State Forests and Parks of Massachusetts
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tithe «tumm nn mealtb of M assachu se tts Sta te Fore sts a n d Pa rks of Ma ssa chu se tts A REC REA T I O N G U I D E C om pil e d a n d writ t e n b y t h e ’ M a ssa ch u se t t s WPA Writ e rs Proj e ct Am e rica n G u ide Se rie s M A S S A C HU S ETTS S TA TE C O f LEG ? NATU RE G UID ES LIBRARY FERNALD HALL e ria l loa { r ve i n Th is m a t is n e d. o you r con n e css t Ple ase re u rn prom ptly. I ssu e d b y THE D EPARTM ENT OF CONSERVATI ON 20 Som e rse t Stre e t , Boston RAY O D KE Y m m i i n M N J . NN E , Co ss o e r P U B LI CATI O N O F THI S D O CU M EN T APPRO VED B Y C O M MI S S I O N O N AD M I NI ST RATI O N A N D F I N A N CE 7500-6-41-6349 TAB LE OF CONTEN TS To THE PEOPLE OF MAS SA CHU S ETTS AN D THEI R GUES TS STATE PARKS AN D RES ERVATI ON S Lindon Bates Memorial Park Roland C . Nickerson State Forest Park Robinson State Park Salisbury Beach Reservation Joseph Allen Skinner State Park Standish Monument Reservation STATE FORESTS WI TH RECREATI ON A L DEVELO PM EN TS Bash Bish Falls State F orest Beartown State Forest Brim fie ld State Forest Campbell Falls State Forest Chester-Blandford State Forest Daughters of the Am erican Revolution State Forest Doug las State Forest Erving State Forest Granvill e State Forest Harold Parker State Forest Leominster State Forest M a ssa chu setts Federation of Women’ s Clubs State Forest Mohawk Trail State Forest Mount Grace State Forest October Mountain State For e st Otis State Forest Otter River State Forest Peru State Forest Savoy Mountain State Forest Spencer State Forest Myles Standish State Forest Toll and State Forest Willard Brook State Forest Windsor State Forest OTHER STATE FORES TS F IS HI N G AN D HU N TI N G FI SH HATCHERI ES AN D GAM E FARM S WI N TER SPORTS REG U LATI ON S G OVERN I N G THE U SE OF STA TE FORESTS F OR WI N TER SP ORTS REGU LATI ON S GOVERN I N G THE US E OF STATE FORES TS AN D STATE PARKS RU LES AN D REG U LATI ON S F OR SALI S BU RY BEA CH STATE FOREST AN D PARK MAPS 32—58 To the Pe ople of M a ssa chu se tts a n d The ir Gu e sts: f u Co On behalf of the Division o Parks and Recreation , I extend to yo a rdial invitation to Visit ou r State forests and State parks this year . It is our hope that y ou may spend many pleasureful days in these reservations which are yours to enj oy . ou - This guide offers y information descriptive of our State owned woodlands , the u se recreational facilities developed there for your , and the conservation work car i to on ou r d u e . A ried in wil life sanct aries , gam farms , and fish hatcheries V sit any of the areas where such activities are in progress will serve to increase your under f standing o the important field of wildlife restoration . The guide was compiled and written by the Massachusetts WPA Writers ’ Pro e ct f co- j , whose e fective operation I gratefully acknowledge . The writers on this I Proj ect have prepared the booklet in a thorough and interesting manner , and hope that it will add to the ease and interest of your soj ourn in the parks and forests of Massachusetts . RA YM ON D EN N EY J . K , on serva tion Com m ission e r of C . 4 STATE PARKS AN D RESERVATI ONS Administered by the Division of Parks and Recreation ED G AR GI LLETT D ire ctor L . , LIN DON BATES MEMORIAL PARK v : JOHN A N D ERS ON Pittsfie ld Super isor . A , Pittsfie ld 1 8 Tel . 