I think the only construction going on at the old hospital site right now is the MWRA putting in the giant water tank. The developer sold off a portion of the land to the MWRA in frustration due to the many years of lawsuits from the friends of the fells. I believe the friends of the fells was in favor of the water tank taking the place of some of the residential units.
WOW! Thanks Old Guy! I also stumbled upon an article by Mr. Leonard Dalton describing the town and how the guy that made surrys told Goodyear about heating rubber and Goodyear stole the idea! Now I can't find the article. I wish Melrose Mirror had a search feature so I could find it again.
I'm off to explore Haywardville! and they say I'm a Melrose hater....NOT!
What a great link OG, thank you! When you mentioned Haywardville earlier in this string, I knew that it sounded familiar, but admittedly I wasn't quite sure why, and knew little about it. The link you provided gave a lot of information in a 'quick read'.
I had always enjoyed those small "waterfalls" in the Fells as a kid, and spent many hours creating things to and then watching them 'go over' the falls, but I haven't been there for years. As much as I usually avoid woods in the summer because of ticks, this string and that article have prompted me to want to take my dog (yes, my dog Patty, but I DO always pick up, even in the woods!) for at least one more visit to that area.
Thanks again OG (and Patty too).
You're both welcome.
I remember reading an article (maybe the one Patty saw) on Haywardville and I believe it said that two or three of the buildings you see in the pictures were actually moved to new locations in Melrose, one being W. Wyoming Ave. I'll see if I can find that article, but I doubt I saved it. That might be worth another excursion. Kind of like a "historical house hunt".
I had so much fun this weekend! Yesterday I parked at Crystal Springs and walked to where the flat area is. There’s a huge apple tree right on the corner where the lights are and just a few yards away an open space with more apple trees and crab apples.
The woods are like a wall but you can make out an opening. I walked through and was immediately met with the ancient rectangular holding trough for Spot pond brook! Behind it is a huge fallen down stone wall that someone built a set of stairs to get over the wall and onto a path that goes straight up hill and generally follows what’s left of Spot Pond Brook.
I decided that I wanted to follow the path all the way up to the top where the pumping station is on Woodland Road. Boy was that a hike but it was worth it. I saw two stone bridges and at almost the very top of the hill there was a massive stone hearth that had to be 30 feet high with a fire place on either side. The base of the hearth was all made of flag stones and was wide enough to walk around. That house must have been something 200 years ago. I did notice an old wooden rooster crate (that’s what it said on the outside of it because I wouldn’t know what one looked like!) stuffed into one of the fire places.
As I took the path back down the hill I took one of the paths that leads to Ravine Road, I really wanted to make a loop back to the flat meadow area again so I could try to find the granite molds that Mr. Dalton wrote about. The molds were used I guess for the rubber roofs and wheels for the surreys that Mr. Hayward made.
I went back to where the trough was and couldn’t find anything. I was about to give up because my Deep Woods Off wasn’t working anymore and spotted something in the woods a little distance from the trough. And there they were! Two huge granite blocks that had to be 5x5 feet wide. One had a perfectly round indentation and the other looked like two halfs of something that looked like they fit together.
Thank you Geezer and Old Guy for a great weekend! Now if you can give me another assignment for next weekend I’ll be thrilled to check it out and report back!
Excellent 'report' and description of things I have never seen and didn't know were there. Thanks for taking the time to recount your hike, though I think I got tired just reading about it! [:)]
One quick question, did you see any sign of coyotes?
OG, although I'm sure it's because 60+ years have faded the visual memory, I have to admit I did not recall this as how Crystal Spring looked:
http://picpaste.com/Crystal_Spring-X3EJS7Ek.jpg
I'm sure I was in the right place though, as the deja vu kicked in big time (well, that and the fact that there was a wooden sign fairly high up ob a nearby tree that says "Crystal Spring", lol). Quite an "uphill climb" (only cuz of the copd) but well worth it. Nice flashback!
