■ ■■ 
 
 PRIC6*10‘CeNTS 
 
 VS5 
 
 
 BOSTON- 
 PARK- SUID6; 
 
 ty-syiyesTeR-DAXiei 
 
 MIDDUS6X 
 feixs 
 
 
 
 483 
 .873 
 
 \ 
 
 B34 ^■ 
 1898^ 
 
 IS€D‘tr*€NLAR6F 
 
 rte or 
 luations, 
 m. For 
 Reports. 
 
 nSMALL-M^’ 
 
 J 
 
 ''153 nilk St., Boston. 
 
 
Boston and Qioucester Steamboat Co. 
 
 North Shore Route to 
 
 Gloucester. 
 
 The New and Elegant Steel 
 Steamer “CAPE ANN” 
 And the Popular Steamer 
 “CITY OF GLOUCESTER” 
 
 Leave North Side Central Wharf, Boston {foot of State Street), 
 
 wea 
 
 Glo 
 
 A.M 
 
 No 
 
 
 Leave 
 
 10.15 
 
 \ ) P.M. 
 
 
 to 
 
 inager. 
 
 ps 
 
 COLLEGIUM 
 
 BOSTONIENSE 
 
 E. J. mEHAUT 
 
 BOSTONIANA COLLECTION 
 
 Afloat. 
 
 \LS. 
 
 freshments served on Board. 
 
 CHILDREN, HALF FARE. 
 
 o 
 
 ress General Passenger Agent. 
 
THE GREAT FAMILY REMEDY. 
 
 Jof n P, Lovell Arms Company 
 
 Importers, Wholesale 
 and Retail Dealers in 
 
 Bicycles and Sporting Goods 
 
 
 
 OF EVERY DESCRIPTION 
 
 Removed neJtofe 
 
 163 and 165 Wa^^mngton Street 
 
 BOSTON, iMASS. 
 
 Fertilizers at Experiment Station Valuations. 
 
 Fertilizers and Fertilizing Ingredients in their best forms, separate or 
 mixed, with formulas as wanted, and sold at experiment station valuations, 
 which are from 38 to 47 per cent, less than farmers pay for them. For 
 verification of this, see Connecticut, Maine, and Vermont Stations’ Reports. 
 Send for documents, sent free by mail on application. 
 
 ANDREW' H. WARD, I53 Hilk St., Boston. 
 
NEW STANDARD EDITIONS OP 
 
 THE WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN 
 
 Published with the authority of the poet’s literary executors and with 
 , the aim of furnishing an edition of these works in a style worthy of their 
 great reputation. Containing new liiaterial hitherto uncollected, prepared 
 throughout with careful regard to typographical excellence, and finely 
 illustrated. 
 
 LEAVES OF GRASS 
 
 (The Third IJostoii Edition.) Including a new section of poems, published hitherto only 
 in i)eriodicals, or selectetl from manuscriiit in the hands of AVhitman’s literary execu- 
 tors, under the title, chosen by Whitman himself for such a purpose, of Old Age 
 Echoes, containing a new frontispiece portrait from a i)hotograph by (Jutekunst, a. fac- 
 simile of the manuscript of one of Whitman’s poems, and the steel portrait which ap- 
 lieared in the original edition of Leaves af Grass, now re-engraved. One volume, 402 pp. 
 (including an Index of First Lines), 12mo, cloth, gilt top, with decorative cover, designed 
 
 by Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue 82.00 
 
 The same in paper covers, with one portrait, 50 cents. 
 
 COMPLETE PROSE WORKS 
 
 An entirely new book, from new plates containing a, facsimile and a number of portraits 
 and views, in photogravure, illustrating the autobiograiihical character of the volume. 
 One volume, 500 p()., 12mo, cloth, gilt top, with decorative cover, designed by Bertram 
 
 Grosvenor Goodhue 8‘2.00 
 
 Note. — A special edition {limited to 60 copies for this country) of each of the above 
 two volumes, uniform in size and binding, has been printed on hand-made paper, with 
 extra portraits and illustrations. Sold only in sets. Price, 818.00 net. 
 
 THE WOUND DRESSER 
 
 A remarkable volume of letters written by Whitman during his service, in war time, as 
 voluntary nurse in the hospitals for the wounded in Washington. Edited by Dr. Richard 
 Maurice Bucke, one of Whitman’s literary executors. As a picture of an important 
 phase of the Civil War it holds a uuique'place in American literature. Illustrated by 
 portraits of Whitman and of his mother. One volume, 12mo, cloth, gilt top, with a 
 
 decorative cover, designed by T. B. Hapgood 8150 
 
 60 copies printed on hand-made paper with the illustrations on Japan paper, and 
 numbered and signed by the editor. 85.00 net 
 
 CALAMUS: LETTERS TO PETER DOYLE 
 
 Of this volume the Boston Journal has said, editorially: “These letters to Mr. Doyle 
 prove, if proof were needed, that W'hitman’s attitude was not a pose, that he lived daily 
 that which he wrote and preached. In these letters we learn little of Whitman the poet, 
 but we learn much of Whitman the man ; and there is nothing that lessens our admira- 
 tion for his character. . . . No lover of IMiitman can afford to be without this book. 
 And to those who know him only by gossip, gibe, or cool, indilferent review. Calamus 
 will be a revelation.” 
 
 Illustrated by a portrait of Whitman and Doyle, and a fac simile of one of the letters. 
 One volume, cloth, 12uio 81-25 
 
 SELECTIONS FROM THE PROSE AND POETRY 
 
 OF WALT WHITMAN 
 
 Edited, with an Introduction, by Oscar Lovell Triggs, Ph.D., of the University of Chi- 
 cago. With a frontispiece portrait. Crown 8vo, cloth '. 81.25 
 
 An adequate selection of Whitman’s writings has long been called for, and it is here 
 furnished. Dr. Triggs has successfully attempted to make a book which should be 
 representative of the many-sidedness of Whitman’s genius, and at the same time attrac- 
 tive to the general reader. Both as a book of selections, pure and simple, and as an 
 introduction to the study of Whitman, it should meet with a welcome from all those 
 interested in the growing fame of the Poet of Democracy. 
 
 For Circulars of Information Avply to 
 
 SMALL, MAYNARD & COMPANY 
 
 6 BE-CCON STREET 
 
 BOSTON 
 

 IMPORTANT NEW BOOKS 
 
 THE SPANISH REVOLUTION 
 1868-1875 
 
 By Edward Henry Strobel 
 
 Late United States Secretary of Legation and Chargk d' Affaires at Madrid. 
 
 The period of the Spanish Revolution — from the Bourbons as an absolute monarchy 
 to the Bourbons as constitutional rulers — has never before been adequately treated, 
 even by Spanish historians. The present volume, therefore, the fruit of a careful study 
 of the original documents in Madrid, comes as a valuable monograph on one of the most 
 interesting episodes in modern European historj' — important not only in itself, but as a 
 source of the Franco-Prussian AVar. 
 
 The volume will have a unique interest for Americans to-day in that, better perhaps 
 than any other hook, it gives the clue to the Aveakncss and the' strength of the Spanish 
 people — showing them with all their ancient traditions and conservatism endeavoring 
 to adapt themselves to the theories of modern liberal politics 
 
 Illustrated. One volume. Crown 8vo, cloth, gilt top, §1.50. 
 
 THE BIRTH OF GALAHAD 
 
 By Richard Hovey 
 
 A Romantic Drama. 12mo, vellum back with design in gold, and paper board sides. §1.50. 
 
 The latest of Mr. Hovey’s notable series, entitled, “ Launcelot and Guenevere,” a 
 poem in dramas (masciues and plays) dealing with the central story of Arthurian legen- 
 dry. and intended to have a certain unity as a whole without destroying the unity of 
 each volume as a separate work. 
 
 The publishers have also issued new editions, in uniform binding, of Mr. Hovey' s 
 
 The Quest of Merlin 
 
 A Masque. 12mo, §1 25. 
 
 “ Indisputable talent and indisput- 
 able metrical ability.” — The Athemeum. 
 
 The Marriage of Guenevere 
 
 A Tragedy. 12mo, §1.50. 
 
 “The volume shows powers of a very 
 unusual quality.”— r/ie Nineteenth Cen- 
 tury. 
 
 The above three volumes sold in sets, boxed, price §4.00. 
 
 THE CHILDREN’S CRUSADE 
 
 By Marcel Schwob 
 
 iCmo, §1.50, net. 
 
 Translated from the French with an introduction by Henry Copley Greene. The 
 edition is limited to five hundred copies, from type, printed on old Italian hand-made 
 paper with a Symbolistic cover-design in green, 'purple, and gray, by Tom B. Meteyard. 
 
 IN THIS OUR WORLD 
 
 By Charlotte Perkins Stetson 
 
 AVith a Photogravure Portrait. 16mo, cloth ornamental, gilt top, §1.25. 
 
 Airs. Stetson’s verse, which Mr. Howells has called the best civic satire since the 
 “ Biglow Papers,” is known to the public only through the paper-covered editions 
 which have appeared on the Coast. This new volume, revised and greatly enlarged, has 
 brought her work, for the first time, into general notice. Certainly the vigor, the 
 verve', the deep moral earnestness, and the delightful humor and extraordinary talent 
 for satire displayed in these poems have hardly been surpassed. 
 
 WOMEN AND ECONOMICS 
 
 By Charlotte Perkins Stetson 
 
 12mo, cloth, paper label, §1.50. 
 
 In writing this book, it has been Airs. Stetson’s purpose to point out, explain, and 
 justify the changes which are now going on in the relations of women to society. In 
 brief, the position taken is that women have for centuries been economically depe'ndent 
 upon men ; that as a result they have become more and more feminine and less and less 
 normal members of the human race. The argument is extended to ev’ery branch of social 
 activity with remarkable originality, and in a manner to stimulate the interest of every 
 one. It may safely be said that hardly any book of recent years has treated a confused 
 subject with so much real intelligence and in an attitude' so singularly fair and high- 
 minded. 
 
 For Circulars of Information Apply to 
 
 SMALL, MAYNARD & COMPANY 
 
 6 BEACON STREET 
 
 BOSTON 
 
IN A CLASS ALONE. 
 
 Bevel=gear 
 
 CHAINLES5 BICYCLE. 
 
 Its running qualities 
 are perfect. 
 
 OUR CHAIN WHEELS. 
 
 Columbias, Hartfords, and 
 other Models at low prices. 
 
 Catalogue Free. 
 
 POPE nFG. CO., Hartford, Conn. 
 
T 
 
 
 17. 
 
 T 
 
 
 
 4, 
 
 f, 
 
 I 
 
2C09 
 
 A£y/ro// ctJfCu/T 
 
 A I 0 A 
 
 
 rsRvoin 
 
 TREMONT 
 
 (EW trance 
 
 
 MAP OF THE PARKWAY, WITH LEVERETT PARK, JAMAICA PARK, AND ARNOLI> 
 
 arboretum to franklin park at forest hills entrance. 
 
