S END, HINGHAM Sunday, July 23 | 2-4PM

781.740.4796

Lyman Cottage Tour

Join Alan Banks of the Olmsted National Historic Site to see how the vision of famed landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted, has shaped the look and feel of World’s End. Please pre-register.

Members: FREE. Nonmembers: Admission to World’s End.

LYMAN RESERVE, BOURNE 508.679.2115

A six-generation love affair with a spring-fed brook resulted in a remarkable gift to the Trustees, known as the Lyman Reserve, a 19th-century fishing camp time forgot.

Please pre-register. FREE.

v

Music in the Garden Series

Guided house tours of this architectural gem built in 1966. Modern sculpture in the gardens.

Members: FREE. Nonmembers: Adult $5; Child (6-12) $3.

NAUMKEAG, STOCKBRIDGE 413.298.3239 X3000

© R. CHEEK

Poetry in the Country

BARTHOLOMEW’S COBBLE, SHEFFIELD 413.229.8600

413.298.3239 X3000

FALL RIVER 508.679.2115

Every old house has its secrets. Join historian Lyzann Harlow as she shares her research into the changes and alterations at the Mission House over the past 267 years. Space is limited.

Members: FREE. Nonmembers: Adult $6; Child $3.

Join naturalist Garry Plunkett to visit two of the rarer forest communities of the Bioreserve – a pitch pine forest and white cedar swamp.

Please pre-register. FREE. Saturday, August 26 | 9-11AM

Thursdays through October | 911:30AM

Bike the Bioreserve SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS BIORESERVE,

Volunteer Work Party

FALL RIVER 508.679.2115

v

BARTHOLOMEW’S COBBLE, SHEFFIELD

At 13,600 acres, the Bioreserve is hard to cover on foot, but on bike, the full size of this largescale protected landscape becomes clear.

Please pre-register. FREE.

413.229.8600

Help us clear the Cobble of invasive species and learn about our native plants. Fun for all.

Please call in advance. FREE.

Thursday, September 7 | 6:30-8PM

Saturday, June 17 | 10AM -12PM Sunday, July 9 & Saturday, August 19 1:30-3:30PM

Fall Program Registration WORLD ’ S END, WEIR RIVER FARM , NORRIS RESERVATION

Incredible Insects

HINGHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY, HINGHAM 781.740.4796

BARTHOLOMEW’S COBBLE, SHEFFIELD

Your first chance to register for our fall programs including Ecosplorations and Fall Outings.

Dates and times for programs will be listed in advance at www.thetrustees.org.

THE TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS

Quest Kickoff

THE MISSION HOUSE, STOCKBRIDGE

SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS BIORESERVE,

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Saturday, June 17 | 1-3:30PM

House Detective

Pine Barrens and Cedar Swamps

413.229.8600

A fun-filled search for beautiful, bountiful insects.

Strictly catch and release! Wear long pants and socks. Please pre-register. Members: $4; Family $12. Nonmembers: $6; Family $18. |

www.thetrustees.org

Finish your Bartholomew’s Cobble Quest – a treasure-hunt hike – with a special tour of the house where Mumbet lived. Quest clues and map available at Bartholomew’s Cobble Visitors’ Center. Members: FREE. Nonmembers: Adult $5; Child $3. Includes both the Cobble and the Ashley House.

Sundays in July | 2-3PM

Sunday, June 25 | 2-4PM

Thursdays in June | 1-2PM

HOUSE, SHEFFIELD 413.298.3239 X3000

FIELD FARM, WILLIAMSTOWN 413.298.3239 X3012

Citizen scientists needed to inventory dragonflies and butterflies of the Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area. All ages and experience levels welcome. Sponsored by Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area.

Drinks and snacks provided. Please pre-register, space is limited. FREE. Sunday, August 13 | 1-3PM

BARTHOLOMEW’S COBBLE AND THE ASHLEY

The Folly at Field Farm

WORLD’S END, HINGHAM 781.740.4796

WESTERN REGION

GREAT FOR FAMILIES

Saturdays, June 24-October 14 | 12-5PM

Sunday, July 23 | 9:30AM

Butterfly Blitz - Butterfly and Dragonfly Count

FOR KIDS 3-9

Saturday, July 1 & August 12 | 10AM-2PM

Quest for Mumbet

Fridays-Sundays (AND MONDAY HOLIDAYS), June 23-September 4 | 1-5PM Saturdays & Sundays (AND MONDAY HOLIDAYS), September 9-October 9 | 1-5PM

BRYANT HOMESTEAD, CUMMINGTON 413.634.2244

Celebrate the summer. In the bucolic surroundings that inspired William Cullen Bryant’s poetry, the Florence Poetry Society reads selections from their original poems.