You used to be able to drive through there, by taking a left about halfway down Pond Street, and coming out into the parking lot on the Fellsway. It also used to part of the HS Cross Country route in the late 50's and early 60's.
Nice picture Geezer! And don't worry, it's not you. Someone has been doing some maintenance/upkeep AND improvements in the last 60 years. I think, if you took all the rocks away and left the bricks in the middle and stuck a pipe through the bricks, you would have the 1950's version of Crystal Spring.
But who are we to Judge? It looks very nice and someone cares about it.
OH and Patty - I'll do some thinking, but I'm running out of places to have you traipsing around in (that isn't private property). Maybe Geezer has some special childhood places? Or maybe Septuagenarian? All this memory jogging must of popped something loose in those old noggins!
Or.... I could map out some of our top secret hide-outs my friends and I had where we would go to knock off a few beers. HEY! You could even bring a metal detector and see if you can find a few very old Schlitz cans!
Oh, and Septuagenarian, I remember that "cut through" too. It was a great shortcut if the traffic was backed up at the lights near Jerry Jingles Restraunt.
One other place I enjoy visiting Patty (but I suspect I was the absolute last person in the area to 'stumble upon it' a few years ago, and it's actually in Stoneham....gasp) is the quite picturesque Whip Hill estate, in Whip Hill Park, off of Perkins Street. A much shorter 'field trip' (it's only about a 3-4 minute walk from the small parking area) it's a english-tudor style home built by the Crocketts (of "bicycle Annie" fame??, if so it's actually "bicycle Angie")in the 30's. The house itself isn't open to the public, but the gardens are. Color-coded hiking trails are rock outcrop/flora and fauna trails, as there are no "ruins" that I know of.
WOW!! Good one Geezer. Patty, You're gonna like this one. I forgot all about it.
Thanks Geezer. I might even go there tonight after work!
Patty dear, From now on, I think it would be wise to have Geezer and/or Old Guy at your side when you're out there expeditioning. Wouldn't want you to turn that pretty ankle of yours again or anything, although you'd surely turn the head of these dear chaps! Seriously, take care when you're wandering.
Now, Now, Now Geezerette, we'll have none of that "babying" of Patty on this string. Geezer and I are working hard to highlight important Historical activity and Patty is an important cog in this process.
She's doing a fine job of following Geezer's and my orders...... oop's....I meant to say.... "following our direction".... Yah! that's it..... direction.....and having loads of fun while being whipped into great shape at the same time!
Boy, it sure is annoying, though, when the Sports Agents start coming around, trying to steal your property away from you, don't yah think Geezer?
Yes, but not half as annoying as irregularity!
Thank you Gezerette for you concern. I have nice sturdy hiking boots and I'm very careful.
Hey guys....I heard that Melrose is also famous for inventing Marshmellows. Is that true?
Drove into Whip Hill just so I knew where it was but I got home too late. Maybe tonight!
Well... regarding your marshmallow question I can tell you that my response would be a very firm:
" Huh? "
I don't know if it was invented here, but I have a reproduction of a can with the label listing the following, Melrose Marshmallows Made by Emma E. Curtis Melrose. MASS.
http://melrosemirror.media.mit.edu/servlet/pluto?state=303034706167653030375765625061676530303269643030353133343838
Very interesting!
Just shows ta go ya that, with people's help, you can still learn something "new" every day.
You sure are up early Geezer.
Yes I was, Remembering, and not too thrilled about it, it screws up my whole day! But once in a while the timing of the "nighttime necessity" for getting up and going back to bed is somehow off, with the third time occurring when it just doesn't make sense to (or I can't!) go back to sleep.
Great article, thanks for posting the link!
And Geezer's right, you can learn something new every day no matter how old you are. I do have a theory on how I missed this little piece of substantial Melrose information though.
I remember Crystal St. for the very "Big Old Cannon" that was across the street from where the Marshmallow factory would have been. I think the cannon was sitting in the yard of maybe the "American Legion Hall" building??? I think they even fired that sucker off once in a while for the July 4th or Memorial Day ?? (with blanks).