VKHOKirirf'/i xo LKVI/IKI'II/ bVhK vx hOKE^L HJri'fe Ei/1XK7MCE- 
 ViVb OE LHE bVKKVA/A* -7.IXH TeAEKCXX V/KK' '»VWVICV BYtSK‘ i’AM iV>'AO\'V> 
 
 
 “■ ■■ .■ ir^ 
 
 
 \ . ,V ,, A 
 
 
 \\ \ S g/ 
 
 / i ^ V 
 
 // 7 /^/ '>-'/- ji; 
 
 // X, 
 
Boston Park Guide 
 
 INCLUDING THE 
 
 MUNICIPAL AND METROPOLITAN 
 SYSTEMS OF GREATER BOSTON. 
 
 By SYLVESTER BAXTER, 
 
 SECRETARY OF THE 
 
 PRBLIMiNARY METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. 
 
 Prepared with the use of Official Illustrations and Maps, by special 
 permission of the Boston and Metropolitan Park Commissions. 
 
 New and Enlarged Edition 
 
 SMALL, MAYNARD & COMPANY, 
 F>o.ston, 1898. 
 
 (Copyright. Sylvester Baxter, 1895 and 1896.) 
 
SB 
 
 THE NEW WORLD. 
 
 A Quarterly Review of Religion, Ethics, and Theology. 
 
 (200 pp.,8vo: issued the first of March, June, September, and December. )|^ ^ 
 
 EDITORIAL BOARD: 
 
 Probessors C. C. EVERETT, D.D., and C. H. TOY, LL.D., of Harvard University- 
 Rev. ORELLO CONE, D.D., and Professor N. P. GILMAN, of the Meadville 
 Theological School (the managing editor, to be addressed at Meadville, Pa.). 
 
 W ITH 1898 the New World entered on its seventh year of publication. Its field of 
 discussion will embrace, as heretofore, all questions connected with religion in the 
 departments of theology, the religious life, the history of religions, Biblical science 
 and criticism, ethics, sociology, and literature. The Editors announced at the outset that 
 these discussions would be conducted in a spirit at once free and reverent, without sectarian 
 limitations, and in the light of the best scholarship of the time, American and European. 
 How far this promise has been fulfilled is indicated by the contents of the six volumes issued, 
 and the following list of a few of those who have contributed articles and book-reviews. 
 These Universities, Colleges, and Theological Schools have been represented : Hansard, 
 Yale, Brown, California, Chicago, Cornell, Rochester, Columbia, Columbian, Johns Hopkins, 
 Pennsylvania, Michigan, Western Reserve, Wesleyan, St. Lawrence, Oxford, Cambridge, 
 Glasgow, St. Andrew’s, Berlin, Strassburg, Bonn, Jena, Gottingen, Geneva, Louvain, Brus- 
 sels, and Queen’s (Kingston) Universities, and the College de France; Amherst, Williams, 
 Tufts, Buchtel, Brj'nMawr, Wellesley, Rockford, Kenyon, Hebrew Union, New, and Bristol 
 Colleges; and the Bangor, Andover, Auburn, Yale, Hartford, Harvard, hleadville. Union, 
 Lane, Episcopal (Cambridge, Mass.) Theological Schools; Manchester College, Oxford; and 
 the Facultd de Theologie Protestante, Paris. 
 
 SOME OF THE CONTRIBUTORS, 1892-97. 
 
 Rev. Edwin A. Abbott, D.D., London ; Re\L Lyman Abbott, D.D. ; Rev. W. R. Alger; 
 Prof. A. V. G. Allen; Rev. Joseph Henry Allen, D.D. ; Prof. E. Amelineau, College de 
 France, Paris; Rev C. G. Ames; Pres. E. Benjamin Andrew^s, D.D. ; FIdward Atkinson, Esq., 
 Boston; Prof. Benjamin W. Bacon, Yale; Hon. Samuel J. Barrows, Boston; Rev. C. A. 
 Bartol, D.D., Unitarian; John Bascom, LL.D., Congregationalist ; Rev. George Batchelor, 
 Unitarian; Rev. David N. Beach, Congregationalist; Prof. Wilhelm Bender, Bonn; Alfred 
 W. Benn, Esq., Florence, Italy; Rev. James T. Bixby, Ph.D., Unitarian; Prof M. Bloom- 
 field, Johns Hopkins; Prof. G. Bonet-Maurj', Fac. de Th. Prot., Paris; Bernard. Bosanquet, 
 Esq., London; Prof. C. A. Briggs, Union Theological Seminary; John Graham Brooks, Esq., 
 Cambridge; Prof. Francis Brown, Union Theological Seminar}'; Prof. Karl Budde, Strassburg ; 
 Edward Caird, Master of Balliol ; Prof. Mary W. Calkins, Wellesley; Prof. J. Estlin Carpenter, 
 Manchester College, Oxford; Pres. G. L. Car}’, Meadville Theological School; Rev. J. W. 
 Chadwick, Unitarian; Prof. T. K. Cheyne, Oxford; Prof. Edward Cummings, Harvard; 
 Prof. G. D’Alviella, University of Brussels; Prof. James Darmesteter, College de France; 
 Rev. Charles F. Dole; Prin. J. Drummond, Manchester College, Oxford; Prof. Bernhard 
 Duhn, Basel; Louis Dyer, Oxford; Rev. J. H. Ecob, Presbyterian; Prof. E. Emerton, Har- 
 vard; Prof. Arthur Fairbanks, Yale; Rev. W. W. Fenn ; Prof. G. Frommel, University of 
 Geneva; Rev. W. C. Gannett, Unitarian; Rev. G. F. Genung, Baptist; Prof. F. H. Gid- 
 dings, Columbia; Prof. Charles J. Goodwin, Wesleyan University ; Rev. G. A. Gordon, D.D. , 
 Congregationalist; Rev. W. E. Griffis, D.D., Congregationalist; Prof. E. A. Grosvenor, 
 Amherst; Mgr. C. de Harlez, Louvain; Hon. W. T. Harris, Washington, D.C. ; Thomas 
 Wentworth Higginson, Esq., Cambridge; Prof. E. Y. Hincks, Andover Theological 
 Seminary; Dean George Hodges, Episcopal Theological School, Cambridge; Prof. H. Holtz- 
 mann, Strassburg; Prof. E. W. Hopkins, Yale; Prof. G. H. Howison, University of Califor- 
 nia ; Prof. M. W. Jacobus, Hartford Theological Seminary; Prof. William James, Harvard; 
 Prof. M. Jastrow, Jr., University of Pennsylvania ; Prof. Henry Jones, Glasgow ; Rev. W. 
 Kirkus; N. Kishimoto, Japan ; Prof. George T. Ladd, Yale; Prof. C. R. Lanman, Har- 
 vard; Henry C. Lea, Esq., Philadelphia; Francis C. Lowell, Esq., Boston; Prof. D. G. 
 Lyon, Hanard; Rev. S. D. McConnell, D.D., Episcopalian; Prof. A. C. McGiffert, Union 
 Theolomcal Seminary ; Prof. J. Meinhold, Bonn; Prof. Allan Menzies, .St. Andrew’s; Dr. 
 L. H. Alills, Oxford; St. George Mivart, London; Prof. Alfred Momerie, London; Prof. 
 G. F. Moore, Andover Theological Seminary; Prof. John B. Moore, Columbia; Prin. 
 C. Lloyd Morgan, Bristol, England; P. C. Mozoomdar, Calcutta; Rev. T. T. Ivlunger, 
 D.D., Congregationalist; Prof. H. S. Nash, Episcopal Theological School, Cambridge; 
 Prof. W. R. Newbold, University of Pennsylvania; Prof. Levi h. Paine, Bangor Theo- 
 logical School; Rev. Frederic Palmer, Episcopalian; Prof. F. G. Peabodv, Harvard; Prof. 
 J. P. Peters, University of Pennsylvania; Prof. Otto Pfleiderer, Berlin; Prof. David 
 Philipson, Hebrew Union Seminary; Prof. Albert R6ville, College de France; Prof. 
 J. Armitage Robinson, Cambridge, England; Prof. Josiah Royce, Harvard; Prof. J. E. 
 Russell, Williams; W. M. Salter, Etliical Culture; G. Santayana, Ph.D., Harvard; 
 Prof. P. D. C. de la Saussaye, Amsterdam; Rev. Minot J. Savage, D.D., Unitarian; F. C. S. 
 Schiller, Oxford; Prof. Hermann .Schultz, Gottingen; Pres. J. G. Schurman, Cornell; Prof. 
 James Seth, Cornell; Rev. T. R. Sheer; Prof. Egbert C. Smyth, Andover Theological 
 Seminary; Prof. H. Morse Stephens, Cornell; Prof. J. McBride Sterrett, Columbian 
 University; Prof. George B. Stevens, Yale; Sara Y. Stevenson, University of Pennsyl- 
 vania; Prof. J. H. Thayer, Harvard; Rev. Francis Tiffany, Unitarian; Prof. Charles B. 
 Upton, Manchester College, Oxford; Prof. Marvin R. Yincent, Union Theological Semi- 
 nary; Mrs. Humphry Ward, London; Prof. H. Langford Warren, Harvard; Prof. John 
 Watson, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ont. ; William B. Weedeii, Esq., Providence, R.I. ; 
 Prof. J. Wellhausen, Gottingen; Prof H. H. Wendt, Jena; Prof. R. hi. Wenley, Univer- 
 sity of Michigan; Prof. W. D. Whitney, Yale; Rev. James M. Whiton, Ph.D., Brooklyn. 
 
 Single Number, 75 cents; 3s. Yearly Subscription, $3.00; 12s. 
 
 Boston and New York: Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Publishers. 
 
 London ; Gay & Bird, Bedford Street 
 
 / / :? o 
 
ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, CRESCENT BEACH. 
 
 Kiitire .S(!a Wall (1,000 feet in length), Platforms, Steps, Lintels, Window Sills, and Poiiiidations made of (luMi'OsrrK, 
 
 Manufactureid by MURDOCK PARLOR GRATE CO., Boston, Mass. 
 
Artificial Stone Steps^ Retaining Walls, Platforms, etc., 
 
 St. Martin Street, Charlestown, adjoining Charlestown Heights, 
 
 Constructed by 
 
 SIMPSON BROTHERS CORPORATION 
 
 166 DEVONSHIRE STREET ----- BOSTON 
 
 Telephone, Boston 1155 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 part Tirst, 
 
 THE BOSTON MUNICIPAL SYSTEM ■ 
 
 I. Commonwealth Avenue ..... 2 
 
 II. The Parkway 3 
 
 The Charlesgate ...... 4 
 
 The Fens 5 
 
 The Riverway ...... 8 
 
 III. Leverett Park 9 
 
 IV. Jamaica Park ii 
 
 V. Arnold Arboretu.m -13 
 
 VI. Franklin Park 17 
 
 The Country Park . . . .18 
 
 The Playstead 21 
 
 The Greeting and Other Divisions . .21 
 
 Refectory Hill 22 
 
 vn. Franklin Field 27 
 
 VIII. Marine Park 27 
 
 IX. Charlesbank 32 
 
 X. Other Municipal P.vrks of Boston . . .37 
 
 Wood Island Park -37 
 
 Charlestown Heights . . . . -38 
 
 Unimproved Grounds 38 
 
 City Squares, Etc 3S 
 
 Part Scconi. 
 