Refreshments available. FREE.

Enjoy an hour of music in the beauty of the Afternoon Garden. Members: FREE. Nonmembers: Adult $10; Child (6-12) $3.

Includes tour of the house.

July 2 | Jon Suters on classical guitar July 9 | Sky Trio’s new instrumental music with elements of Celtic, jazz, and classical July 16 | Teresa Mango on the harp July 23 | Berkshire Fiddlers (ages 9-14) perform Irish and Scottish tunes July 30 | Performer to be announced

Sunday, June 25 | 1-2PM

Dinosaur Tracks

FOR KIDS

Mondays in July and August | 2-3PM

Help inaugurate our new “quest,” a self-guided treasure hunt that will take you back through time to the days of the Mohicans and the earliest European settlers. Learn about the “sport” of questing and make your own stamp for the book where the treasure hides. Please pre-register.

Members/Nonmembers: $3 for materials.

Tours of the William Cullen Bryant Homestead

Sundays, June 18, July 2-23, & August 6-27 8:30 -11:30AM Sundays, September 3-October 15 9AM-12PM Labor Day, September 4 | 9AM -12PM

Fridays-Sundays (AND MONDAY HOLIDAYS), June 23-September 4 | 1-5PM Saturdays & Sundays (AND MONDAY HOLIDAYS), September 9-October 9 | 1-5PM

Sundays, June 25 & July 30 | 9AM-2PM

Enjoy a guided walk through Naumkeag’s famed gardens and learn how they evolved over three decades of collaboration between Mabel Choate and landscape architect Fletcher Steele.

Members: FREE. Nonmembers: Adult $8; Child (6-12) $3. FREE with paid house tour (Adult: $10).

Canoe from Sheffield Covered Bridge to Bartholomew’s Cobble

Tuesdays in July and August | 11AM-12PM

413.229.8600

Housatonic Paddle

William Cullen Bryant: Traveler or Tourist?

BARTHOLOMEW’S COBBLE, SHEFFIELD

BRYANT HOMESTEAD, CUMMINGTON 413.634.2244

413.229.8600

Bryant made seven major trips abroad in the 1800s, but the Homestead was his most beloved place.This exhibit features artifacts, photos, and his reflections from these travels. FREE.

Paddle the winding Housatonic with a naturalist/ guide, explore varied habitats, and look for bald eagles, great blue herons, kingfishers, and bank swallows. Bring a hat, sunscreen, water, and binoculars.All other equipment is provided.

Please pre-register. Members: Adult $20; Child (10-16) $10. Nonmembers: Adult $30; Child (10-16) $15.

BRYANT HOMESTEAD, CUMMINGTON 413.634.2244

Take a guided tour of this National Historic Landmark, home of one of America’s foremost 19th-century poets,William Cullen Bryant.

Members: FREE. Nonmembers: Adult $5; Child $2.50.

DINOSAUR FOOTPRINTS, HOLYOKE 413.298.3239 X3000

Make tracks to our most “prehistoric” property to explore the myth and science of dinosaurs.

We’ll make dinosaur tracks with plaster, so dress appropriately. Please pre-register, limited to 15 children. FREE.

BARTHOLOMEW’S COBBLE, SHEFFIELD

Explore an extraordinarily scenic, 9-mile stretch of the Housatonic River with a naturalist/guide and experience the rich wildlife and local history.

Bring a picnic lunch. Minimum 7 participants.

Please pre-register. Members: Adult $40; Child (12-16) $25. Nonmembers: Adult $60; Child (12-16) $35.

Monday Afternoon in the Gardens NAUMKEAG, STOCKBRIDGE 413.298.3239 X3000

Barnyard and Breakfast Table: The Farm at Naumkeag NAUMKEAG, STOCKBRIDGE 413.298.3239 X3000

Venture beyond Naumkeag’s house and gardens to visit the barn (ordinarily closed to the public). Learn how the farm was an integral part of the Choate’s country estate.

Members: FREE. Nonmembers: Adult $8; Child (6-12) $3. FREE with paid house tour (Adult: $10).