So we have a cannon on one side to the street and marshmallows on the other. You could of had the Necco factory sitting there and I still would have gone for the cannon.
What can I say.... that's what boys do.
Even that "dusted off" a forgotten picture OG. Now that you mention it, I do recall some type of 'Hall' at that corner, probably even the American Legion, as you said. Fascinating that one gets used to what's there now, and it takes something like this to jog the memory!
Whatever it was, I think they rented it out for functions and stuff. I remember my mother dragging me there once. I have no idea why. Probably a baby shower or something, on a day when she was babysitterless and had to drag me along.
I gotta get out more. I thought the American Legion and the cannon were still there.
Not really necessary Sept, that's what Google Earth is for!
This question might be wacky, because to be honest I've always wondered if it's a memory, or a dream from my childhood. I have a vague recollection of a friend and I exploring in the woods somewhere at Mt. Hood and stumbling upon a pig farm abutting the woods. If this is indeed a memory, I suspect it must have been in Saugus, because I can't imagine, even that long ago, the City of Melrose allowing one. Does anyone have any knowledge or memory of a nearby pig farm many years ago?
I grew up in Somerville and we had "collegiate kids or rats". Now your cool or not. I played the baseball card game for hours trying to win and getting a leaner was cool. Saturday was confession and beans and franks for supper. We ice skated all winter on ice made from the city flooding the park, no coaches just a bunch of kids having fun. In the summer it was "to the park" the recreation dept. would keep us busy all day and we loved it. My favorite was kick ball. Those days are gone forever except in memories.....
Your memory is very good.There was a pig farm in Saugus on the Melrose line.The road behind the Fish and Game takes you to the miniature golf and batting cages on Rt.1 The pig farm was at the top of hill.The owner was mean and had a pack of dogs roaming the area.One summer day we ditched our stingrays in the woods behind the Fish, Some how made friends with the pack of dogs long enough to open the gate to the pen.They were rounding up pigs for a week,and we were laughing for a month.When I caddied the next week,the stories from the golfers were hilarious.I often wondered if that sparked the first pig roast at the Fish?
Wow, that brought back one too. I remember always being baffled on Saturday afternoons when my Catholic friends had to leave whatever fun we were having to go to church. When I was old enough to 'sort of understand' what confession was all about, I couldn't figure out what sins they could possibly have committed, and be confessing to, at that age.
And OF COURSE franks and beans on Saturday!
Thank you SO much Schiwnn! You wouldn't believe how many years I've wondered about that. And now that you mention it, I recall not being able to get too close for some reason, and it had to be because of the dogs. Thanks again for taking the time to respond here!
With me, after dad died we moved to Everett, where on Saturday it was the Rialto theater (Rat House). There for with a quarter it was ten cents to get in, ten cents for popcorn and a nickel for jujubes (half of which we threw in the air). Then it was a mad dash to Saint Teresa's (Little Flower) for confession. For a pig farm near us it was Mulligan's in Revere and when the wind was right in the summer, boy you knew it.
[8-)][8-)][8-)][8-)][8-)][8-)][8-)] Whoo Hooo Geezer! Off to Whip Hill!
Although I will gladly accept the recognition, it is undeserved, as the success of this, or any of ‘our strings’ is of course due to ALL of you, who, like myself, are not trying to bury our heads in the sand about current issues, but instead understand and enjoy the value of (and often the humor in) once in a while looking back. I have obviously (and I’m sure will continue to) learned a lot here, and although it’s often about people, places, and things that we will never see again, there’s nuttin wrong with that! It’s fun, and I thank you all!
Yikes, got a little too serious there. Remember the rope ski tow at Mt. Hood? I give the children (and parents) a lot of credit now for walking all the way back to the top of the hill after their sledding run!
Oh yes. The old rope tow. I think I got real ski's for Christmas because of that rope tow and I became quite good at using it. The only problem was... that didn't matter!