 THE METROPOLITAN AND SUBURBAN SYSTEMS 
 
 I. Stony Brook Woods 41 
 
 II. The Blue Hills . ... . . . - . 44 
 
 III. The Middlesex Fells 50 
 
 IV. Beaver Brook Oaks 58 
 
 V. Lynn Woods 59 
 
 VI. The Ocean Shore 64 
 
 Lynn, N ah ant and Swampscott Beaches . 64 
 
 VI I . The River Valleys 65 
 
 Mystic River 65 
 
 $ 
 
 Charles River 65 
 
 Changes and Improvements since 1894 69 
 

 Safety 
 
 is 
 
 assured 
 to all 
 travellers 
 on 
 the 
 
 / 
 
 Courtesy 
 
THE FENS — COVE ON EASTERLY SIDE. 
 
PARK eaiBE. 
 
 P^ART First. 
 
 THE BesreN MaNieiPAE system. 
 
 B oston is famous among American cities for the beauty of 
 its environing landscape. No one can be said really to 
 know Boston who is not familiar with this important 
 aspect of the city, and as the charms of the most characteristic 
 scenery about the New England metropolis have best been pre- 
 served in ideal form in the public parks and recreative open 
 spaces, this guide has been prepared, that both strangers and resi- 
 dents may obtain in compact and comprehensive shape, the infor- 
 mation necessary for convenient access to and proper enjoyment 
 of their various features. 
 
 In beauty of location, in artistic design, in thoughtful adapta- 
 tion to peculiarities of site, in development in a way to meet the 
 widest possible requirements on the part of the public, as well as 
 in variety and extent, the park system of Boston and its metro- 
 politan vicinage, existing and projected, surpasses that of any 
 other city in the world. In the metropolitan district the area 
 of public reservations of vmrious kinds for recreative and water- 
 supply purposes amounts to something over 14,000 acres. This 
 includes bodies of water enclosed by public lands, such as Fresh 
 pond in Cambridge, and Spot pond in the Middlesex Fells, but 
 does not include such water areas as Charles river basin, the 
 almost land-locked Pleasure Bay of Marine park, the Mystic 
 lakes, or Lake Quannapowitt, in Wakefield, which are bordered 
 on one side by park lands, and which also might be taken into 
 account as recreative, public open spaces, with their facilities for 
 boating, bathing, skating, etc. 
 
 The Boston parks may be divided into tAVo systems: the muni- 
 cipal parks of the central city, and the parks of the metropolitan 
 district and the suburban municipalities. Not including the his- 
 toric Common and the more modern Public Garden, with the 
 minor urban open spaces, the municipal system, administered by 
 the Boston pai’k commission, has a total area of over 1300 acres, 
 and up to date has cost something over $12,000,000 for lands and 
 construction. The creation of the system was authorized by popu- 
 
 1 
 
o 
 
 lar rote in 1875, and construction was begun in 1879. Not until 
 1887, however, did the improvement of the greater portion of the 
 system begin. The parks are therefore still in their early stages 
 of development, and in many portions years must elapse before 
 the full beauty of their design becomes apparent. The design and 
 general supervision of construction was at the start, fortunately 
 placed in the hands of Mr. Frederick Law Olmsted, and has re- 
 mained with him and his associates, now Messrs. Olmsted, 
 Olmsted & Eliot (John C. Olmsted aiid Charles Eliot, with for- 
 merlj' the late Heuiy Sargent Codman). The same are also land- 
 scape architects advisory for the metropolitan park commission. 
 
 The main distinctive characteristic of the Boston municipal 
 system is its design as a series of parks, each possessing an indi- 
 vidual landscape character and special recreative functions, 
 united by a chain of drives, rides and walks, forming a grand 
 parkway of picturesque type five miles in extent, reaching from 
 the heart of the city into the rural scenery of the suburbs. This 
 is a unique thing in park design. It has become enormously popu- 
 lar and gives access to four parks of remarkable beauty, for riders 
 of bicycles and horsemen, as well for pedestrians and those driv- 
 ing in carriages from the business centre. A similar parkway 
 connection with the metropolitan parks to the southward, in 
 extension of this chain, has been determined upon, and it is 
 probable that like connections will also be made to the westward 
 and northward. This chain of pleasureways and parks begins 
 at the Public Garden in Commonwealth avenue, and will be con- 
 sidered in detail as follows: 
 
 I. COMMONWEALTH AVENUE. 
 
 This great avenue was designed by the late Arthur Gilman, 
 architect, as the central feature in the plan of the Back Bay lands. 
 It is celebrated as one of the stateliest urban thoroughfares in the 
 Avorld. It was named from the circumstance of being laid out 
 •over lands belonging to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It 
 has a width of 200 feet, besides a reserved space of 20 feet between 
 l)uilding line and sidewalk on either side, making a total width of 
 240 feet from house to house. There is a planted space with 
 grass, trees and footway in the centre, with macadamised roads 
 ■on either side. It was incoiTorated into the park system from the 
 Public Garden to the crossing of Beacon street, in 1894; the exten- 
 sion from Beacon street through the Brighton district to Chestnut 
 Hill reservoir is in control of the street department, thence ex- 
 tending through the city of Newton to Charles river. Monumental 
 features: statue of Alexander Hamilton, by William Rimmer, 
 of Gen. Stephen Glover, by Martin Milmore, of Willian Lloyd 
 
r 
 
 THE FENS — BOYLSTON BRIDGE 
 
3 
 
 Garrison, by Olin L. Warner, of Leif Ericsson, by Anne Whitney. 
 Architectural features: palatial private dwellings. First Baptist 
 Church, designed by H. H. Richardson (colossal reliefs on tower 
 by Bartholdi), Hotel Yendome, Algonquin Club house. It is pro- 
 posed gradually to reconstruct the avenue in accordance with a 
 more formal, magnificent and decorative design. 
 
 II. THE PARKWAY. 
 
 The Parkway is an irregular and comparatively narrow strip of 
 roads, foot-paths and saddle-paths for pleasure purposes enclos- 
 ing picturesque sceneiy, running something like five miles from 
 Charles river near Harvard bridge to Franklin park, and, with 
 Commonwealth avenue, making a continuous drive of about six 
 miles from the heart of the city at the Public Garden, connecting 
 and traversing Leverett park, Jamaica park and the Arnold 
 Arboi’etum. 
 
 “If the courses of brooks, streams, or rivers can be included 
 in parks, or in strips of public land connecting park with park or 
 park with town, several advantages will be secured at one stroke. 
 The natural surface-drainage channels will be retained under 
 public control where they belong; they will be surely defended 
 from pollution; their banks will offer agreeable public prome- 
 nades; while the adjacent boundary roads, one on either hand,w’ill 
 furnish the contiguous building land with an attractive frontage. 
 Where such stream-including strips are broad enough to permit 
 the opening of a distinctively pleasure drive entirely separate 
 from the boundary roads, the ground should be classed as a 
 park. Where the boundary roads are the only roads, the whole 
 strip is properly called a parkway; and this name is retained even 
 when the space between the boundai-y roads is reduced to lowest 
 terms and becomes nothing more than a shaded green ribbon, 
 devoted perhaps to the separate use of the otherwise dangei’ous 
 electric cars. In other words, parkways, like parks, may be 
 absolutely formal or strikingly picturesque, according to circum- 
 stances. Both will generally be formal when they occupy con- 
 fined urban spaces bounded by dominating buildings. Both will 
 generally become picturesque as soon as, or wherever, opportunity 
 offers .” — Frederick Law Olmsted. 
 
 The foregoing is quoted as admirably defining the nature of a 
 parkway. Of the formal tj^pe. Commonwealth avenue and Beacon 
 street (through Brookline to Chestnut Hill reservoir) are most con- 
 spicuous examples. This type is also familiarly known as a 
 “boulevard.” Of the picturesque type the Parkway, as it is sim- 
 ply called, is the first and most important example in this country. 
 It is immensely popular, providing for Boston a great concourse 
 
4 
 
 for pleasure driving, riding on horseback and bicycle riding simi- 
 lar to those of the great capitals of Europe and that of New York 
 in Central park, of Chicago in the Lake drive, and of Mexico in 
 the Paseo. The five subdivisions have locally descriptive names, 
 all with the common terminal of “way,” with the exception of the 
 first, which is called “Charlesgate”; “Fenway”, “liiverway”, 
 “Jamaicaway”, and “Arborway”. 
 
 In general character the Parkway resembles the Festungs- 
 Anlagen of various German cities, like Bremen and Leipsic, where 
 the demolition of the ancient fortifications surrounding the old 
 “inner cities” gave opportunity for creating pleasure-grounds 
 upon the open spaces thus left — the inequalities of surface made 
 by the debris, together with the ditches that surrounded the walls, 
 inviting picturesque forms of treatment in landscape and water 
 surfaces. But the scale of the Parkway is far more extensive 
 than any of its German prototypes. Like them, as we have seen, 
 it originated in the artistic handling of an important engineering 
 problem, as the most practical and economic form of development. 
 And with its opportunities for diverse forms of recreation by land 
 and water, it has alreadj" become one of the most popular of Bos- 
 ton institutions. The Parkway is a line of communication for 
 pleasure purposes, distinguished by picturesque and continually 
 varying scenery, with water-courses as the central feature for 
 the greater part of its length and furnishing the leading motive 
 of the design, the space here and there expanding into genuine 
 parks. The remarkable delicacy of artistic perception which has 
 guided the design of the Parkway is manifest in the way in which 
 the successive sections form natural steps in the gradual develop- 
 ment of scenic changes from the maritime, marshy character of 
 the Fens to the rural and pastoral New England aspect of Frank- 
 lin park. The lower basin of the Fens, for example, is of the 
 purely salt-marsh type, while the upper basin, with its frequent 
 islets and^more prominent bits of upland, recalls the landscape of 
 the more inland reaches of marsh scenery on the coast. 
 
 THE CHARLESGATE. 
 
 The Charlesgate is the first section of the Parkway, between 
 Charles river and Boylston road. It is so called from the water- 
 gate connecting the overflow channel of Stony brook with Charles 
 river. It is an irregular water way with abrupt banks densely 
 covered with trees and shrubbery enclosed between two roads 
 named Charlesgate East and Charlesgate West, the street archi- 
 tecture making a formal frame for a bit of simulated wild nature 
 crossed by Beacon street. Commonwealth avenue, and the Boston 
 & Albany Railroad, with low-level and plain bridges without 
 architectural features. 
 
r 
 
 THE FENS — AGASSIZ BRIDGE. 
 
