There are many rocky outcroppings and glacial erratic boulders throughout the park. Union Street, the main road through the park, begins in Hingham and extends south, all the way through the park, becoming Mount Blue Street as it enters Norwell. Note the city skyline in the distance: Reflections on the calm waters of the Aaron River Reservoir on a calm day. The Mount Blue Spring is currently closed. Monday: 1:00-5:00pm This section of the park, and many of the waterways elsewhere in the park, drain to the Aaron River, which flows northeast to the Aaron River Reservoir. However, a gate blocked access from the trail to the northwest section of the park, which still had several dangerous abandoned buildings. Challenge your brain with a jigsaw puzzle designed by an independent artist! [10] The northwest section opened in November 2014 and the gate was removed. The spring was closed when we were there and we did not explore the park much. Park supervisor Steve Gammon, who has overseen the site since the 1970s, said, We would like to see the whole park opened.. The 1.5-mile Whitney Spur Rail Trail now connects the Cohasset MBTA station to Wompatuck State Park. To start, it's the single oldest continuously-operated hotel in not only Massachusetts but all of America. I'm an east coast girl living in a west coast world. Top-requested sites to log in to services provided by the state, Read the rules for hunting in state parks. Email: info@nsrwa.org, Public Office Hours: Good to see there's still something there. Most remaining buildings have had their roofs and windows removed and are open to the elements. This faded grandeur paired with the forest setting make this a hauntingly beautiful spot. For mountain bikers, the park is home to one of the longest section of switchbacked singletrack in the state. Choose your favorite wompatuck state park designs and purchase them as wall art, home decor, phone cases, tote bags, and more! Your comment is A lock icon ( a 400-site campground. [9] The 1.5-mile (2.4km) Whitney Spur Rail Trail opened from the station to the park around the same time. This park is also the site of a glacial erratic, the Burbank Boulder. Travel is my life and writing about it is a dream. Have you hiked or biked the loop at Wompatuck State Park? Also, the park contains the highest point in Hingham: Prospect Hill. English settlers purchased the land from Wompatuck in 1655. Scoop the poop! The park itself opened in 1969. Or you can just get in contact with the local Boy Scouts troop down there. In the 1700s, early settlers and ship captains held title to the area, but the land was never extensively developed. Whether you believe in the paranormal or not, there's no denying the intrigue that surrounds the most haunted hotel in Boston. Stay close to nature in one of the 404 hotels, lodges and places to stay near Wompatuck State Park in Massachusetts. This park is the site of the Burbank Boulder. a little known fact that many dont know about. The nearly 3,600-acre park contains more than 110 now-filled storage bunkers, including - according to the sites historians - one that housed parts of the Navys first nuclear depth charge. Informational kiosk, bench. The trail leads to a paved road, which is Leavitt Street, at marker NN12. Check out historicaerials and you can see where soem bunkers were removed or flooded for the reservoir at the other end of the property. Several old military buildings can be found on park property as well as an extensive network of . Ancillary Activities: Horses (permission may be required), Birding, Hunting (permission may be required), Camping (permission may be required), Snowmobiles, Historic Sites. Initially the rail spur was constructed in the 1940s to link the US Naval Ammunition Depot Annex ( Wompatuck State Park) to the Naval Ammunition Depot, which is now Bare Cove Park. Habitats include semiconserved oak-conifer transitional forest, hemlock groves, ponds, palustrine wooded swamps and early successional shrubland. yes it was declared a superfund site, and their 2 reasons why. Suggested Hike 3: From the Visitors Center parking area, proceed to N2 then follow an unpaved trail to, N11 and N16. Suggested Hike 1: (Healthy Heart Loop) From the Visitor Center Parking Lot off Union Street, take the bike path to N12, then turn left on the Landing Strip to N1,1 and return to the Visitor Center. The Mount Blue Spring is currently closed. The newest (2022) access point to Wompatuck State Park! The Aaron Reservoir Dam was constructed from 1976-1978. To this day, the park is underused. Much of the park is undeveloped and is heavily wooded. At trail marker NN6 the route turns right onto another trail. In addition to a large campground and an extensive trail system, the park is noted for the free spring water that can be obtained at Mt. Below the dam, the river continues to flow on to Lilly (formerly Scituate) Pond. Length: 1.4 miles Route Type: Trail (Narrow), Path (Medium), Road (Wide) It turns east into the park and flows north into and beyond Triphammer Pond and into the Weir River. Trees include Atlantic white cedar, American holly, chestnut oak, shagbark hickory, mountain laurel, pink dogwood, white pine, American beech, and hemlock some estimated to be 175 years old. Streams powered the Stockbridge Shingle Mill and water from Mt. Then return to the Visitors Center via the paved trail past N14, N12, N3, and N2. There are 12 miles of paved bike paths, plus off-road trails for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and cross-country skiing. United States Army Reserve Center Hingham, List of military installations in Massachusetts, "Reliability of key witness in slayings of 2 homeless men questioned". The depot was connected to what is now the Greenbush line for easy access to both the Fore River and Hingham Shipyards, which were major shipbuilding ports in WWII. Land and water creatures abound in the park. Blue Spring, which has been in operation since the mid-19th century. Perched on Telegraph Hill in Hull, the earliest fortifications on this site date back to the 1770s. could not find your e-mail or password. However, local Boy Scouts have worked to preserve some of these bunkers, including N9, as a memorial to the military and civilian personnel who served at the Depot.[1]. Other water features include: Mount Blue Spring, a source of potable spring water, and Woodpecker, Wildcat, and Heron ponds. The park site served as the Cohasset Annex until 1962. What once was before, and the aftermath leaves an eery mystery behind the intriguing broken down factories and bunkers from WWII. Norwell MA 02061, Phone: 781.659.8168 Wompatuck State Park is built upon land that once belonged to a former ammunition depot and several abandoned buildings remain on the property today. The land for the Annex was bought by the U.S. Navy in 1941, from local landowners, to expand the nearby Hingham Naval Ammunition Depot, in Hingham. The Friends say the state promised years ago to clean up or secure those buildings so the public can make use of a new bike trail. Wompatuck State Park is a state-owned, public recreation area of about 3,500 acres (1,400 ha) in size located primarily in the town of Hingham with portions in the neighboring towns of Cohasset, Norwell, and Scituate, Massachusetts, in the United States. The Doane Street creates a direct connection between East Street in Hingham and the Beechwood area in Hinghams second parish (Cohasset). It served as an annex to the Hingham Naval Ammunition Depot. The trail winds through the woods, passing rock outcroppings and loops back to the Whitney Spur Rail Trail at marker NN8. The park is full of the remains of old rail lines, which have been paved over and made into trails. Among the most common are swamp azalea, solomons seal, white geranium, ladies slipper, and sheep laurel. Waterbody/Watershed: Aaron River (Gulf River watershed) and Accord Brook (Weir River watershed), NSRWA Office Land was acquired from private homeowners for the purpose of expanding the Hingham Naval Ammunition Depot nearby. Blue Street, Norwell. In the west, Prospect street in Norwell and residential property east of Prospect, Charles, Lazell and Free Streets; Triphammer Woods and Triphammer Pond Conservation Land; and a mix of residential and conservation land north of Triphammer Pond, in Hingham and Cohasset form the boundary. Since then, 725 acres have been added. Some of the old rail lines can be seen here: Old rail lines that have since been overtaken by forest growth: A view of the remains of some of the old bunkers used to store ammunition during WWII: The collapsing old roof of one of the bunkers is a reminder of why this place is not safe: The brick exterior of one of the main bunkers. 