Tag Archives: Massachusetts

The Adams Family

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A couple of posts ago when I was talking about the Ames Family and Borderland State Park I commented that they were involved in politics. I mentioned that it seems to be a Massachusetts tradition for wealthy families to delve into the political arena and I used the Kennedy dynasty as an example to make my point.

Well, I would like to adjust that a little bit. The tradition of political activism and service goes back much farther than just the Kennedy’s not to diminish what they accomplished but if you explore history a bit further you will find an amazing family that hailed from Massachusetts and I doubt their political tradition can be outdone by anyone else in any state.

Where am I going with this you ask? I went to the Adams National Historical Park in Quincy to obtain my National Park Stamp. Since I was there I took the tour of the birthplaces and the Old House at Peace field.  I’m sure we’ve all heard of John Adams, Abigail Adams and  John Quincy Adams. Samuel Adams doesn’t seem to be a part of this clan but he too was a patriot even if some folks only know his name from the brew named after him.

Anyway, I made my way to the Visitor Center with a little help from a friend from Quincy. After she pointed out the building she headed on her way. There’s a parking garage right in back of the visitor center and it was a  pretty reasonable rate  so that was where I left the car. What I didn’t know, and it isn’t advertised anywhere, is that Validated Parking is available if you present your parking ticket in the visitor center. Oops! Must remember that for next time.

The elevator down brings you right to the entrance to the building housing the Visitor Center so you never have to go outside. The Center contains exhibits, a bookstore and they had a PBS CD running about the Adams’ and their role in the Revolutionary War.

National Park Passes are accepted for the tours . The Park is open seven days a week April 19 through November 10. Two-hour guided tours leave the  visitor center  every 30 minutes. The United First Parish Church is the final resting place of both presidents and  first ladies and is next to the visitor center.

 The tour I was on was made up of all adults and most of them were older than I am so there were no jokes about “the Adams Family” da da da dum.  We did see a school group taking a tour. Those rangers were in period costume. Everyone was very respectful. The rangers that led the tours were all knowledgable and really warmed to their subject. I am sure I will mix up some of the facts and dates and family members as I am no historian so to get it absolutely right I recommend you take the tour yourself. It is pretty amazing the impact this one family had on the early history of the United States so I will try my best to share a small bit of the vast amount of information the rangers gave us.

This one family influenced events from the time of the American revolution to the Civil War and even beyond. Four generations of the Adams family tackled  some of our nation’s greatest challenges in war, politics, diplomacy, arts and letters.

Lets start with John Adams and Abigail Adams. 

As we leave the visitor center we board a trolley for the ride to the first stop, the birthplace of John Adams, 2nd President of the United States. The house is restored and most of the furnishings are reproduction but it is still fascinating to see what living conditions were like at that time. Ceilings were low and the house itself quite dark. Exterior photos are allowed but no photography inside. Don’t bother with a DSLR, a simple point and shoot is sufficient and easier to carry.

This is where John  grew up and his morals and opinions were formed. His father, Deacon John Adams farmed in summer and made shoes in winter.  Young John was expected to be a minister like his father but instead  chose to attend Harvard and study law.  It was John who in 1770 defended the British Soldiers involved in the Boston massacre because it was his belief that all men deserved to have representation. That is a cornerstone of our legal system today, the right to an attorney.

After being admitted to the Massachusetts Bar  he married Abigail Smith in 1764. That was an amazing love story. John admits that it was not love at first sight but as he grew to know Abigail he was attracted to her mind and strong opinions. Abigail was self-taught yet her writings and letters have been preserved  and demonstrate her high intelligence and quick mind. Her strength would be key for while the revolution waged around her, John was often overseas on diplomatic duty. Abigail, sitting in the little salt-box home on a farm in Quincy was front and center. Throughout the war Abigail opened her home to the refugees from the fighting.

It was Abigail who sent word to her husband of the death of their good friend , Dr. Joseph Warren, at Bunker Hill. She took their young son, John Quincy Adams with her to the top of Penn’s Hill where they were able to watch as the battle raged on Breed’s hill, that battle to later be known as The Battle of Bunker Hill.

When John Adams returned to France after a diplomatic break he took his  young son John Quincy with him. Young John was only 9 or 10 at the time and it was expected that he would gain experience from the exposure to French. In fact it became far more than an educational trip as John Quincy became a translator so at the young age of 10 he was beginning a career in service to his country that would span some 60+ years. It would be years before he would see his mother again.

As you can see, already this family is having an impact.  John Adams wrote the Massachusetts Constitution and much of what became the United States Constitution came from ideas set down in that document.

John Adams was known as a shrewd judge of character. He recognized the need to unite the 13 colonies if there was any chance of winning independence. To this end he nominated George Washington to be the Commander in chief in 1775. It would prove to be an excellent choice.

After the Revolutionary War as the new government was being launched, George Washington was elected the first president with 69 electoral votes while John Adams came in 2nd with 34 thus making him the first vice president of the United States, a position he held for both of George Washington’s 2 terms.