THE FENS. 
 
 The Fens is the second section of the Parkway, also known as 
 “Back Bay Fens,” between Boylston road and Brookline avenue. 
 It is an irregular tract of land and water enclosed by Fenway on 
 the eastward and southward and Boylston and Audubon roads on 
 the westward and northward boundaries. It is primarily an engi- 
 neering work designed tO' effect a drainage and sanitary improve- 
 ment of vast importance; a landscape treatment was found to be 
 the most effective and economical form of dealing with the 
 problem. 
 
 Stony brook is a stream subject to sudden and violent floods; 
 the seAvage deposits on the Back Bay flats here were a menace to 
 the health of the city and threatened the ruin of the Back Bay dis- 
 trict as a flrst-class residential section. In the necessity of 
 meeting these difficulties the entire modern park system of Bos- 
 ton had its beginning. The noisome flats Avere taken for park 
 purposes, and the engineering and landscape experts employed 
 devised betAveen them a plan for solving both those difficulties of 
 flood and of soAA’age pollution. Two broad basins were provided, 
 of sufficient capacity to hold and retain the storm AA^aters of Stony 
 brook at times of flood coincident Avith a period of high tide in 
 the harbor, the ordinary Aoav of the brook being discharged 
 through a coA'ered channel. The filling in of the flats remedied 
 the danger to health. To give the desirable landscape aspect to 
 the scene a strikingly original but beautifully simple design was 
 adopted, in simulation of the characteristic salt-marsh scenery of 
 the New England coast — a brackish creek, meandering amidst 
 fens Avith bosky banks. This landscape was entirely created from 
 a basis of foul tidal flats, but so natural is its aspect, so resem- 
 blant to scenes that once existed in the near neighborhood, that it 
 gives the impression that, by some fortunate accident, a typical 
 landscape of this character had been presei’A ed for its exceptional 
 charm in the midst of the city growing up around it, and finally 
 utilized as the motive for a park improvement. The water level 
 in the Fens is maintained at an average of three feet below mean 
 high-water mark in the tidal basin of the Charles. A tidal rise 
 and fall of a feAv inches keeps the water in circulation and pre- 
 vents stagnation, modifying the infloAAung fresh AA'^ater sufficiently 
 to give it a brackish character. At times of sudden flood in Stony 
 brook the marshes are overfloAved and the basins have tempo- 
 rarily the appearance of lakes until dr.ained by the fall of the tide 
 in the harbor. 
 
 In the landscape results the expectations formed from Mr. 
 Olmsted’s discussion of the proposed plan in the park report for 
 
6 
 
 1879 have been fully realized. Said Mr. Olmsted: “It may be con- 
 fidently anticipated that, under judicious detailed treatment, the 
 several broader constituents which have been named — the waving; 
 fenny verdure, the meandering water, the blooming islets, and 
 the border of trees and underwood following the varied slope of 
 the rim of the basin, like the hanging woods of a river bank— 
 would dispose themselves in compositions of a pleasing character. 
 The effect would be novel, certainly, in labored urban grounds, 
 and there may be a momentary question of its dignity and appro- 
 priateness, but this question will, I think, be satisfactorily an- 
 swered when it is reflected that it represents no affectation or 
 caprice of taste, but is a direct development of the conditions of 
 the locality in adaptation to the needs of a dense community. So 
 regarded it will be found to be in the artistic sense of the word, 
 natural, and possibly to suggest a modest poetic sentiment more 
 grateful to town-weary minds than an elaborate and elegant gar- 
 den-like woi*k would have yielded. . . . The tints, lights, and 
 shadows and movement of salt-marsh vegetation, when seen in 
 close connection with upland scenery, are nearly always pleasing 
 and sometimes charming.” 
 
 From Boylston road, near the bridge, a footpath begins the 
 line of the main walk, or stroll, through the Parkway. It follows 
 the fenside. embowered in trees and shrubbery, with diversified 
 view’s over the water, coming close to the shore here and there, 
 in pleasant little inteiwals of sandy beach. In the borders 
 are flowering slu-ubs in great variety, together with a pro- 
 fusion of herbaceous perennials, affording an uninterrupted pro- 
 cession of bloom from the earliest spring to late autumn, and sug- 
 gesting that the rich and varied growths of neighboring gardens 
 had run wild and naturally established themselves here. 
 
 “The Ride,” or saddle-path, of soft gravel, also begins' at Boyl- 
 ston road and follows the general coui’se of Fenway and its con- 
 tinuing drives through the* Parkway, taking a course of its own 
 through the shrubberies wherever space permits, and carefully 
 designed so as not to cross footw’ays at grade wherever it can be 
 avoided. A branch of the Ride connects wuth the saddle-path on 
 Beacon street through Brookline to the Chestnut Hill Reservoir. 
 It may here be noted that Boston is supplied with special provi- 
 sions for equestrian exercise to an extent greater than any other 
 city in the W’oiid. London, w ith all its riding, has less than a mile 
 of saddle-path. In the Boston park system there are six miles, 
 making, with the three miles of Beacon street, a total of nine 
 miles. 
 
 Both for pleasure wmys and convenience of traffic numerous 
 bridges are necessary throughout the ParkAvay, and these have 
 been given an appropriate architectural character, lending mate- 
 
THE FENS — STONY BROOK BRIDGE. 
 
rially to the picturesque interest of the scenery. In the Fens 
 there are four of these bridges. Most important is Boylston 
 bridge, a high structure carrying Boylston road with its impres- 
 sive line of Lombardy poplars, spanning the water with a noble 
 arch. From certain points of view looking southward, particularly 
 from Commonwealth avenue bridge, this arch is the frame of a 
 beautiful quiet, distant rural scene. This bridge was designed 
 by the great architect, the late H. H. Richardson. Agassiz bridge 
 is a rustic structure of five narrow arches varying in height, built 
 of rough conglomerate from Franklin park and draped with her- 
 baceous and trailing plants growing from the crevices. It carries 
 Agassiz road across the Fens and separates the two basins. The 
 Stony Brook bridge, designed by C. Howard Walker, carrie.s 
 Fenway across the canal-like channel by which Stony brook flows 
 into the Fens at Huntington entrance. The formal character of 
 the canal invites a more elegant treatment in the bridge architec- 
 ture than is given the other bridges; it is built of brown brick in 
 Italian style, with light arches. Since the footway passes beneath 
 the bridge, and crosses by a light iron separate structure, the 
 arches are lined with glazed brick to give an attractive appear- 
 ance and are lit by electric lamps at night. Fen bridge is a sim- 
 ple rustic structure of boulders mantled with vegetation after the 
 fashion of Agassiz bridge. It connects Fenway and Audubon 
 road. The Fens end here, although the brackish water continues 
 to Brookline avenue. 
 
 An attractive feature of the Fens are the waterfowl, mostly 
 ducks and geese of numerous varieties. They are cared for 
 through the winter near Agassiz bridge. A building in Japanese 
 style, designed by Edmund M. Wheelwright as city architect, is 
 to be erected heie for their accommodation and aiso as a boat- 
 house. When this is ready canoeing will be permitted on the 
 Fens, and ample facilities will be provided by the Park Boat 
 Service (see Marine Park). 
 
 Facing Boylston entrance, at the beginning of Fenway, the 
 memorial to John Boyle O’Reilly— Daniel Chester French, sculp- 
 tor, C. Howard Walker, architect— will be erected in the course 
 of this year. 
 
 Street-cars: To Boylston entrance at Massachusetts avenue— 
 Cambridge, Reservoir, Allston and Oak Square lines from Tre- 
 mont House; to Westland entrance from Massachusetts avenue 
 near Huntington avenue, Huntington and Tremont entrances 
 from Huntington avenue— Brookline, Longwood avenue. Cross- 
 town (green) lines. Cross-town (blue) to Fields corner line, all over 
 Huntington avenue; latter twm to Massachusetts avenue (West- 
 land entrance) only. 
 
8 
 
 THE RIVERWAY. 
 
 The project of this section of the Farkway, like the Fens, had 
 its origin in a sanitary problem. The neighboring residence sec- 
 tions in Boston and Brookline were threatened with deterioration 
 by the pollution of Muddy river with sewage. To avert this the 
 improvement was carried out by the harmonious cooperation of 
 the Boston and Brookline park commissions. The greater part 
 of the Riverway lies in the two municipalities, the watercourse 
 forming the boundary. The Riverway embraces that section of 
 the Parkway between Fen bridge and Tremont street. The more 
 important portion, including the main drive, lies on the Boston 
 side. It follows the line of the stream known as Muddy River, 
 which gave to Brookline its original name of “Muddy River 
 Hamlef’ and supplied the circumstance which gave that town 
 its present name in the fact that the boundary between it and 
 Boston was . formed by a “brook-line.” This watercourse takes 
 the surface drainage from Jamaica pond and also from the valley 
 traversed by the Newton Circuit of the Boston Albany Railroad, 
 beyond Brookline Village. 
 
 A remarkable transformation has been effected in this valley. 
 The character of its original rural charm has supplied the motive 
 for the design, and its beautj" has been greatly enhanced by the 
 conversion of an insignificant tidal creek into a fresh-water river 
 of tranquil flow, with banks of loveliest verdure and clear waters 
 navigable for small craft. It resembles in character one of the 
 smaller English rivers. Indeed, the whole character of the 
 scenery is strongly English in its suggestions, with the calm 
 reaches of meandering water, the various beautiful bridges that 
 span the stream, and the square tower of the chapel at Long wood 
 as the chief landmark of the valley,— the central feature of many 
 of the perfect pictures of which the region is full, and which 
 already make the Parkway a favorite sketching ground for 
 painters. 
 
 All the bridges in the Riverway, and also in Leverett park, 
 were designed by Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge. They are varied, 
 but simple and substantial in character and give pleasing accents 
 to the scenery. The Longwood footbridge, built for convenient 
 communication with the LongAvood railway station from the Bos- 
 ton side, is composed of two light and graceful arches at different 
 levels, the higher level spanning the saddle path and the lower 
 the stream. A round tower on the bank close by, for shelter and 
 a point of view, unites architecturally with this bridge. Another 
 bridge is a “double-deck” affair, the upper portion carrying the 
 Audubon road branch of the Ride across the river on arches of 
 masonry, while beneath, transversely through these arches, the 
 
f 
 
 « > J 
 
 > 
 
 
 ^5 ; 
 
 'j”, 
 
 
 
 ■*¥- 
 
 a. 1 . ' .• J 
 
 
 
RIVERWAY — SKETCH FOR LONGWOOD BRIDGE. 
 
