Fruitlands Museum

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Moving along RT 2 I spotted a sign for Fruitlands. I had forgotten that this museum was in this area. I didn’t have time to stop today butit sure brought back memories. I visited the grounds about 10 years ago with some friends from Atlanta, Ga. As I recall it was in the fall because the trees were turning colors. It always surprises me when someone from out-of-state asks me about an attraction in my backyard and I haven’t heard of it. That’s part of the reason for this blog. My everyday travels as I learn about my own area and state as well as my “BIG” vacations.

Anyway I remember saying I would go to Fruitlands and having no idea what it was so I’d like to take just a moment of your time to tell you a little about this place. Unfortunately I have no pictures since I didn’t stop this time but that just means I will need to be descriptive.

My friends were interested in Fruitlands because it chronicled the Shaker Experience which evolved in Harvard and Shirley, MA. It all began in June of 1781 when “Mother” Ann Lee and a group of early Shaker Leaders came to the area as missionaries and decided to stay establishing a settlement.  Shaker Villages  sought to provide basic needs of food, shelter, and clothing. In order to meet these goals some commercial enterprises were developed to generate necessary capital by buying and selling goods and services to the non shaker settlements that they referred to as “the world” .

The Shaker Office at Fruitlands was built in 1794. It was moved to the Fruitlands property in 1920.

Fruitlands was the dream of Clara Endicott Sears. She wanted to preserve  a part of New England’s rich cultural history. A woman of means, this wealthy Bostonian purchased the farm that was known as Fruitlands. Bronson Alcott established a transcendental community on the property in 1841. It was not very successful and only lasted about 7 months.

You may have picked up on the name Alcott. It is the same Alcott family from Little Women. Louisa May Alcott is the 2nd daughter of Bronson Alcott. She wrote about the failed commune experience in her book Transcendental Wild Oats. The Farmhouse at Fruitlands where the Alcotts lived is open for viewing. It was declared a national historic Landmark in 1974.

You will also find the Native American Gallery which contains a  number of significant artifacts from the Plains, Northwest Coastal, Arctic and Southwest cultural areas. The gallery honors the spiritual and cultural presence of the first Americans.

The Art Gallery contains a permanent collection of over 230  nineteenth century portraits and more than 100 Hudson River School landscapes. The collection includes paintings by Albert  Bierstadt, Robert Weir, John Frederick Kensett and many others. Collections contain silhouettes, mourning pictures, textiles to name just a few.

It’s a very interesting and bucolic place. Since it’s been awhile since I’ve been there I should return and provide you with my form of visual aids…pictures!

Johnny Appleseed Country

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As I head west on Rt 2 the first thing I notice are signs for the many apple orchards in the area along with the State Parks. It seems like there a different  state park sign every couple of miles. RT 2 in this area is a divided highway, not the meandering country road I think of when I envision the Mohawk Trail. The speed limit varies between 55  and 65 depending on the stretch of road so pay attention to the signs or you may get snagged for speeding when that was not you intention at all, you just missed the speed change sign!

I made my first stop at the Johnny Appleseed rest area and visitor center, a modern facility right on RT 2 with restrooms, vending machines, pet walk and gift shop. I picked up a few brochures to the area attractions so I can plan a return trip just to explore this area.

Of course there are the apple orchards, Beautiful to look at in spring and supplying us with fresh honey from those busy bees out pollinating the trees so we can have a fall harvest of apples. Many of the orchards off  “Pick Your Own” when the time comes. A great day outing for families and singles alike. Orchards have to maintain all year even though the apples are seasonal so most have bakeries or ice cream, cider for sale  and Market Fresh Fruits and Vegetables. Lancaster has a well-known Farmer’s market .

The area is loaded with trails; trails for hiking, trails for mountain biking, even horseback riding. There are scenic areas for wildlife viewing. 3 long distance trails wind through the region. There’s the 95 mile Midstate Trail that runs from Rhode Island to New Hampshire, the Tully Trail, a 22 mile loop that follows the Tully River Valley in Royston, Orange, and Warwick and finally the Metacomet-Monadnock/New England National Scenic Trail that winds through the hills  east of the Connecticut River.