In the election of 1797 Washington, who believed strongly in term limits, did not run. Adams barely squeaked by Thomas Jefferson in a closely contested election. Adams 71, Jefferson 68 making John Adams the 2nd President of our new nation  and Thomas Jefferson the vice President.

Elections at the time were not quite the same as today and I would encourage anyone interested to look into it further. I am not qualified to go into the intricacies  nor do I want to turn this space, which is supposed to be about travel, into a political history lesson, but I can’t avoid some of it when I am touring presidential birthplaces! 🙂

I think I used enough words for John and Abigail. So this doesn’t become too long I will leave it here for today. Next post, John Quincy Adams.

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Watson Pond State Park

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Watson Pond State Park is a little gem of a park located on Bay St  in Taunton. It’s close proximity to  RT 495 makes access easy and is a popular spot for families. The park is open seasonally with a small admission fee of $5.00 . The park will open for the season on Memorial Day so right now you can get in for free and there isn’t too much use.

In my travels yesterday I found myself driving by the park.  The weather was a “mixed-bag”. The sun was shining and it felt warm until the wind started to blow. The wind was quite strong and very brisk if not downright cold but I decided to stop in for a quick look around. The gates were open to allow access to the parking area.

The park is a beautiful little park consisting of 10 acres of pond, forest, swimming and picnic area. The beach is small, about only 300 ft of sand but on a hot day that little patch of sand and shore is always packed.

 There are swings and a jungle gym for children to play on as well as picnic tables and fireplaces.

There were a few families here enjoying the sunshine even if it was a bit  too cool for swiming. That water looked really cold.

 As  sat at one of the tables near the water I was surprised by a little goose family as they paddled by. When the wind blew it actually seemed to push the geese along. The parents kept a close eye on the little goslings closing ranks when the water got too choppy.

I think I saw a Baltimore Oriole flitting from tree to tree.  I’ve never seen one of those  in the wild, just pictures in bird books. When I spotted it I thought “now there’s a pretty bird. I don’t think I’ve seen one of those before.” I was trying to manuver around to get a picture when a kid on a mountain bike came barreling past and it was gone in an instant. I didn’t see which direction it went so even though I looked around for it I couldn’t find it again. When I got home I looked for the best match I could find in my bird book and I do think it was the Baltimore Oriole. Maybe I’ll get another look next time.

Whales, Seals and Sharks!

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It promises to be great year for sea animals on Cape Cod. Already we have had record numbers of whales feeding off the cape coming closer to land than in recent memory. Now in the news are reports of Great White sightings.

This is not unusual. I chased the Great Whites all last summer without success but it is early in the year for them. Normally they come in search of the seals that live and play on the beaches and barrier islands of Cape Cod. They prefer it when the water has had a chance to warm up a little but the really large sharks can tolerate the cooler temperatures. The reports seem to indicate that this was a large one, 18-20 ft and 2000+ lbs!

The latest news report said the Great White was circling a whale that had become entangled in fishing gear. The Woods Hole people have since towed the whale carcase away to exam it to determine cause of death…could it be its entanglement or the shark? I’m sure we’ll hear more about this as the season progresses.

Speaking of seals, I recently found out that there are 4 different species of seals that like to visit the cape. I was aware of 2.

The big-headed gray seals are also the largest in size of the 4 species. It’s been said that their heads look like horse heads and I guess that’s true. Gray seals are year round residents. Naturalists say that the resident population on the cape is in the thousands. The colony in Chatham is certainly large and boisterous. Gray seals were on the decline because of over hunting until 1972 when the Marine Mammal Protection Act was passed. Removing that pressure has allowed their population to increase dramatically.

The 2nd species of seal that is a familiar sight on the cape is the one we think of at the aquarium. They have a cute upturned muzzle and are smaller than the grays. While the grays are said to look like horses these seals are most often compared to cocker spaniels. These little cuties are the curious Harbor seals.

Both the Gray Seals and the Harbor seals will interact with boaters. They swim up  to the boat and pop up out of the water to stare. Curiosity is certainly a trait they share with us humans.

The other 2 species are more rare. I don’t think I’ve ever seen either one in the wild. The first is the Harp seal which gets its name from the distinctive dark wish-bone shaped pattern against a silver-white coat. When you see all of those horrible posters protesting the seal hunts with the baby white coated seals about to be clubbed, you are looking at baby harp seals. The Cape seems to get the “in-between” harp seals. Still juveniles they are too old for the creamy white coat and too young for the silver-gray with the harp pattern. Most have a light-colored coat with irregular blotches of brown.

Last but not least is the Hooded Seal. These seals are the most rare of the 4 species. They, along with the Harp seal, are considered “ice seals” because they prefer to live on the pack ice of the Arctic. Still the long stretches of secluded shoreline and abundant sea food make Cape Cod an attractive place for these seals to visit.

I think it’s safe to say that as long as the seals keep coming to Cape Cod we will be hearing of Great White Sharks patrolling our shores. I can see I will have many entertaining hours to look forward to this summer on the Cape.

Life on the “old Homestead”

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Well one of the comments from the “Borderland” post asked for more of the history of the area. So I have begun to do a little research. I will share what I’ve learned so far. I concentrated on the Ames Family History although eventually I’d like to look into the Native American History of the site if it’s available. Most of this information can be found in the brochures provided by the park if you ever visit. The brochures have some vintage photos that are pretty interesting too.

