Beaches, Parks,
Wildlife Reservations & Farms in the Essex National Heritage Area
Even though the 2012 Offering of Essex Heritage’s Trails and Sails
is over for this year this is truly the most pleasant time of the year to
explore the region we call home. The
event that Essex Heritage and their wonderful partners offered during the 11th
Annual Trails and Sails may be over until next fall, but the opportunities to
enjoy and savor the region is still available for the next several weeks. This season of the year is such a wonderful
time to visit and enjoy the spectacular sites in this region. The days are usually warm and when the sun
is shining. The farms, parks, reservations and even the area beaches of the
region are great locations to visit. I
have taken the liberty of reprinting lists of the best natural locations in
this region from the Essex Heritage web site. I hope that you review the list of the following locations and make
plans to visit some of those locations over the weeks ahead. For more information, the Essex Heritage web
site where so much valuable information is outlined can be found at
www.essexheritage.org.
Andover
Ward Reservation
The Ward
Reservation represents the union of more than forty separate parcels of former
farm and pasture land whose stone walls, when combined, total more than
seventeen miles long.
Beverly
Hale Farm
Built in 1695,
the farm was home to many generations of the Hale family.
Danvers
Endicott Park is a beautiful one hundred and sixty five acre
handicapped accessible park that provides a myriad of recreation and leisure
time programs and activities ranging from picnicking and exercising to
gardening.
Glen Magna Farms & Estate
Joseph
Peabody purchased the farm during the War of 1812 and he and his family
transformed it into a sprawling estate featuring several lush gardens.
Rebecca Nurse Homestead
The
site features 27 acres of fields, pasture and woods and is a good
representation of New England life during the colonial period.
Essex
Choate Island
Protected
and overseen by The Trustees of Reservations, people can now cruise to Choate
Island, also known as Hog Island, to view the Crane Wildlife refuge and
historic Choate Farm and experience an abundance nature, sightseeing and bird
watching.
Crane Wildlife Refuge
The
Refuge is a patchwork of coastal and island habitats that includes a portion of
Castle Neck and seven islands in the Essex River Estuary (Choate, Long, Dean,
Dilly, Pine, Patterson, and Round).
Stavros Reservation
While
most of Stavros Reservation protects more than fifty acres of salt marsh, its
most popular feature is White's Hill, a coastal drumlin that offers panoramic
views of Crane Beach, the Crane Wildlife Refuge (Choate Island), and Halibut
Point.
Gloucester
Ravenswood Park
Long
treasured by residents of Gloucester and neighboring towns, Ravenswood Park
offers a tranquil wooded setting for walking, cross-country skiing, or
snowshoeing along almost ten miles of trails and carriage paths.
Stage Fort Park and Welcoming Center
The
Welcoming center is officially designated as an ENHC Visitor Center; here
visitors can find a wealth of information about Gloucester and the surrounding
area.
Haverhill
Tattersall Farm
The
150-acre farm offers 19th century plantings, working hayfields, rolling meadows
and wooded paths for walking, jogging and cross-country skiing.
Ipswich
Appleton Farms
Established
in 1638, the farm offers such recreational activities as picnicking, horseback
riding, bird watching, cross-country skiing and hiking.
Crane Beach & Castle Hill
Comprising
more than 2,000 acres, the estate is open to the public year round for outdoor
study, leisure and recreation.
Greenwood Farm
Located on
a peninsula on the Ipswich River Estuary, Greenwood Farm comprises pastures,
meadow, woodlands, salt marsh, and three tidal islands: Diamond Stage, Widow's,
and Homestead.
Hamlin Reservation
Hamlin
Reservation's gently rolling fields and marsh meadows - today home to bobolinks
and small mammals - were once active farmland.
Lynn
Lynn Woods
Enjoy hiking,
rock climbing, mountain biking, horseback riding, bird watching and picnicking
in the summertime and cross-country skiing in the winter through the 2,200
acres.
Manchester
Agassiz Rock
Big and Little
Agassiz Rocks are dramatic examples of giant boulders plucked from bedrock and
carried far away by the last glacier.
Coolidge Reservation
Part
of historic Coolidge Point, the Coolidge Reservation is named for the prominent
family who came to own the peninsula. The diverse woodland features a mix of
oak and pine with numerous wildflowers and ferns, and is home to an array of
birds and other wildlife, including fishers and fox.