9 
 
 footway crosses on a light ornamental structure of iron. This 
 branch of the Ride joins that of Beacon street at Audubon circle. 
 
 The Newton Circuit branch of the Boston & Alban-y Railroad 
 bounds the Riverway on the Brookline side for a great part of its 
 length. The track is completely masked by a natural-looking / 
 embankment covered with shrubs and trees. A feature of the 
 Brookline side is the use of nothing but native American shrubs 
 and trees in the plantations. For the greater part of the way 
 there is only a footpath on this side. The Riverway is crossed 
 first by Brookline avenue, then by Longwood avenue, then by an 
 extension of Bellevue street from the Boston side, then again by 
 Brookline avenue, and finally by Tremont street, which separates 
 it from Leverett park. 
 
 The only craft permitted on the waters of the Riverway are 
 canoes, the stream being too narrow for rowboats. The beauty 
 of the scenery makes it a delightful canoeing course. Canoes are 
 to be had at the pai*k boating station in Leverett park, close to 
 Tremont street. 
 
 Steam-cars: Boston & Albany Railroad, Newton Circuit trains, 
 to Longwood or Brookline stations. 
 
 Street-cars: Brookline cars from Ti'emont House via Hunting- 
 ton avenue or from Roxbury Crossing via Tremont street to Tre- 
 mont street bridge; Reservoir, Allston and Oak Square lines from 
 Tremont House via Beacon street to Audubon road. 
 
 III. LEVERETT PARK. 
 
 Leverett park comprises the broader section of the Parkway 
 included between Tremont and Perkins streets, or from the 
 Rivei way to .Jamaica I’ark. Take the Riverway, a considerable 
 portion lies in Brookline, and the main line of the watercourse 
 forms the boundary between the two municipalities. The park 
 was constructed under the cooperation of the two park commis- 
 sions. The name came from a family of local distinction, origi- 
 nally the owners of a large part of the land. The section of the 
 Parkway drive through this park, forming the boundary road on 
 the Boston side, is called .Tamaicaway. The Ride and the main 
 walk are also on the Boston side. On the Brookline side “Brook- 
 line road’’ is within the park, and Pond street forms the boundary 
 road, with provisions for an electric-railway line' bordering the 
 park with tracks laid through the grass. Willow Pond road 
 crosses the park diagonally just beyond Leverett pond. A con- 
 spicuous and beautiful building facing the park on the Brookline 
 side is that of the Children’s Hospital, built of brick of a creamy 
 hue. 
 
 The landscape of Leverett park is strikingly attractive. 
 
10 
 
 Pleasant perspectives reveal themselves throughout the widening 
 valley with steep hill-slopes on either side, and pastoral and bosky 
 undulations beyond the blue waters of Leverett pond, the largest 
 of several charming pieces of water that form principal features 
 of this park. In the southerly portion of the park are Ward’s 
 pond and Willow pond, beside a series of shallow pools designed 
 for a fresh-water natural history garden which, under an arrange- 
 ment with the Boston Society of Natural History, was to be estab- 
 lished here. The society, however, has not been able to obtain 
 the funds to carry out these plans, and the future of this section 
 of the park remains in doubt. 
 
 These pools have been arranged very artistically, and the pro- 
 posed natural history garden would be a most attractive feature. 
 Connecting these pools, and also flowing down through Willow 
 pond by another course from Ward’s pond — which in turn re- 
 ceives its water from Jamaica pond — are sparkling rivulets of 
 clear water, now slipping quietly along, now dashing in cas- 
 cades and rapids under charming circumstances of grassy banks, 
 thickets of shrubbeiy and sylvan shade. One of these rivulets is 
 close to Brookline road, and forms a vivacious incident in the 
 drive. At one place near Willow pond it appears in a shimmering 
 fall behind and just beyond the arch of a little rustic stone 
 bridge that carries a footway, and near the end of the road where 
 the brook flows from Ward’s pond, there is a fine large cascade 
 over a ledge. 
 
 I’ersons coming outward from Boston by carriage or bicycle 
 over the Parkway, in traversing Leverett park should take care 
 to follow Brookline road, for the enjoyment of this delightful 
 scenery. Brookline road is also shaded at its upper end by 
 beautiful trees. The return should be by Jamaicaway, descent 
 of which affoi’ds extensive prospects over the valley. Along 
 Jamaicaway, however, the park scenery close at hand is yet 
 unfinished and correspondingly crude. At the corner of Perkins 
 and Chestnut sti'eets a wooded knoll, sloping abruptly from the 
 road, should be visited for the view. Two picturesque stairways 
 of stone carry the sidewalks up the slope. An outlook is to be 
 built at the highest point, commanding a remarkably fine prospect 
 over Jamaica pond, with the Blue Hills range in the background. 
 
 The scenery of Leverett park, the Ri’s erway and the Fens 
 takes on a new aspect when enjoyed in a water trip. Excellent 
 facilities for this are provided by the Park Boat Service, estab- 
 lished this year. This service has a temporary station for Lev- 
 erett pond near Tremont street with canoes and rowboats to let at 
 reasonable rates fixed by the Park Commission (see Marine Park). 
 Rowboats are restricted to Leverett pond; only canoes are per- 
 mitted on the Parkway. Among charming attractions for boating 
 

 r 
 
 l 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 - ■»* 
 
 Ml MW 
 
 v-'^.V 
 
 f '■^^■^ 
 
 
 ■ Hi 
 
 
 
 
 
 A 
 
 
 j 
 
 ,f 
 
 
 * 
 
 »^.-A\ 
 
 i’ 
 
 ■■ '»'' 
 
 ■4a, • 
 
 
 tdi 
 
 1 
 
 ' iSC tf".: 
 
RIVERWAY — BELLEVUE STREET BRIDGE AND FOOTBRIDGE. 
 
11 
 
 on Leverett pond are the two coves crossed by foot bridges, one 
 forming the head of navigation with a little cascade tumbling into 
 it, and the other on the Boston side, is a beautiful sylvan pool. 
 There are also three pretty islets near the Brookline Shore. Canoe- 
 ing on the Riverway offers a constant change of scenes of exquis- 
 ite and tranquil beauty; close as it is to the thronging multitudes, 
 on the w^ater here and in the Fens there is a tranquil sense of re- 
 moteness from the city crowds. In the Feus, also, only canoeing 
 wall be permitted, but the service will not be established there 
 until the erection of the proposed boathouse near Agassiz bridge. 
 
 Skating is not allowed on the Riverway and the Fens, but 
 is permitted on Leverett pond, where in winter the water is 
 drawn down four feet, or so, below the normal level, thus reduc- 
 ing danger to a minimum. 
 
 Steam-cars: To Brookline stations (see Riverway). 
 
 Street-cars: To Tremont street bridge (see Riverway). 
 
 IV. JAMAICA PARK. 
 
 Jamaica park takes its name from Jamaica pond, one of the 
 beautiful lakes that characterize the scenery of metropolitan Bos- 
 ton, and the largest piece of fresh water within the municipal 
 limits. The pond is the chief feature of the park and forms more 
 than half its total area, thus making it distinctively an aquatic 
 pleasurq-ground. The area of the park is 120 acres. This includes 
 13 acres of boundary roads, together with 65)4 acres of water sur- 
 face. The easterly side of the park is formed by Jamaicaway; 
 the northerly and northwesterly by Perkins street, which separ- 
 ates it from Leverett park; the southwesterly by Prince street. 
 
 The lands thus enclosed are just sufficient to assure a suitable 
 landscape frame for the water, and to guard against the intrusion 
 of disturbing elements. Athough the work of improvement for 
 park purposes is hardly completed, the environment of the pond 
 has been materially enhanced in beauty, for the landscape had 
 long been sadly disfigured by the rows of icehouses on the banks. 
 The adaptation of the park for public uses made necessary some 
 changes in the character of the shores, but these have not been 
 radical. To provide convenient approaches to the water paths 
 have been laid out, and these have been combined with gravelly 
 beaches along a considerable portion of the margin, at other 
 points screened by intervening shrubbery. The banks are high 
 on the southwesterly and northerly sides, and well mantled with 
 trees and shrubbery. On the northerly side the dark mass of old 
 White Pines that characterize “Pine Bank,” formerly a beautiful 
 residence estate known as the Perkins place, is one of the finest 
 features of the landscape. This grove of pines covers the greater 
 
12 
 
 portion of the several acres included in Pine Bank. From Per- 
 kins street near Jamaica way an avenue winds beneath these trees 
 to the former Perkins mansion, an edifice of brick which was in- 
 tended to be utilized as a refectory, but burned last winter. The 
 drive through Pine Bank should not be missed by visitors to the 
 Park, The plans provide for a terrace in front of the refectory 
 commanding a notable prospect over the pond, with opportuni- 
 ties for refreshment in the open air. In the centre of the terrace 
 is to stand a fountain with a beautiful Cupid modelled by Miss 
 Anne Whitney, presented to the city by a number of public- 
 spirited persons. 
 
 Opposite Pine Bank, on the southerly side of the pond, was the 
 home of the late Francis Parkman, the great historian of the 
 French in Canada. Here he wrote a large portion of his histories, 
 enjoyed the beautiful prospect, and as a skilled and scientific 
 horticulturist cultivated his garden. A beautiful monument de- 
 signed by McKim, Mead & White is to mark the site. This is the 
 first instance of the site of a great man’s home included, by rare 
 good fortune, in a public park. The memoi’ial will be conspicuous 
 both from the pond and from the neighboring street, whose name 
 it is proposed to change to “Francis Parkman road.” 
 
 A handsome house on w’hat wms formerly the Morse place, on 
 the southerly side of the pond near the Parkman place, is used 
 temporarily as a refectory, and visitors to the park can obtain 
 refreshment here. 
 
 The construction of Jamaicaway along the easterly side of the 
 pond has necessitated the formalizing of the bank by the building 
 of a retaining wall along the w'ater. But the water line is so near 
 the top of the wall that the change is not intrusive; it is hardly 
 observable from the opposite or even the neighboring shores, and 
 when the bank above the wall is clothed with shrubbery it -will 
 be still less noticeable. 
 
 Jamaica pond is a favorite resort for fresh-water boating, and 
 a landing for the Park Boat Service, with float, has been estab- 
 lished at the northerly end of the wall on Jamaicaway, with a 
 large fleet of beautiful canoes and rowboats, while two handsome 
 electric launches, running at frequent intervals, give opportunity 
 for trips about the pond under the most delightful conditions, with 
 the gliding and noiseless motion, absolutely free from smoke or 
 smell, such as electricity alone can give to water-craft with me- 
 chanical motive-power. These launches are run by storage bat- 
 teries. electricity for which is supplied by the West End Street 
 Railwmy Company. (For details of Park Boat Service see Marine 
 Park.) Sailboats are kept on the pond by private parties under 
 special permit. A picturesque boathouse after a design by 
 Edmund M. Wheelwright as city architect is to be built here. It 
 
JAMAICA PARK VIEW FROM SOUTH COVE LOOKING TOWARDS PINEBANK 
 
will also be used for skaters in the winter months, when Jamaica 
 pond is even more popular as a resort than in summer, the surface 
 being often black with a swarming multitude, and presenting one 
 of the sights of the city. 
 