5 7 Lindon Bates Memorial Park is a 224- acre tract on the crest of Lebanon Mountain 7 Pi t fi ld 2 . i t s e (alt in Hancock , about m les west of , where route US 0 crosses - N w the Massachusetts e York line . This lovely forest park which the common ‘ , in A 1939 a wealth acquired by gift ugust , , is named in honor of Lindon Bates , Pittsfie ld native of , and is to be preserved as far as possible in its natural state as i . A r a w ldlife sanctuary number of foot t ails will be maintained through the woods . Excellent Views of the Lebanon Valley in New York m a y be had from a number of Pi fi vantage points in the park . The heavily wooded slopes of the tts e ld State h Forest stretch to the nort . A Pit sfie ld- t the foot of Mount Lebanon , eastward near the t Hancock line on 20 V route US , is the site of Shaker illage , a little community patterned on the i A r . a teach ngs of Mother nn Lee of Manchester, England Her tenets included p c i tical peace , simplicity of language , right use of prosperity , and the cel bate life . i m Prosper ng in their com unal enterprise, the Shakers eventually acquired more - l than acres in Hancock . Today there remains a quiet , well ordered Vil age hi 276 t w ch includes a circular stone barn fee in circumference , a museum housed in M a I - ob e r I o e n Oct . the brick dormitory, and a handicraft shop ( p y ) ROL ND N IC ERSON ST TE FOREST P R A C . K A A K : JOHN GAF F N EY Superintendent P . , East Brewster i ? —t¢ Tel . Brewster M 32 (See map p . ) li The Roland C . Nickerson State Forest Park has acres of low rol ng hills off and quiet ponds near the elbow of Cape Cod in Brewster . It is located route 6. w 1 4 US This property a s obtained in 93 as the gift of Mrs . Addie E . Nickerson M r f s. o W and Helen Nickerson Sears , descendants illiam Nickerson , first settler of Chatham . It was the first forest area in Massachusetts to receive the title of State Forest Park instead of State Forest . This pleasant woodland is located in the heart Of on e of the most famous vacation of sections America . The picturesque villages of the Cape and the fashionable restaurants and resorts have attracted tourists from all over the world . The splendid - facilities of the park are augmented by near b y opportunities for ocean sailing , - se a hi - deep fis ng , and salt water bathing . who Roland C . Nickerson , for whom the tract is named , was a summer resident made a fortune in railroads and acquired the largest forest holdings on the Cape . ’ i Left in its natural condition , the family preserve became a sportsman s parad se . \ i u ’ It was not used by the w dow and da ghter after Mr . Nickerson s death , and the transfer to the state was arranged through the Trustees of Public Reservations . Originally there was a deer park and hunting lodge here , but only fishing is now f f permitted . The four largest ponds Flax, Higgins , Clif , and Little Cli f, pro r vide a water area of 328 acres ; none has any apparent inlet or outlet . Extensive developments were undertaken by the Civilian Conservation Corps wa s 1 before the park opened to the public in 937 . Roads were laid out , forest trails k cleared and marked , wells dug , shelters erected , tent floors laid , and par ing areas 109 40 . A cleared recreation center on Flax Pond has a bathhouse , tables , fireplaces , 22 10 66 20 . tent floors , trailer sites , tent sites , and tents with floors Carrying out a recently inaugurated policy for providing camping facilities for city children , the ’ Department of Conservation ha s made arrangements for the Boston Young Men s Christian Association to open a camp for boys . Flax Pond is so named because of the processing of flax in its waters in the early n l for days . O y ponds with clear water and sandy bottoms could be used the pur 5 f 200 if pose . Cli f Pond , the largest , covering acres , derives its name from a cl f that n o lifts its head far above the water . It has had other name since the days of the k 1 Si son Sa u u a tu c e tt . 659 Nauset Indians , whose p and q branches lived here From “ ” to 1694 the Nickerson Park area wa s within the con sta b le rick or Liberties of i — - - Eastham . The park provides a rest ng place on the Berkshires to the Capes Am i . bridle trail , one of the longest n erica JOHN ROBIN SON ST TE P R C .