Marblehead
Crowninshield Island
This
modest coastal island features a variety of marine ecosystems, including
several tidal pools, a small sandy beach, a field, a salt marsh, and a wooded
hilltop. From a jagged granite promontory, visitors can take in views of Fort
Sewall, Gerry Island, Marblehead Light, and Marblehead Harbor.
Fort Sewall
First established
in 1644, this fort was used as a defensive breastwork for more than 200 years.
Now a public park.
Newbury
Old Town Hill
Thousands
of years ago, a large and beautiful salt marsh crossed by tidal creeks was
created in the lowlands and valleys surrounding the glacial drumlin known as
Old Town Hill.
Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm
Built
at the end of the 17th Century to impress visitors, today the house reveals
three centuries of construction technologies and building stabilization.
Newburyport
Joppa Flats Education Center and Wildlife Sanctuary
The
Joppa Flats Education Center is located at the gateway to one of the country’s
most productive, year-round, wildlife viewing areas—the Parker River National
Wildlife Refuge and the Plum Island estuary. Highlights for visitors are the
many species of birds that utilize the area’s extensive salt marshes, mudflats,
rivers, bays, and coastal waters.
Maudslay State Park
Gardens,
trails, fishing, bird watching, cycling, picnicking, skiing, snowshoeing,
outdoor concerts and performances.
Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
The
4600-plus acre refuge offers recreational and educational adventures such as
wildlife observation, hunting, fishing and shell fishing.
North Andover
Harold Parker State Forest
Provides
summer hiking, winter cross-country skiing, picnic area and campground.
Stevens-Coolidge Place
Formerly
known as Ashdale Farm, the Stevens-Coolidge Place was the summer home of John
Gardner Coolidge and Helen Stevens-Coolidge from 1914 to 1962. Gardens open year-round,
daily, sunrise to sunset.
Ward Reservation
The Ward
Reservation represents the union of more than forty separate parcels of former
farm and pasture land whose stone walls, when combined, total more than
seventeen miles long.
Weir Hill
Weir Hill (pronounced
"wire hill") is a double drumlin that rises 305 feet and includes
more than a mile of shoreline on Lake Cochichewick.
Peabody
Brooksby Farm
An 8
1/2-acre working farm with orchards, animals, trails and a farm stand.
Rockport
Halibut Point State Park
70-acre
park located at the northern tip of Cape Ann features a rocky shoreline ideal
for picnicking and tide pooling.
Thacher Island
This
National Historic Landmark off the coast of Rockport boasts twin lighthouses
45' tall. Accessible by small boats and kayaks.
Salem
Misery Islands
Misery
Islands offer coastal views, rolling rocky terrain, diverse wildlife habitats,
and interesting ruins that recall the Islands' past as an exclusive resort and
summer colony.
National Park Service Regional Visitor Center
Located
in the old Salem Armory building, the ENHC Visitor Center offers information on
Salem and the surrounding area and also features maps, exhibits, dioramas,
movies and a gift shop.
Salisbury
Salisbury Beach State Reservation
Five
miles of accessible white sandy beaches.
Saugus
Breakheart Reservation
640-acre
park boasts scenic views of Boston, 2 freshwater lakes, birding and more.
Swampscott
Fisherman’s Beach
Swampscott
beach with public swimming during the summer months.
Topsfield
Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary
Massachusetts
Audubon's largest sanctuary, this property covers 2,800 acres of diverse
habitats, including fields, vernal pools, forests, swamps, islands, eskers, and
eight miles of the Ipswich River.
Essex Heritage
Semi-Annual Meeting.
I am aware that in the past several postings to this BLOG I have
reported on and offered an invitation to the upcoming Essex Heritage
Semi-Annual Meeting that is scheduled in Peabody. The meetings are held twice each year and
are offered to provide information to the residents of this region. The meetings are also offered across the
region in locations not usually available to residents of the region. The Invitation for the October 30, 2012
meeting follows and is once again presented due to the value of the gatherings
to the region.
The Essex National Heritage Commission
Invites
You to Attend its Annual Fall
Meeting on Tuesday, October 30, 2012,
The
Smith Barn at Brooksby Farm
38 Felton
Street Peabody, MA 01960, 8:00 AM: Continental Breakfast Reception
8:30
- 10:00 AM: Business Meeting. Participate
in this free, valuable networking opportunity that will further connect you
with the work of Essex Heritage and our partners.
A
special thanks to The Peabody Historical Society for hosting the Annual Fall
Meeting.
To
RSVP to the Annual Fall Meeting you may call Jill at 978-740-0444.