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This vast expanse of woods was named for its prior owner, Josiah Wompatuck, who was chief of the Mattakeessett and grandson of Chief Chickatawbut. Read more about camping at Wompatuck State Park. After years of requests, demolition of the buildings began in April 2014. The main road through the park is Union St. The sites concrete munitions storage bunkers, some designed with loading docks, were filled and closed by the Corps. Explore an array of Wompatuck State Park, Hingham vacation rentals, including houses, apartment and condo rentals & more bookable online. There are numerous woodland trails for hiking, dog-walking, horseback riding, cycling, and cross-country skiing. From what I could see through the door it might be two rooms? Sorry, we . The Annex was known by locals as the Cohasset Annex. If you have, please let us know if you saw the abandoned buildings. At the top of the list is the Omni Parker House. ! A third watershed in Wompatuck is Brass Kettle Brook which flows from the base of Turkey Hill to the east along the north border of Wompatuck to Lilly Pond and on to Bound Brook. [4] The park is managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation[5] which protects forests of the northeastern coastal forests ecoregion.[6]. All wompatuck state park artwork ships within 48 hours and includes a 30-day money-back guarantee. It stretches into four towns Hingham, Cohasset, Scituate and Norwell. In 1986 the Park acquired an additional 600 acres from the government. subject to the rules of our, THIS STORY HAS BEEN FORMATTED FOR EASY PRINTING, Report: Warrant Issued for Roggies Bar Owner, Boston Pops Concert Move Keeps the Beach Boys, Ditches Joey McIntyre, Lawmakers pass compounding pharmacy oversight bill, Follow this list on Twitter: @BostonPopular. hi guys ive been to the wampatuck resivation and there were many explorable bunkers and sites to check out 10 years ago. You will receive your first email soon. Land was acquired from private homeowners for the purpose of expanding the Hingham Naval Ammunition Depot nearby. The Weir River Estuary, designated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as an Area of Critical Concern, begins just below the manmade dam at the pond. Most buildings have had their roofs and windows removed, and are open to the elements. In addition to being open to the public for recreation, Wompatuck State Park has an interesting history: Particularly its use as an ammunition depot for the United States Navy during WWII. Follow the Beechwood Street paved trail from E13, past E16 to the boat/kayak launch area for a view of the Aaron River Reservoir. Posts about Wompatuck State Park written by shadowedhills. Fort Revere Park (Hull) Flickr/Michael Femia Fort Revere isn't just historic and abandoned; it's also rumored to be haunted. We will use this information to improve this page. In 1941, the United States government established the Hingham Naval Ammunition Depot Annex (known by locals as the Cohasset Annex). Several old military buildings can be found on park property as well as an extensive network of abandoned railroad. During the earlier public comment period, Demko presented a petition signed by more than 200 Hingham residents from all over town -- including South and West Hingham and Crow Point. Other access points include: Main Entrance, Hingham Leavitt Street Entrance, Hingham Triphammer Pond Conservation Area, Hingham Whitney Spur Rail Trail, Cohasset Whitney & Thayer Woods, Cohasset Doane Street Entrance, Cohasset Aaron River Reservoir and Dam, Cohasset Brass Kettle Conservation Area, Cohasset Prospect Street, Norwell Mt. This land that we call Wompatuck State Park was originally the property of the Wampanoag Tribe. Home / Hiking / Wompatuck State Park Grove Street Entrance (Norwell), https://www.mass.gov/locations/wompatuck-state-park. Acquired by the state in 1967, the park offers some 40 miles of wooded mountain bike and hiking trails, 12 miles of paved bicycle trails, more than 250 campsites, and open water for boating and fishing. 