 The establishment of a high-class public swimming school in 
 a cove near Jamaicaway on the southerly side of the pond is con- 
 templated in the design of the park. 
 
 It should be noted that the construction of this park, together 
 with that of Leverett park and the Riverway, with the building 
 of the rest of the Parkway through to Franklin park, was carried 
 through w'ithin two years under the energetic initiative of Hon. 
 Nathan Mathews, who, as mayor, took a special interest in the 
 development of the park system and was a regular attendant at 
 the deliberations of the Park Commission. The taking of land for 
 Jamaica park was not made until the end of 1892 and the begin- 
 ning of 1893. 
 
 Street-cars: Jamaica Plain line, Tremont House or Union sta- 
 tion to Perkins street at the corner of Centre street, thence about 
 ten minutes’ walk to the entrance to Pine Bank. Same line along 
 Centre street to Pond street, and about five minutes’ walk to 
 boat landing on Jamaicaway. Also, from Tremont House via 
 Brookline Cypress street line to terminal, and thence about five 
 minutes’ walk via Chestnut street to Pine Bank. 
 
 Steam-cars: Park square station to Jamaica Plain, thence 
 about ten minutes west to park. 
 
 V. ARNOLD ARBORETUM. 
 
 From Jamaica park to Franklin park the section of the Park- 
 way is called Arborway, after the Arnold Arboretum, which is 
 the great feature of that part of the chain. Arborway between 
 Jamaica park and the Arboretum has a traffic road on either side, 
 
14 
 
 enclosiii.g a central planted space with a pleasure road, saddle- 
 path and footAvay. The design provides for five rows of trees; 
 three in the central space and one along each sidewalk. From 
 Jamaica park to the Arboretum the distance is about half a mile. 
 
 The Arnold Arboretum is a unique feature in the Boston park 
 system. It combines scientific with recreative functions to a 
 remarkable degree. It is a department of Harvard University 
 and was established from the bequest of the late James Arnold of 
 New Bedford, who left $100,000 for the purpose. It is the fore- 
 most “tree museum” and the largest scientific garden in the world 
 close to the heart of a great city. In fact it is the only genuine 
 arboretum existing, all other collections of trees being merely 
 adjuncts to botanical institutions. Including a large addition 
 just made on the south side the Arboretum has an area of 222 
 acres of remarkably diversified and beautiful hill and valley 
 country. Including the Bussey institution and the Adams Ner- 
 vine Asylum grounds, all the area between Arborway on the 
 north, Centre street on the west and South street on the east 
 (with the exception of a few acres at the corner of Arborway and 
 Centre street), constitutes a permanently open domain. The 
 greater portion of the Arboretum occupies land that belonged to 
 Harvard University as a portion of the Bussey estate. 
 
 The Arnold Arboretum was established in its present shape 
 by the cooperation of the city of Boston with the university. In 
 consideration of its value as a feature of the park system and of 
 the consequent enhancement of its educational importance, an 
 agreement was made whereby the city constructed the roads and 
 footways through the place and bound itself to maintain them 
 and police the grounds, while the university assumed the care 
 and maintenance of the remaining portion. This was accom- 
 plished through the taking of the entire area by the city by right 
 of eminent domain and then leasing all but the space occupied by 
 the roads and walks back to the university for a term of 999 
 years, for a merely nominal consideration. In this way about 
 tAvo and a half miles of first-class i>ark roads have been con- 
 structed thi’ough tiie xirboretum, and under an agreement made 
 this year about a mile of additional roads will be built in the same 
 way through the enlargement on the southward. 
 
 The successful establishment of the Arboretum is chiefiy due 
 to its director. Prof. Charles Sprague Sargent of the chair of 
 arboriculture at Harvard University, and author of two monu- 
 mental botanical works— his report as chief of the Forestry Divi- 
 sion of the Tenth Census, and “The Sylva of North America.” 
 
 The main entrance is from Arborway near the point where it 
 reaches the Arboretum coming from Jamaica park. Here on the 
 right stands the Arboretum Museum, a substantial fireproof 
 
15 
 
 structui'e of brick, containing the offices and laboratories of the 
 institution, beside remarkably rich collections and a superb 
 library presented by Professor Sargent. 
 
 The main road proceeds southward through a valley to the 
 slope of Weld hill whence, from the point where it doubles on 
 itself to gain an easy grade, a branch leads to the entrance on 
 Arborway a short distance from the Forest Hills station of the 
 New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad. The route by way 
 of this branch forms a pleasant and short detour from the Park- 
 way to or from Franklin park. Following the main road, a short 
 branch near the top of the grade connects with the Centre street 
 entrance, and another branch, by an ascent so gradual as to be 
 very easy for bicycles, winds to the summit of Weld hill where a 
 large circle gives ample standing room for carriages. Here there 
 is a glorious view that has already become celebrated. It com- 
 mands fine prospects on all sides, including a large portion of the 
 Arboretum, the Blue Hills range to the southeastward and the 
 woods of Franklin park to the eastward. 
 
 Weld hill has a historic interest as the point selected by Wash- 
 ington to fall back upon in case of necessity at the siege of 
 Boston. Washington was undoubtedly familiar with all this 
 locality, for his favorite resting place, the old Peacock tavern, 
 was at the corner of Centre and Allandale streets, about 200 yards 
 away from the hill. Hancock also lived at this tavern when 
 
 governor. 
 
 Continuing, the main road proceeds something like half a mile 
 down a gradual slope to the Centre street entrance, where the 
 chief jewel in the Arboretum landscape greets the eye — the 
 famous Hemlock hill, with its bank of hemlock woods forming a 
 steep, dark wall on the southerly side of the narrow, gorge-like 
 valley — a remnant of the primeval forest presenting the same 
 solemnly beautiful aspect that it bore when the eyes of the Puri- 
 tan colonists first gazed upon the spot. Eliot, the apostle, might 
 well have preached to his Indians in this noble grove. At the 
 foot of the slope a brook babbles down through the valley. 
 
 A walk through the hemlock wood should be taken. The 
 primeval growth casts a shade so dense that absolutely no vege- 
 tation grows on the precipitous hillside beneath the hemlocks, and 
 the solemn hush is intensified by the deadening of the footfalls on 
 the thick carpet of the delicate hemlock leaves that for centuries 
 has covered the ground, the soft, brown tone diversified only by 
 the harmonizing gray of the rocks that protrude in jagged masses 
 from the slope. A trail leads up the hillside from a point near the 
 rhododendrons that border the road to Walter street a short dis- 
 tance from the main drive. 
 
 Just before reaching Hemlock hill a branch from the drive 
 
IG 
 
 leads westward up the valley to the Walter street entrance. Near 
 this entrance a continuation of the road will lead to the new part 
 of the Arboretum and, in connection with a road from a second 
 entrance from South street just beyond Hemlock hill, make the 
 circuit of the enlargement, which includes the greater portion of 
 Whitney hill whence there is a prospect even more extensive than 
 that from Weld hill. It may be noted that through the Arbore- 
 tum, as in other parks, footways follow the general lines of the 
 roads on either side. 
 
 Visitors to the Arboretum should, when possible, for the sake 
 of the extraordinary charm of the first impression, enter by way 
 of South street, a walk of not over ten minutes from the Forest 
 Hills railway station. The most impressive view of the slope of 
 Hemlock hill with its hanging wood is thus gained. Thence walk 
 or drive to the Walter street entrance; then returning, follow the 
 main drive with detour to Weld Hill, and thence to the main 
 entrance on Arborway. This substantially reverses the order 
 described in the approach from Jamaica park. Coming from 
 that direction this preferable route may be taken by following 
 Arborway to South street and thence to Hemlock hill as 
 aforesaid. 
 
 The Arboretum is designed to contain every species and 
 variety of tree and shrub that will flourish in this climate. The 
 greater part of the planting has been done, and the trees are 
 given the most favorable conditions for development. They are 
 planted in two ways, each species or variety being represented 
 by single specimens and groups. As single specimens they are 
 assured the amplest room for expansion. Furnished at the start 
 with the most liberal supply of the soil that their nature requires, 
 their growth is remarkably rapid and healthy. In the order of 
 planting the regular botanical sequence of groups and species 
 agreed upon by modern authorities and observed by Professor 
 Sargent in his “Sylva of North America” is pursued as closely as 
 practicable, beginning at the Museum, near the main entrance 
 with the Magnoliacai and following the general lines of the drives, 
 terminating at the Walter street entrance with the larches. By 
 a fortunate circumstance the existing oaks and chestnuts, of 
 which strikingly tine large specimens were already in existence 
 on the grounds, fell into their natural place in this sequence. It 
 is intended to cover almost all the area with the plantations, leav- 
 ing no open lawn or meadow spaces as in other parks. Wherever 
 trees naturally grow with underwood, thickets of shrubs cover 
 the ground, and so far as possible these are planted with the trees 
 to which they are related. Although the arrangement is scientifi- 
 cally formal, and the visitor sees a gradual progress from species 
 to species, no formality is evident to the casual observer, the 
 
 i 
 
17 
 
 impression given being that of a natural sylvan park. Fains 
 haA’e been taken to give the roads so far as possible the aspect of 
 typical XeAV England Avoodland ways, breaking the regularity of 
 the lines by encouraging shrubs and herbaceous plants to stray 
 in a natural manner over the borders. As nearly all the planta- 
 tions are in their early stages of growth, the present aspect of 
 this naturally beautiful landscape gives little idea of what it 
 promises to be when the trees are well groAvn. 
 
 In the A'allej’ near the Forest Hills entrance a complete collec- 
 tion of shrnbs has been arranged in botanical order with special 
 reference to conA'enience for study. There are three miles of 
 walks through the collection, and every shrub that will grow in 
 this climate may easily be seen. 
 
 Street-cars: Jamaica Plain line from Tremont House or Union 
 station to Soldiers’ monument on Centre street, thence walk by 
 Centre street about fiA^e minutes to ArborAvay and main entrance. 
 Egleston Square lines Ada ShaAvmut avenue or Washington street 
 to Forest Hills raihvay station, thence about five minutes’ walk 
 to Forest Hills entrance on ArborAA'ay, and ten minutes by South 
 street to entrance at Hemlock hill. 
 
 Steam-cars: Park Square station to Forest Hills, thence as 
 above. 
 