Essex Heritage
Corporate Supporters
View the following link to view Essex Heritage Corporate Supporters that mean so much to the work of the Commission at this time: http://essexheritage.org/businesspartnership/corporatesponsors/index.shtml
REGIONAL NEWS
Traffic Safety
Committee Formed in Newburyport
The City on Newburyport has established a Traffic Advisory
Committee and Mayor Holiday is calling for volunteers to serve on that
committee. The charge of the Committee
is to help City Leadership identify areas of traffic concerns and offer
potential solutions. Residents who
wish to be considered for appointment are encouraged to send a letter outlining
their qualifications and a resume to Lois Honegger at
lhonegger@cityofnewburyport.org
American Legion
Post In Middleton Offered Jobs Fair
The local American Legion post in Middleton held a job fair on
October 18th at the American Legion Post 227, 68 River Street for Active Duty
military members of the National Guard, reserve components and spouses. The event was free and open to Employers and
job seekers from 1 until 4. For
additional information visit the Town of Middleton’s web site at
www.townofmiddleton.org
Town of Danvers
opens new Auditorium in New High School
On the evening of October 10, 2012 the Town of Danvers opened its
new performing arts auditorium with performances by the Marching Band, chorus
and actors. The school administration
also used the occasion to recognize people who made donations to dedicate
seats. We provided a financial gift to
support and name seats in the auditorium in the name of our Grand Daughter
Katherine Leonard who will be a senior at the new facility next year. This incident took care of a long-standing
discussion we have held with Katherine about her name on a seating
location. She has long wanted to be
added to a bench at St. John’s Prep that lists the four male members of the
Leonard family who have graduated from that Danvers School location.
City of Salem has
Bond Rating Upgraded
The Leadership of the City of Salem was pleasantly surprised when
the Credit Rating agency, Standard and Poor’s increased the rating for new City
obligations from A to A+. This rating
increase is the result of the stable employment picture and strong family
incomes in the city. The rating upgrade
will certainly impact any future long
term borrowing projects by the Community.
COMMMUNITY
HEALTH AND ELDER AFFAIRS
COPAA Meeting in
Beverly
Cornell Brother’s Prosthetics and Orthopedic Amputee Association
(COPAA) is an organization that has been formed by this local medical support
company to provide support to their clients in this and the Merrimack Valley
area an opportunity to gather monthly to bring representatives of local
resources to present issues to the group.
I have been a client since my leg amputation one and one half a year
ago, and in addition to building my artificial leg, they also service many of
my ongoing medical needs. The Group has
provided numerous valuable presentations to the members of the group. The meetings are held and support is provided by the staff in the offices of Cornell Brothers at The
Cummings Center in Beverly. Closed
circuit TV is provided to an element of the group that gathers monthly in
Methuen. This month. I agreed to serve
as a “pinch hitter” Chairman as I filled in for Ms. Posie Mansfield who is
unavailable for this month’s meeting that gathered at the Cornell Offices. The presenter this month was Ms. Ruth Stone
RN, the Clinical Coordinator at the Beverly Hospital Wound and Hyperbaric
Medicine Center. She provided a broad outline of the activities of the Beverly
Hospital Wound Center and outlined the damages that a wound can be to an
amputee.
An Invitation
from North Shore Elder Services
Are you a family caregiver?
Do you provide care for a loved one with special needs, a disability, a
chronic illness – your child, your spouse, your parent, your grandchild, your
grandparent, another family member, or your friend? Registration for the First Annual CARE
Conference on November 2, 2012 is now open!!
Registration is online at Eventbrite - http://www.eventbrite.com/event/3858031476
Please forward this information to any and all family caregivers
who may be interested in attending this FREE conference. We have received very generous financial
support from a number of programs and agencies in order to insure that family
caregivers can attend at no cost.
For professionals and program staff only: If you wish to attend this conference, please
consider the following: We request a $25
donation to the MLRC. Bring a family
caregiver with you or facilitate attendance of a family caregiver you work
with. You may be asked to assist with
tasks the day of the conference (clean up, distribute handouts, etc.).
Sponsors to Date: Platinum
Sponsors – The Seven Hills Foundation; Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities
Council; Care.com
Gold Sponsor: Horace Mann
Educational Associates –HMEA
Silver Sponsor: Advocates
Inc.
Please contact Joan Rafferty at macaregivers@yahoo.com with any
questions.