The land was first developed for farming and industry in the early 1700’s. One of the first locations to be developed was just over the line in Sharon where a dam and sawmill were situated on a brook that is a pond today. That same brook powered  a nail factory and two mills that made cotton twine and batting.

Further along the brook bog-iron ore was mined from the exposed swamp. In 1825 General Shepherd Leach built a pond (the one we saw on our visit)  to ensure a steady water supply for his iron works. According to the brochure that iron works is still in operation today. That’s something I need to look into  further.

Throughout the 19th century the main activity at Borderland was farming. Stone walls divided cleared fields, homesteads were established and then in 1810 a 2nd house was built. All that remains of that home is the foundation But stone walls can be seen winding through the new growth forests and fields.

Oaks and Blanche Ames started acquiring the land in the area around 1900. The small farms in the area were no longer prospering allowing the Ameses to purchase the properties and consolidate them. The Ameses continued to farm part of the estate but created a wildlife preserve with the rest. In order to create a better environment they built dams to turn swamps into ponds that could be used for wildlife and recreation.

The Ameses weren’t just wealthy landowners who sat back and watched their employees do all the work. Both Oakes and Blanche took an active role in the clearing of fields , cutting wood for the fires, gardening and raising turkeys. From the beginning they partnered with foresters to develop the land as a sanctuary and preserve, a policy the state continues today.

Politics was another past time as seems to be the habit of wealthy families in Massachusetts. If in doubt just look at the Kennedy clan, one of Massachusetts most well-known political families.

I’m sure I have much more to uncover about this family and this area of Sharon/ Easton. As  more of the history comes to light I will pass it on to you.

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In the Borderland

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Borderland. The name brings to mind many of the period romance novels I’ve read over the years. The militant hoards descend from the “borderlands” or the retreating army makes a run for the “borderlands”. Of course in today’s news are the “borderlands” along the Mexican border which cause so much concern over illegal immigration. So it was with some curiosity that I headed off to visit Borderland State Park with a friend of mine.

Nancy had run across this hidden gem of a State Park one day while she was looking for a place to amuse her children while repairmen worked in her house. She figured it would be easier for everyone with the children occupied elsewhere. What she found was a lovely park with trails, fields, brooks and ponds…and a mansion. It was a hit with the kids that day and now she was going to introduce me to it as well.

Borderland State Park is located , where else, on the border of the towns of Sharon and Easton. Oakes Ames, a Harvard botanist and his wife Blanche, an artist named their estate “Borderland”. The property remained in their  family for 65 years before passing into the possession of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1971.

The Park is approximately 1,772 acres. When you arrive there is an automated parking kiosk. The cost to park is a mere $2.00 and the parking lot is nicely maintained. The park is open until 7:30pm. Perfect timing for nice sunset pictures.

The State has kept the grounds much as they were when the Ameses resided here. The family home, a “modest” 3 story, 20 room stone mansion has been retained with the same furnishing; many of Blanche’s paintings adorn the walls. The mansion is impressive when you first view it across a large open area from the parking lot. On our visit the building was not open but we followed the paths around to the side and found a nice little fountain, a grape arbor and flowers.The mansion is open for tours from April to November  on a limited basis. The best bet so you are not disappointed is to call the park for tour schedules and hours.

But back at the Visitor Center we found maps and literature as well as many local events on the schedule. It is clear that this little park is very active in the communities it borders.

A great deal of the beauty of “Borderlands” is actually due to human intervention. It may all look natural but if it were not maintained it would soon really revert to its natural state. The fields would become forests and the ponds would slowly fill becoming marshes and swamps.

Digging into a bit more of the history I learned that the earliest inhabitants were Native Americans. The land was actually a territorial boundary between the Massachusetts and Wampanoag tribes. It would appear that there is a long tradition of this area acting as a “border”.

We did not have the time on this first visit to explore all of the trails that meander through the park so we started with the Leach Pond trail. This is a short , easy trail that opens onto a beautiful pond.

There is a “babbling” brook that runs out of the pond and under a picturesque wooden bridge. Even this early in the spring there were others enjoying the beautiful day. We spotted a black dog that was obviously enjoying a swim in the pond. Working our way over the owner very graciously allowed me to take pictures of her dog as she enjoyed the water.

Nearby was a rustic cabin of some kind. The was a fireplace inside and stumps were gathered around obviously being used for seats. The smell of wood smoke attested to recent or current use of this building. As abandoned as it might appear, it was clear by the freshness of the lingering scent of smoke that this was not truly abandoned. Although we didn’t know at the time, the map seems to have the building identified as the “farm-house”.

As we strolled the trail we spotted robins and  nuthatches. All together there are 6 ponds within the park and a rich mix of habitats. I’m told that the area supports rabbits, squirrels, geese, an occasional otter, and deer. Sometimes a great blue heron stops by.

All too soon we had to wrap up our visit and return to the “real world” of errands and housework, laundry and shopping. With such a lovely park so close to home I am sure I will be returning often.

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