You have wildlife viewing  in the Oxbow National Wildlife refuge and Bolton Flats offers close up views of the Nashua River and it’s flood plain. Clinton is home to  park of the Wachussett Reservoir where trails offer views over the water.

Speaking of Wachusett, Wachusett Mountain in Princeton is not only a winter destination for skiing and snowboarding but crisscrossed with day trails ranging from 1/2 mile to longer loops of a 1/2 day or more. At the summit you are standing at 2,006 ft with views that range from Boston to the Berkshires and the list  goes on.

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Lace up your boots, pick a direction and head off for a day of outdoor adventure just a short drive from Boston!  Do I sound like a travel brochure? Only because there is so much to do here that I never realized existed. I can’t wait to come back to explore some more myself!

And I’m Off!

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Friday dawned clear and bright, a warm spring day…finally! Clearly this was going to be one of the best days we’d seen this spring even if it was Friday the 13th. I just knew it was going to be a good day! The packing was done, the car was loaded, just one more chore and I would be on my way.

I turned the car northward on RT 140 to pick up RT 495. I hadn’t gone far when I spied a vintage auto on the side of the road. It wasn’t as pristine as the one I saw in New Bedford but not everything (or everyone for that matter) ages well. The car had a For Sale sign on the window. What a great opportunity for someone with a hobby of restoring antique cars.

After grabbing a couple of snapshots I moved on marveling at what a beautiful day it was after a week of gray clouds and rain. It really lifted my spirits. I think sunshine can do that to you and spotting that car, well, I just felt it was an omen for more wonderful discoveries to come.

It wasn’t long before I saw the on ramp for RT 495, a typical “super highway”. Now I’m not saying super highways can’t be beautiful  but I was anxious to get beyond this leg of my journey because today my destination was the Mohawk Trail.

The Mohawk Trail started life as a Native American Trade route connecting the tribes of Massachusetts with those of upstate New York and beyond. The Trail followed the Millers River and the Deerfield River as it  crossed the Hoosac range. Today the Mohawk Trail is part of Massachusetts RT 2 which was created as one of the United States first Scenic Highways. It follows much of the original trail from Orange, MA (known for its jump school for parachutists) to Williamstown, Ma (home to Williams College and Clark Art Institute). That’s about 65 miles of scenic highway through the Berkshire Mountains. Around the western portion of the roads you pass through Mohawk Trail State Forest which is known for Bobcat and Black Bear sightings.

Years ago when I first moved from New York to Massachusetts I would often take this route home as a change of pace from the Super Highway…US 90 otherwise  known as the “Mass Pike”. It might be a little longer but there were no tolls and it was far more fun.

I was anxious to see what changes if any had been made to the area in the ensuing years.

My exit for Rt 2 came up quicker than I expected. I was picking it up in the middle of the state so I had the choice of RT 2 east or West. To the east is Walden Pond, home of Henry David Thoreau  and the towns of Lexington and Concord, renowned for their part in the Revolutionary War. But my destination was to the west. I was on my way to visit my sister in New York and a pleasant, scenic drive was the way I wanted to travel. So now that I’ve made it this far, let’s get this adventure on the road!

Peace Field, The old House

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I think this was my favorite part of the tour and my favorite place was the library and gardens.The Old House was a family home and unlike many historic locations it stayed in the Adams’ family until it passed in 1946 to the National Park Service creating the Adams National Historical Park.

The house was purchased sight un-seen while John and Abigail Adams were in England. Abigail remembered visiting as a child and thought it to be huge and elegant. It didn’t quite live up to her childhood remembrance. The farm was meant to be a place to spend retirement in “peace” hence the play on words of the name “Peace field”. John Adams said of the estate “It is but the farm of a patriot.”