We look forward to seeing you on November 2, 2012
A Second
Announcement from North Shore Elder Services
Here is a terrific new website from the California Department of
Insurance that helps seniors fight scams and avoid financial abuse. It was unveiled just yesterday. The press release
about it is below. Enjoy. http://www.seniors.ca.gov/
Shawna
Reeves, MSW
Long
Term Care Advocate
California
Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR)
650
Harrison Street, 2nd Floor
San
Francisco, CA 94107
T:
415-974-5171
F:
415-777-2904
Email:
shawna@canhr.org
NEWS RELEASE
INSURANCE COMMISSIONER DAVE JONES LAUNCHES INNOVATIVE NEW SENIOR
PROTECTION WEBSITE Site Better Serves Seniors, Family Members and Caregivers
with Information About Preventing and Reporting Fraud, Abuse and Neglect
Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones today unveiled a new consumer
protection tool for California seniors, who have traditionally been prime
targets for con artists. The California Department of Insurance (CDI) is
hosting a new Web site www.seniors.ca.gov to educate seniors and their
advocates and provide helpful information about how to avoid becoming victims
of personal or financial abuse.
The Web site, called “Senior Gateway,” is important because
seniors, including older veterans, are disproportionately at risk of being
preyed upon financially and subjected to neglect and abuse. The Senior Gateway
is sponsored by the Elder Financial Abuse Interagency Roundtable (E-FAIR),
convened by CDI and includes representatives from many California agencies who
share a common purpose of safeguarding the welfare of California’s seniors.
“The goal of this collaborative effort is to assemble, in one
convenient location, valuable information not only for seniors, but their
families and caregivers,” said Commissioner Jones. “This site will help
California seniors find resources and solve problems, and will enable
participating agencies to better serve this important segment of our
population.”
The site offers seniors valuable tips and resources in the
following areas, and more:
• Avoiding and
reporting abuse and neglect by in-home caregivers or in facilities; learn about
different types of abuse and the warning signs;
• Preventing and
reporting financial fraud, abuse and scams targeting seniors;
• Understanding
health care, insurance, Medicare and long-term care; know what long-term care
includes;
• Locating services
and programs available to assist older adults;
• Knowing your
rights before buying insurance; what seniors need to know about annuities;
• Investing wisely
and understanding the ins and outs of reverse mortgages
CDI’s partners in creating the Senior Gateway, include the
Attorney General’s Office/Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse, California
Commission on Aging, Department of Aging, Department of Consumer Affairs,
Department of Corporations, Department of Financial Institutions, Department of
Health Care Services, Department of Managed Health Care and the Alameda County
District Attorney’s Office, with support from district attorneys in the following counties: Fresno, Los Angeles, Monterey,
Sacramento and San Mateo.
The Senior Gateway Web site includes information about
governmental and nonprofit agency resources.
PEOPLE IN THE NEWS
Dr. Wayne Burton, President of
North Shore Community College and numerous Essex County and Southern New
Hampshire Activities and a Trustee Emeritus of The Essex Heritage Commission
was recently named the 2012 National
Council for Marketing and Public Relations Pacesetter award presented annually
to the Community College Chief Executive who has demonstrated a commitment to
marketing and communications.
Ms. Nancy Huntington Stager,
an Executive Vice President at Eastern Bank and a former President of the Essex
Heritage Commission has been named chairperson for the North Shore Workforce
Investment Board at a recent Board Meeting.
Essex Heritage has collaborated in the past with the Workforce
Investment Board, and there is every expectation that Essex Heritage will
continue to work closely with that organization in the future.
PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS
National Football League Injuries
As I am sure you know by now, I am a passionate football fan. This
week produced a great win by the NE Patriots moving them to the head of their
division. The league is most
competitive, but not without the treat of continuing injuries. In Kansas City a former Patriot Quarterback
was hit and it appeared that he received a head injury and was laying hurt and
barley conscious on the field. He has
not been performing recently at the top of his game, and when he was hurt the
fans in the stands were cheering as he lay on the field.
After the game and the poor performance of the “so called” fans,
one of his offensive linemen, Eric Winston called out the way the fans
reacted. It was a great and courageous
performance by a team mate., as he
reminded the fans that they can boo when ever they want but cheering and applauding when a player is
hurt is offensive
I can remember another experience when years ago, I was at the stadium in Foxboro when another
former Patriot Quarterback, Jim Plunkett was booed as he was injured badly. and
carried off the field. I was dismayed at
that performance by the fans in Foxboro, that day as I was at the actions of
the fans in Kansas City. It is certainly irresponsible to “put down” a player
who is trying his best when he is injured.
As competitive as the league has become we should remain courteous and
not demean a performance, particularly as a player lies hurt on the field
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