 VI. FRANKLIN PARK. 
 
 Franklin park is the great rural park of the Boston municipal 
 system. Its area is 520 acres, but from its compact shape, as 
 well as by reason of its command of extensive prospects of perma- 
 nently sylvan and pastoral scenery, it has the effect of being 
 much larger than it actually is. It was originally called the 
 West Roxbury park, by reason of its location. In 1885 the name 
 of Franklin park was adopted in honor of one of the most eminent 
 sons of Boston. As Benjamin Franklin took the keenest interest 
 in the welfare of the common people it was felt that no more 
 fitting monument to the memory of the great philosopher, states- 
 man and patriot could be created than in a grand popular pleas- 
 ure-ground, Avhere multitudes would find recreation and healthful 
 exercise. 
 
 In its landscape character Franklin park is typical of New 
 England pastoral scenery with areas of rocky AA’oodland, and was 
 selected for its capabilities as the most extensive piece of ground 
 with a pleasingly simple rur.al aspect in the near neighborhood of 
 the urban population. The main purpose actuating its design was 
 to adapt it in the fullest possible measure to the obtaining, on 
 the part of the multitude, of the restful, health-restoring recrea- 
 tion obtained from the enjoyment of beautiful rural scenery. In 
 
IS 
 
 his “Notes on the Plan of Franklin Park,” included in the report 
 of the park commission for 1885, Mr. Olmsted remarked: “Scenery 
 is more than an object or a series of objects; more than a specta- 
 cle, more than a scene or a series of scenes, more than a land- 
 scape, and other than a series of landscapes. Moreover, there 
 may be beautiful scenery in which not a beautiful blossom or leaf 
 or rock, bush or tree, not a gleam of water or of turf shall be 
 visible. But there is no beautiful scenery that does not give the 
 mind an emotional impulse different from that resulting from 
 whatever beauty may be found in a room, courtyard or garden, 
 within which vision is obviously confined by walls or other sur- 
 rounding artificial constructions.” To counteract a certain 
 oppression of town life, manifest in excessive nervous tension, 
 over-anxiety, hasteful disposition, impatience, irritability, the 
 purpose has been to give the scenery of Franklin park the sooth- 
 ing charm which lies in the qualities of breadth, distance, depth, 
 intricacy, atmospheric perspective, and mystery. “Is not a con- 
 siderable degree of refined culture necessary to the enjoyment of 
 rural scenery sympathetically with Wordsworth, Emerson, Bus- 
 kin and Lowell?” asks IMr. Olmsted. “To enjoy it intellectually, 
 yes,” he replies; “to be affected by it, made healthier, better, 
 happier by it, no.” And he shows that the men who have done 
 the most to draw the world to the poetic enjoyment of natuie 
 have, in large part, come from lowly homes, and been educated 
 in inexpensive schools, and he instances Burns the ploughboy. 
 Millet the peasant, and Leon Bonvin, the bar-keeper of a wayside 
 tavern. 
 
 Beside the main purpose of a great park, in meeting the need 
 for the enjoyment of rural scenery, there are various subordinate 
 uses for which there is certain to be a strong popular demand and 
 which if properly provided for in laying out the plan will guard 
 against the intrusion of incongruous elements in places where 
 they may work unspeakable harm. To this end, something like 
 one-third of the ground has been designed to answer purposes 
 relatively to the main park analogous to those of a fore-court, 
 portico and reception room, with minor apartments opening from 
 them for various special uses, and to which it is desirable that 
 access should be had at all times without entering the main park, 
 forming what Mr. Olmsted terms the “ante-park.” 
 
 There are about six miles of drives not including the boundary 
 roads, two miles of bridle-path and thirteen miles of walks. 
 
 THE COUNTRY PARK. 
 
 The Country park, which is about a mile long and three- 
 fourths of a mile wide, is divided from the “ante-park” sections 
 
wc • 
 
 0 ^^ 
 
 
f 
 
 i 
 
 V 
 
ARNOLD ARBORETUM —GLIMPSE IN HEMLOCK WOODS 
 
19 
 
 by the transverse traffic street, called Glen road. It is so separ- 
 ated from the other sections by gates and walls as to be closed at 
 night, while the other parts may be lighted and used. The intru- 
 sion of all purely decorative objects is carefully guarded against 
 in the plan, and a wholly natural aspect, so far as is attainable 
 with popular use, is aimed at, the roads and paths being simply 
 regarded as means of convenient access to the various parts of 
 interest without injury to the landscape and in a way to disperse 
 the visiting crowds widely in all parts. In most parts the turf is 
 kept short by sheep rather than lawn mow'ers; showy vegetation 
 and tawdry adornment are eschewed. “The plan looks to its 
 being maintained in quietness; quietness both to the eye and the 
 ear. A grateful serenitj’ may be enjoyed in it by many thousand 
 people at a time if they are not drawn into throngs by spectacular 
 attractions, but allowed to distribute themselves as they are 
 otherwise likely to do. The design aims to provide that from no 
 part of the Country park division shall anything of an artificial 
 character in other divisions intrude itself upon the vision.’’ 
 
 A large portion of the Country park is wmoded and adapted 
 to the use of picnic and basket parties, especially small family 
 parties. Various conveniences for these have been created and 
 others are to be prepared as occasion demands. Tennis courts, 
 croquet grounds, archery ranges, and small lawns for children’s 
 festivities are planned in connection with suitable picnic grounds 
 at localities like the Wilderness, Juniper hill, Waittwood, Heath- 
 field, Rock Milton, Rock Morton, Abbotswood and on the western 
 slopes of Scarboro hill. 
 
 On Schoolmaster’s hill a long terrace has been covered by 
 arbors with vines on trellises and furnished with tables and seats, 
 with compartments intended specially for family basket paities. 
 The outlook here is on the broadest and quietest purely pastoral 
 scene that the park can offer. Adjoining the arbors is a house for 
 shelter, with a parcel room and closets, and opportunity for 
 obtaining without charge hot water for making tea. This pictur- 
 esque building w^as designed by the late Arthur Rotch. School- 
 master’s hill was named from the circumstance explained by a 
 commemorative tablet of bronze on a rock near the east end of the 
 line of arbors. The inscription reads: 
 
 “Near this rock. A. D. 1823-1825, was the home of Schoolmas- 
 ter Ralph Waldo Emerson. Here some of his earlier poems were 
 written; among them that from which the following lines are 
 
 taken: , . , , 
 
 “Oh, w'hen I am safe in my sylvan home, 
 
 I tread on the pride of Greece and Rome, 
 
 And when lam stretched beneath the pines 
 
 Where the evening star so holy shines. 
 
20 
 
 I laugh at the lore and the pride of man, 
 
 At the sophist schools and the learned clan, — 
 
 For what .are they all, in their high conceit. 
 
 When man in the bush with God may meet?” 
 
 Ellicottdale is a meadow of about eight acres, central to nearly 
 all the picnic and basket party grounds. It has an irregular and 
 shady margin. This space is specially i-eserved for lawn games 
 in which young women and girls participate, like croquet and 
 lawn tennis. A walk from William street, passing under the 
 Circuit drive by Ellicott arch, gives convenient access to this 
 meadow, and on the north side of the arch is a house of stone, 
 designed by Edmund M. Wheelwright as city architect, and called 
 Ellicott House. Here assignment of ground for play may be 
 obtained, needed implements hired, and outer garments left in 
 lockers. 
 
 South of Ellicottdale a walk and a branch of the main drive 
 wind gradually to the summit of Scarboro hill, with an extensive 
 prospect, immediately overlooking the great central meadow of 
 the park, cropped by a large flock of sheep. The Dairy, planned 
 for the slope of this hill, has not yet been established. This 
 Dairy is designed to meet the necessities of picnic parties in this 
 part of the park and to supply to all a few simple refreshments 
 such as are recommended for children and invalids; more espec- 
 ially fresh dairy products of the best quality. ‘‘Cows are to be 
 kept in an apartment separated from the main I'oom by a glass 
 pai-tition, as in the famous exquisite dairies of Holland and Bel- 
 i?ium; and those who desire it are to be furnished with milk warm 
 from the cow, as in St. James park, London. * Fowls are also to be 
 kept and new-laid eggs supplied.” Tliis district slopes toward the 
 prevailing summer breeze; is sheltered on the north; is already 
 agi’eeably wooded, and will be a place at which invalids and 
 mothers with little children may be advised to pass the best part 
 -of the day. 
 
 Scarboro pond lies at the foot of Scarboro hill, to the south- 
 ward. It is an irregular, river-like piece of water, with provisions 
 for boating in summer and skating in winter, when the level is 
 reduced four feet for safety and to admit passing beneath the 
 bridges. A striking feature of the scenery here is the precipitous 
 face of Rock Morton rising abruptly from the water. Only about 
 half the pond as planned has yet been made. It receives the sur- 
 face drainage of the park from a brook that winds through the 
 central meadow’, and is reinforced in dry seasons by water from 
 Jamaica pond. A beautiful house for boating and skating, de- 
 signed by Edmund M. Wheelwright as city architect, has not yet 
 been erected. The Park Boat Service (see Marine park) has 
 canoes and rowboats on the pond, with excellent arrangements 
 for their use. 
 
FRANKLIN PARK — PART OF ELLICOTTDALE. 
 
21 
 
 THE PLAYSTEAD. 
 
 The Playstead is the northernmost section of the park. Its 
 main feature is the magnificent playground of thirty acres, a 
 nearly level field of turf with groups of trees here and there. It 
 is designed for the athletic recreation of the city’s schoolboys, for 
 occasional civic ceremonies and exhibitions, and other purposes 
 likely to attract crowds of spectators. The Overlook forms an 
 elevated platform for spectators; a terrace 800 feet long, with an 
 irregular front built of boulders cleared from the Playstead, and 
 overgrown with vegetation that harmonizes it with the natural 
 scenery. Looking towards the Overlook from the opposite side 
 of the Playstead this growth of vegetation so unites the terrace 
 with the bank of trees behind that its existence is hardly percep- 
 tible except for the large roof of the shelter building, quiet and 
 gray in tone like a huge rock, and with gentle convex curves. 
 The building was designed by C. Howard Walker. This 
 shelter building serves as a retreat in inclement weather and has 
 a stand for simple refreshments served in excellent style by J. A. 
 Hendrie & Brother, whose large catering establishment is near 
 the easterly side of the park. An arch in the Overlook wall 
 gives direct access to the basement from the Playstead field, so 
 that players may convenientlj' gain access to the lockers, lava- 
 tories, etc. Here in the basement there is also a station for park- 
 keepers with a lock-up, a women’s retiring-room, and a coat-room. 
 Between the arch and the basement there is a charming little 
 sunken garden where rhododendrons and other plants fiourish 
 luxuriantly. The Overlook is shaded during the afternoon by the 
 woods behind, and spectators of games and other proceedings on 
 the meadow look away from the sun. 
 
 THE GREETING, AND OTHER DIVISIONS. 
 