SpecialPLACES | SUMMER 2006

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Sundays, July 16 & August 27 1:30-3:30PM

Wednesday, July 5 | 7-9PM

In Quest of the Eastern Cougar

Tuesday, July 18 | 7-9PM

Sunday, August 6 | 10AM -12PM

Saturday, August 19 | 10AM -12PM

Reptile Roundup

The Rest of the River – PCB Cleanup of the Housatonic South of Pittsfield

Gorge Discovery Day

Traveler’s Treasures

BARTHOLOMEW’S COBBLE, SHEFFIELD

FOR KIDS

BRYANT HOMESTEAD, CUMMINGTON

413.229.8600

BARTHOLOMEW’S COBBLE, SHEFFIELD

BARTHOLOMEW’S COBBLE, SHEFFIELD

CHESTERFIELD GORGE, WEST CHESTERFIELD

413.634.2244

413.229.8600

413.229.8600

413.298.3239 X3000

Join Tim Gray of The Housatonic River Initiative for a recap of the PCB cleanup in Pittsfield and a presentation on the prospects for the rest of the river. Please pre-register. Donations welcome.

See what we can find swimming, clinging, and growing both in and out of the Wild and Scenic Westfield River. Expect to get wet! Please pre-register, limited to 15 children. Members: FREE. Nonmembers: Adult $3; Child FREE.

Chandeliers, rugs, paintings, and other memorabilia from Bryant’s many 19th-century travels to exotic locales decorate the Homestead and are highlighted in this special tour.

Please pre-register, limit 12 people. Members: $5.

Nonmembers: $8.

Yoga and Hiking

Sunday, August 6 | 9:30AM

Saturday, August 19 | 10AM -1PM

NOTCHVIEW RESERVATION, WINDSOR

Hike into History: A Literary Picnic on Monument Mountain

Boreal Forest Fauna and Flora Trek

MONUMENT MOUNTAIN, GREAT BARRINGTON

413.298.3239 X3000

413.298.3239 X3000

Come experience a sub-boreal forest named after the Greek god of the north winds, “Boreas.” Learn about the plants and wildlife living in this damp, shady locale. Please pre-register. Members: FREE. Nonmembers: Adult $3; Child $1.

Join Robert Tougias, author of In Quest of the Eastern Cougar – A History of Survival or Extinction for a slide presentation, discussion, and book-signing. Please pre-register.

Members/Nonmembers: $5 contribution.

Saturday, July 8 | 10AM-12PM

Bugs! Bugs! Bugs!

FOR KIDS 6-11 BRYANT HOMESTEAD, CUMMINGTON 413.634.2244

Search fields and wetlands with a naturalist / guide to find snakes and turtles and learn about their habits and homes. Amphibians and other critters won’t be overlooked! Please pre-register.

Members: $4; Family $12. Nonmembers: $6; Family $18.

Sundays, July 23 & August 27 | 9-11AM

413.298.3239 X3000

Join instructor Sudha Carolyn Lundeen for a refreshing and active start to your Sunday.

Begin and end the hike with Yoga stretching, breathing techniques, and a nature meditation.

Please pre-register. Members: $2. Nonmembers: $5.

In the field, forest, and stream, see how many bugs you can find on this guided nature walk at the Homestead. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Members: Child $2.

Nonmembers: Child $4. (Adults accompanying children: FREE.)

Friday, July 28 | 6-9PM

The Garden Party at Naumkeag: Through the Moon Gate

Saturday, July 8 | 10:30AM-12PM

Live Birds of Prey with Tom Ricardi

NAUMKEAG, STOCKBRIDGE 413.298.3239 X3000

BARTHOLOMEW’S COBBLE, SHEFFIELD

Wildlife rehabilitator and former state wildlife biologist,Tom Ricardi, gives an up-close look and tells the life story of his hawks, falcons, owls, and bald eagles. Please pre-register.

Members: Adult $8; Child (4-16) $4.

Nonmembers: Adult $10: Child (4-16) $5.

Sunday, July 30 | 3-4:30PM

Sunday, July 9 | 10AM-12PM

Greenwood Music Camp Concert on the Lawn

Natural and Cultural History of the Gorge 413.298.3239 X3000

© R. CHEEK

Hike along this rock canyon gorge and learn about its fascinating history, fauna, flora, and geology. Bring water and wear sturdy shoes.

Meet at the Gorge. Please pre-register. Members: FREE. Nonmembers: Adult $3; Child: FREE.