Once again the restrictions of the museum came into play. We were invited to take all the pictures we wanted of the outside but no cameras inside. In fact, they almost didn’t allow me in because I had the DSLR and the ranger felt it was “too large” and should be left on the porch. Of course that wasn’t about to happen. When I said I would skip the tour instead he reluctantly let me come in.

I understand what he was doing. He wanted to be sure the furnishings were not touched or damaged including the wall paper on the walls. The only time we were allowed to touch anything was when we went to the 2nd floor. He gave us permission to touch the banister that went up the stairs. All of the furnishing in the Old House are original, not reproductions. there is even a copy of the Declaration of Independence framed and hanging on a wall. It was the copy that was given to John Adams as one of the original 56 signers of the document.

Since the house was not as grand as Abigail remembered it she went about expanding it, lengthening the building and raising the hight of the ceilings by lowering the floors on the addition. The is a step down when you leave the original building and move into the newer part.

Abigail added this room to entertain dignitaries and there were many that crossed her threshold including the Marquis de Lafayette.

John returned to the farm in 1801 and was joined by his son, John Quincy and his family. Charles Francis Adams, John Quincy’s son also took up residence here along with the historians of the family Henry Adams and Brooks Adams.Together this family amassed a huge library which was housed in a separate stone building next to the gardens.

The distinguished Adams’ lineage stretched from 1776 to 1946 starting with John and Abigail, then John Quincy and Louisa Catherine on to Charles Francis who married Abigail Brooks ending with  Henry Adams and Brooks Adams.

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John Quincy Adams

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The 2nd stop on the “Birthplaces” tour we visited the home right next to John Adams’ birthplace. When John married Abigail his father Deacon Adams gave the young couple a home right next door. This is where John Quincy Adams was born on July 11, 1767.

This is also where John Adams had his law firm and wrote the Massachusetts Constitution. There is a replica on display that is quite impressive. There were notable differences in building techniques between the original family home and John Adam’s birthplace. Significantly there were changes in  the hearths and kitchen areas. The leading cause of death for women in the colonial period was not childbirth but rather fire. Thier voluminous skirts would brush the coals in the fireplace and often caught fire. By the time this house was built changes had been made to the hearth area extending it and allowing the pots to be swung out from the fire to be stirred.

As mentioned in yesterday’s post young John Quincy would not stay in the house for many years as his visit to Europe with his father became an extended stay as a translator. By the time he entered Harvard in 1785 he was proficient not only in French but also  Greek, Latin, French, Dutch, and German.

Upon his graduation from Harvard in 1790 John Quincy established a law practice in Boston but was more interested in politics than law. This led to an appointment as minister to the Netherlands. From the Netherlands he went to Britain where he met and married Catherine Johnson. From Britain, John Quincy was dispatched to Prussia and did not return to the United States until 1801.

Upon his return his domestic political career really began. He was immediately elected to the Massachusetts state senate. 2 years later he was U. S. Senator. Seems  politicians have been using public office in Massachusetts as a stepping stone to the national level since the birth of our nation!

President James Madison appointed John Quincy minister to Russia. Thanks to this appointment John Quincy was able to obtain intervention by Russia into the negotiation for peace in the War of 1812 helping to bring that conflict to an end.

Next on Mr. Adams’ resume was an appointment by yet another president, James Monroe , who appointed John Quincy Secretary of State. During this time John Quincy negotiated the acquisition of Florida and defined the western boundaries of Louisiana.

In 1824 after a bitterly contested four-way presidential battle, John Quincy became the 6th president of the United States.  John Quincy’s presidency was marred by political in-fighting and a hostile congress…sound familiar. I guess some things never change.

In 1828 John Quincy was overwhelmingly defeated by Andrew Jackson making him a one term president.

Following his defeat for re-elcetion, John Quincy thought to retire to The Old House at Peace Field but his retirement was short-lived. In 1831 he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he served for eight successive terms until his death.

Adams suffered a stroke on the floor of the House of Representatives on Feb. 21, 1848. He was carried to the Speaker’s room, where he died 2 days later without regaining consciousness.