3,526 acres, 262 wooded campsites, 12 miles of paved bicycle trails. Mount Hope is in the southeast corner of the park, north of Mount Blue, which is south of the park in Norwell. If you enjoy a good scare, you should check out these disturbing and haunted cemeteries around Boston that are sure to give you chills. I'm climbing the old, abandoned ski slope inmy hometown of Methuen, on the edge of the 126-acre town forest. Our road trip to the most abandoned places in Boston begins at the, Old Bear Dens, Playstead Rd, Boston, MA 02119, USA. The ample coating of spray paint graffiti on the walls is evidence that many have ignored the restricted area warning over the years: During the summertime, the park is particularly nice to visit. If the risk to public health is higher, remediation could consist of removing contaminated soil or capping the ground. There are many rocky outcroppings and glacial erratic boulders throughout the park. Nathanial Hawthorne spent time here and the commune served as inspiration for a similar community featured in his book: West Roxbury, 450 Lagrange St, West Roxbury, MA 02132, USA, The town of Medfield owns Medfield State Hospital, an old asylum turned park. Unlike many abandoned places, visitors can walk around, although access to the derelict buildings is off-limits. The park is built on the former Hingham Naval Ammunition Depot Annex (known by natives as the "Cohasset Annex"), which was in use from 1941 until 1965. While we remain anxious to restore full use of that land, we want to continue to work with the Army Corps to ensure an environment that is safe to the public, said Reginald Zimmerman, a spokesman for the states Department of Conservation and Recreation, which manages the park. Perched on Telegraph Hill in Hull, the earliest fortifications on this site date back to the 1770s. The park has a large number of paved roads remaining from its use as a Naval Ammunition Depot. The take the unpaved trail to N17, N20, N23, N24, and N25. On January 1, 2004, a 125 acre parcel off of Leavitt Street was added to the park. In the late 1990s the government, who were in charge of the remaining section of the Depot that was not turned into Wompatuck, announced they were going to donate the remaining part to the park. QR code, vCard. Wompatuck State Park is a state-owned, public recreation area of about 3,500 acres (1,400 ha) in size located primarily in the town of Hingham with portions in the neighboring towns of Cohasset, Norwell, and Scituate, Massachusetts, in the United States. All products are produced on-demand and shipped worldwide within 2 - 3 business days. carta para mi hermana embarazada ken climo injury abandoned places in dartmouth ma. Choose your favorite wompatuck state park designs and purchase them as wall art, home decor, phone cases, tote bags, and more! More about park features and permitted uses can be found at mass.gov/locations/wompatuck-state-park. u have to see it to belive how big it is. Whether youre bringing a tent, R.V., or trailer, you'll find plenty of space to enjoy the outdoors. Located within the boundaries of four towns - Cohasset, Hingham, Norwell, and Scituate - Wompatuck State Park was once part of the Hingham Naval Ammunition Depot Annex, used from 1941 until 1965. From there, follow another unpaved trail to C8, then the paved trail to C7. Hours: Sunrise to sunset, plus overnight camping with reservation. In addition, Accord Brook flows northward along the western edge of the park, eventually into Triphammer Pond. In 1967 the Massachusetts Department of Natural Resources purchased the 3496 acres to convert it to a public park. I know I am dredging up an old post, but we just visited Wompatuck and had our camera with us. Many of these bunkers have been backfilled, but some remain exposed, including one which housed parts of the Navys first nuclear depth charge in the 1950s. Encompassing 3,500 acres (1540 in Hingham), this heavily wooded park is one of the towns greatest conservation assets. An unexpectedly dramatic stone staircase hidden in the middle of the woods leads to dens decorated with elaborate stonework. Explore Wompatuck State Park - view hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. Wednesday: 9:00am-5:00pm One can see the vast infrastructure dating from the WWII era when walking through the Wompatuck State Park. Recreation Wompatuck State Park offers 12 miles of paved bicycle trails, and many miles of wooded bridle paths and hiking trails. Much of the park is undeveloped and is heavily wooded. Built in 1737, this landmark has seen its fair share of history since its founding nearly 300 years ago. Other major rivers are Aaron River and Bound Brook which originate near the Norwell border and flow east along Hinghams borders with Norwell and Scituate into Aaron River Reservoir. 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