If you were behind, or in front of someone (like my sister) who didn't know what they were doing then when she fell, everybody fell. That's right, you could NOT train her to let go of the rope and get out of the way. I have to admit though, it was kind of fun and a pain in the Butt at the same time.
Hey Geezer, I bet you and I could make a few bucks by showing up at Mt Hood with a snowmobile, an attached Ski Rack, and a couple of sleds to seat people in attached to the back.
You want "in" on this? It's not very often I come up with brilliant money making ideas!
Not a bad idea at all OG, you're always thinking!
Unfortunately, since the first fairway is not a designated area on which dogs are allowed, we would not be able to ride along, but would be more than happy to supply half of the required capital. I fear, however, that City insurance and permitting issues would put us out of business before we start.
Don't stop thinkin' though!
PS It's late, I hope Patty isn't still wandering around in the woods at Whip Hill!
Thanks Geezer. No I never made it on Sunday. I ended up having to go into work and didn't get out till dusk. I'm going to see if I can get up there tonight.
I like the snowmobile idea! I could form a LLC for you guys...limit your liability. Unfortunately I'm not connected enough with the permitting thing. Well I am ...but not in a way that would help. Hey! maybe Myron could help!
As Maynard G. Krebbs would say................................WORK!
I can't argue with logic like that, Geezer
But then again, I wonder if we could make this work by adding a REAL dog sled to the process. How many kids do you think your dog can drag up a hill in one run Geezer?
about a half [:D]
I still think my idea of screen windows for cars, for drive-in theaters is a good idea. Wait, there aren't any more of those, are there? Rats, always too little too late!
But wouldn't the screen prevent the windows from getting "all steamed up", which in turn presents .......um...... let's call it an ..... "outside to inside visibility issue"..... that defeats one of the major reasons for taking your date to the Drive In, in the first place?
Perhaps you are all aware of it already....but snowmobiles are definitely not permitted at Mount Hood Park & Golf Course. But there are so many other recreational things to do up there when there is sufficient snow. Examples include snowshoeing which I love to do for exercise when snow levels are appropriate on the fairways. Because snow shoes usually have metal cleats on them, I would wait until there are at least 3-4 inches of snow before enjoying this activity on the course. Also just hiking around the course is fun and cross-country skiing is a terrific activity up there with the many hills and paths throughout the golf course and the views up at Slayton Tower are breathtaking! And who wouldn't enjoy sledding down the many hills and especially that great one at the first tee! We are truly blessed in Melrose to have such a wonderful Park and Golf Course which can be used and enjoyed in all seasons!
Geesch, we can't even talk about things 'in jest', without getting "rules".
Dear Mr. *********,
Sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. I sent your question out to our volunteers and it took some time to find somebody who knew what you were asking about. This is what she wrote to me:
What I remember about "bicycle Annie" : Her name was Dorothy Crocker and she lived
on Bow St. Ct. here in town. She traveled everywhere on her bike and sold spices that she kept in the basket. She sang patriotic songs at town meeting. She must have passed away at least 20 years ago. Had no connection to Whip Hill.
I hope that helps answer your question!
Sincerely,
Marina Memmo
Stoneham Historical Society
You are absolutely right, Professor Correctipantalones! [:-)]
Hey Geezer. I was wandering around on the Internets the other day and I found this two volume book on Amazon (don't worry, it's not thick) of historical pictures of Melrose along with brief descriptions of the pictures.
If you haven't already picked it up, I highly recommend it! My order just arrived. Volume II even has the cannon I was blabbering about on this string above (vol. II, page 33). It was located on Crystal Street where the Veterans Building once stood and across the street from the Marshmallow factory.
Here's the link to both volumes, but I bet you can read it for free at the Library.
http://www.amazon.com/MELROSE-Images-America-Arcadia-Publishing/dp/0738564486/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1380472870&sr=1-1&keywords=Melrose%2C+Ma
Those look great Old Guy, thanks! I think I'll 'leak' my desire to purchase those to the relatives, and maybe this Christmas I'll get something different than gloves or gift cards to stores in which I never shop.