BARTHOLOMEW’S COBBLE, SHEFFIELD

NOTCHVIEW RESERVATION, WINDSOR

On this annual hike, retrace the footsteps of Herman Melville and Nathaniel Hawthorne, who met here in 1850. At the top, enjoy a reading of William Cullen Bryant’s poem, “Monument Mountain.” Co-sponsored by the Berkshire Historical Society. Rain or shine. FREE. NOTE: An incorrect date of August 3 was printed for the hike in our last edition of Special Places.

Monday, August 21 | 2-3PM

225th Anniversary of the Court Case of Mumbet

Learn how to identify dozens of wild edibles, collect them ethically, and incorporate them into your own cuisine. Please pre-register. Members: Adult $6; Child $3. Nonmembers: Adult $8; Child $4.

Saturday, August 26 | 1- 4PM

Naumkeag Farm Day

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GREAT FOR FAMILIES NAUMKEAG, STOCKBRIDGE 413.298.3239 X3000

Yee haw…country music, ice cream, farm animals, pony rides, and crafts for the kids.

Fun for the whole family. Members: FREE. Nonmembers: $20 per car.

TOWN HALL, MAIN STREET, GREAT BARRINGTON 413.298.3239 X3000

Join in commemoration of the victory of

S P E C I A L P L AC E S T O S TAY T H I S S U MMER

Join the talented students of the Greenwood Music Camp for a musical afternoon on the beautiful Homestead lawn overlooking the Westfield River Valley. Refreshments available.

FREE.

Material Culture of the Mohicans

413.229.8600

THE MISSION HOUSE, STOCKBRIDGE

Enjoy a moonlit paddle with a naturalist/guide and look for otter, beaver, bats, and other wildlife. Please pre-register. Members: Adult $20; Child (10-16) $10. Nonmembers: Adult $30; Child (10-16) $15.

413.298.3239 X3000

Join Steve Comer, anthropologist and member of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans, as he looks closely at the artifacts in the Mission House Indian Museum. Please pre-register.

Members: FREE. Nonmembers: Adult $6; Child $3.

Includes a tour of the Mission House.

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www.thetrustees.org

THE OLD STONE STORE, MAIN STREET, SHEFFIELD 413.298.3239 X3000

This exhibit explores African American heritage and history in southern Berkshire County.

Co-sponsored by the Sheffield Historical Society and the African American Heritage Trail. Also visit the Ashley House, home of Mumbet, and the first stop on the African American Heritage Trail. FREE.

© S.

BARTHOLOMEW’S COBBLE, SHEFFIELD

If They Close the Door on You, Go in the Window

HEATH

Saturday, July 15 | 11AM-12PM (Tour afterwards)

© R.

Moonlight Paddle

SHEPPARD

Saturdays in August & September | 10AM -2PM Sundays in August & September | 11AM -3PM

Tuesday, July 11 | 7-9PM Thursday, September 7 | 6:30-8:30PM

THE TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS

Wild Edibles

BRYANT HOMESTEAD, CUMMINGTON 413.634.2244

CHESTERFIELD GORGE, WEST CHESTERFIELD

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Saturday, August 26 | 1-3:30PM

413.229.8600

This popular party with cocktails at sunset, an excellent buffet, music, fireworks, and Silent Auction benefits the restoration projects of the Stockbridge Properties Committee.

Tickets are limited and reservations are required.

Individual ticket: $100 if received by July 14; $125 if received after July 14.

413.229.8600

Mumbet, an enslaved African woman who successfully sued for her freedom in 1781 and was instrumental in ending slavery in Massachusetts. Co-sponsored by the Sheffield Historical Society and the African American Heritage Trail. Open House at the Colonel John Ashley House after the program. FREE.

T h e I n n at C a s t l e H i l l

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280 Argilla Road, Ipswich ■ 978.412.2555 www.craneestate.org

554 Sloan Road,Williamsown ■ 413.458.3135 www.guesthouseatfieldfarm.org

Members enjoy a 10% discount on stays of two nights or more.

All proceeds benefit The Trustees’ conservation work on the Crane Estate and Field Farm.

Naumkeag, Stockbridge

© R. CHEEK

FIND YOUR PLACE

OUR PLACE IN

YOUR CELEBRATION FIND YOUR PLACE Together with our neighbors, we protect the distinct character of our communities and inspire a commitment to special places.

Our passion is to share with everyone the irreplaceable natural and cultural treasures we care for.

Special PLACES

NON-PROFIT ORG.

THE TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS

N.READING, MA

572 Essex Street Beverly, MA 01915-1530

PERMIT NO.140

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