 The Greeting, with its adjacent divisions, the Music Court and 
 the Little Folks’ Fair, has not yet been constructed. The Greet- 
 ing is to be a formal promenade or meeting-ground, half a mile 
 in length, composed of a series of parallel and contiguous drives, 
 rides and wailks, with a special way for bicycles. The plan 
 provides for monumental, architectural and various decorative 
 adjuncts here, although they are not considered essential. Suita- 
 ble positions are provided for statues, water-jets, floral baskets, 
 bird-cages, etc. If statues are desired in the park for any occa- 
 sion they will be assigned appropriate locations here, and no- 
 where else. Electric lights are contemplated both for the Play- 
 stead and the Greeting, and as they are designed to be free from 
 underwood they will be adapted for use by night, as well as by 
 day, like the Parkway. Together they will form an unenclosed 
 ground nearly a mile long across the park. 
 
22 
 
 The Music Court, adjoining the Greeting, will be a sylvan 
 amphitheatre for concerts. 
 
 The Little Folks’ Fair will, as its name implies, be a popular 
 feature for the entertainment of children, so enclosed as to pre- 
 vent straying and combine freedom with safety. The plan 
 thoughtfully provides for a great variety of games and amusing 
 exercises and exhibitions, including swings, scups, see-saws, sand- 
 courts, flying horses, toy booths, marionettes, goat carriages, 
 donkey courses, bear pits, etc. 
 
 The Deer Park, on the other side of the Greeting, will supply 
 a range for a small herd of deer. 
 
 Sargent’s Field, adjoining the Deer Park, will provide a play- 
 ground for tennis, etc., on the easterly side of the park. 
 
 Long Crouch Woods, adjoining the Playstead on the east, is 
 reserved for use as a zoological garden. This division bears the 
 name by which the old Colonial road, now called Seaver street, 
 was originally distinguished. 
 
 The Steading is a rocky, sterile knoll, screened by woods, re- 
 served as a site for the permanent offices of the park. The name 
 refers to the oflices of a rural estate. 
 
 REFECTORY HILL. 
 
 Refectory Hill is the site of the great restaurant for the park. 
 The large building, designed by Hartwell & Richardson, will be 
 opened for use in 189G. It is a structure of light-colored brick and 
 terra cotta, 121 feet long by 69 feet wide, with a large restaurant 
 and a private dining room on the ground floor, and staircases 
 leading to a roof-garden with pavilions on each corner, connected 
 by covered galleries on three sides, the remaining space open to 
 the sky. The pergola, built upon a terrace similar in construction 
 to the Playstead Overlook, is on a level with the main floor, paved 
 with brick and with a trellised roof supported by open groups of 
 wooden columns. This terrace commands extensive sylvan pros- 
 pects. While all the other park buildings are simple and pictur- 
 esque in character, the Refectory is marked by an elegance of 
 style in keeping with its site and purpose. In connection with the 
 Refectory is a carriage court and a circular range of horse-sheds 
 for the convenience of visitors. Being close to one of the principal 
 entrances, its location is remarkably convenient for its purpose. 
 For visitors by street-cars, as the objective point of a drive out 
 over the Parkway, a dinner or supper at the Refectory will form 
 an attractive motive for excursions to Franklin park on pleasant 
 days through the open season, and for sleighing parties it should 
 also be a popular rendezvous. Meanwhile their want is met in 
 large measure at the handsome establishment of J. A. Hendrie & 
 

 FRANKLIN PARK — BLUE HILLS FROM HAGBOURNE HILL. 
 
Brother on Talbot avenue, overlooking Franklin Field, near Blue 
 Hill a\ enue, a short distance to the southward — a large restaurant 
 building with i^rivate dining rooms and one of the most beautiful 
 ball rooms in Boston. 
 
 The landscape design of Franklin park is notable for the 
 pure simplicity of artistic feeling with which existing features 
 have been developed in a way that restores the grouncTto nature 
 and gives the scenery an ideal character. The result fully realizes 
 the intention expressed in Mr. Olmsted’s notes. Th formal intro- 
 ductions are placed in landscape obscurity, and in the leading 
 features of the ground no change in its original aspect has been 
 made except to give “a fuller development, aggrandizement, and 
 emphasis to what are regarded as the more interesting and effect- 
 ive existing elements of their scenery, and of taking out or sub- 
 ordinating elements that neutralize or conflict with those chosen 
 to be made more of.” To sequestrate so far as possible the 
 scenery of the park, bordering plantations of woods will, when 
 sufficiently grown, exclude the conflicting elements of the outer 
 landscape formed by the gradual growth of the city in the neigh- 
 borhood. On the other hand, by the developing of vistas and the 
 shaping and framing of prospects by suitable foregrounds and 
 modulated contours, permanent features of the outer landscape 
 are effectivelj^ utilized in the park scenery. 
 
 Foremost in this respect is the way in which the Blue Hills of 
 INIilton, themselves now a great public pleasure-ground, have been 
 made practically a part of Fi-aiiklin park by incorporating them 
 into the scenery with the greatest effect from many points of 
 view, their noble, mountain-like undulations presenting the state- 
 liest of backgrounds. For example may bo cited the flrst glimpse 
 of the range presented at the entrance to the Playstead from 
 Walnut avenue, at the north, the blue summits just lifting them- 
 selves above the rise of the green meadow in the foreground, 
 completing an enchantingly pastoral picture. Then, the full view 
 of the easterly portion of the range from the southerly end of the 
 Playstead Overlook at the end of the long valley whose hither 
 slope is formed by the great central meadow of the Country park; 
 the hills five miles away and the flrst mile within the park. 
 Another view, already famous, is that from the Hagborne hill 
 Outlook in the Wilderness; entirely sylvair in character, the eye 
 perceiving hardly anything except woodland until it strikes dis- 
 tant villages at the foot of the range. Other important views of 
 the range are obtained from Scarboro hill and various points on 
 the Circuit drive. 
 
 Of two broad fields of extended vision in the park one is that 
 from the Playstead Overlook, above mentioned, and the other is 
 
24 
 
 the outlook westAA'ardly from the Refectory terrace, where the 
 view extends permanently to the tree-tops of Forest Hills ceme- 
 tery and to those of the Arboretum; both backfjrounds ever to 
 remain clothed with trees. The axes of these two main vieAVS 
 cross nearly at right angles about midway between the two hang- 
 ing woods of Schoolmaster hill and Abbottswood crags. This 
 locality is at the centre of the park and is considered the pivot of 
 the design. Looking in the general direction of either axis, Mr. 
 Olmsted points out hoAV a moderately broad, open view is to be 
 had betAA’een simple bodies of forest, the foliage masses higher 
 than the central lines. “From wherever these larger prospects 
 open the middle distances will be quiet, slightly holloAved surfaces 
 of turf or buskets, bracken, sweet-fern, or mosses, the back- 
 grounds formed by woodsides of a soft, even, subdued tone, Avith 
 long, graceful, undulating sky lines, AA’hich, according to the point 
 of vieAV of the observer on the park, aauII be from one to flA’e miles 
 aAvay.” 
 
 A contrast to the open part of the park is the romantically 
 picturesque, rugged and rocky section, best visited by folloAving 
 the Circuit road, or neighboring walks, betAvecn Scarboro hill and 
 Rock Morton, Rock Milton, Waittwood, and Juniper hill, through 
 a part of the Widerness, and betAveen Hagborne and School- 
 master hill. This character of scenery is intensified in the upper 
 part of the Wilderness, Avhich is penetrated by a loop from the 
 Circuit drive, passing by winding courses among the rocks. A 
 similar episodical purpose is served by the branch drive to Scar- 
 boro hill. 
 
 A striking feature of the scenery through July is the enchant- 
 ing floral spectacle offered by the blossoms of the Rosa Wicliuri- 
 ana, a Japanese wild rose first introduced at the Arnold Arbore- 
 tum. Franklin park is the first place Avhere it became established. 
 It AAms tried experimentally in the planting and rapidly became a 
 prominent element in the landscape Avhen in bloom. It has a 
 creeping habit, covering the Avayside borders and clambering over 
 the rocks in splendid masses of snoAvy bloom. 
 
 The names of localities in the park were carefully chosen by 
 Mr. Olmsted with reference to local cii*cumstances, historical or 
 topographically descriptive, and were applied Avhen the plan was 
 made. They are mostly of plain English origin, and are often 
 coupled Avith appropriate terminals. Examples of old homestead 
 names are Scarboro Hill, Hagborne Hill, WaittAvood. Rock IMorton 
 and Ellicottdale. Nazingdale is from the birthplace of the first 
 settlers. The ancient Indian footpath used in the earlier commu- 
 nications between Boston and Plymouth passed fhrough the park, 
 and Old Trail road, being nearly on its line, commemorates it. 
 Resting Place is a name that appropriately marks a shady knoll 
 
upon which the first military company formed in the Colonies for 
 armed resistance to British authority rested on its march home 
 from the fight at Lexington and Concord. The captain and lieu- 
 tenant of this company belonged to families that once had homes 
 on the park lands, and from them the names of Heathfield and 
 Pierpont road are taken. The region called the Wilderness was 
 referred to in records of the early part of the eighteenth ceutui-y 
 as “the Rocky ilderness Ijand.” Schoolmaster Hill is named 
 from the circumstance that William Emerson and his brother, 
 Ralph Waldo, while keeping school in Roxbury, lived in a house 
 on the east side of this hill. In private letters which have been 
 preserved Emerson referred fondly to the wildness and rurality 
 of the neighborhood. 
 
 In the various roads and Avalks the main purpose is to provide 
 for a constant mild enjoyment of simply pleasing rural scenery 
 while in easy movement, and by curves and grades avoiding 
 unnecessary violence to nature. Every turn is suggested by natu- 
 ral circumstances. The Circuit drive has at no point a grade 
 steeper than one foot in twenty-five, or four per cent, and in the 
 branch drives the steepest grades are one in sixteen, or less than 
 six per cent. These grades have been easily obtained and the 
 roads as a rule coincide with the natural surface, and slightly 
 below it as a rule, so as to be less conspicuous from a distance. 
 
 While the saddle-paths, as designed, are two miles in extent, 
 including the double riding course in the Greeting, as yet uncon- 
 structed, together with those in the Parkway there is a continuous 
 saddle-path six miles long and from tAveutj'-four to thirty feet 
 wide, ultimately to be Avell shaded. 
 
 There are ten entrances for both drives and footways, with 
 eight special foot entrances in addition. There are beside, five 
 carriage entrances and two special foot entrances to the Country 
 park at convenient points. The main entrance may be called that 
 by the Parkway near Forest Hills, which is carried over Forest 
 Hills street by a handsome bridge of monumental character, with 
 steps communicating with the street below. This gives con- 
 venient communication for a line of street-cars soon to be estab- 
 lished here, while pleasure traffic is carried out of the way of 
 funeral processions and general traffic. 
 
 The most popular entrance at present is that on Blue Hill 
 avenue, near Refectory hill and the beginning of the proposed 
 Greeting. Most of the visitors coming by street-cars come to this 
 entrance, which is the starting-point for the park carriage ser- 
 vice. admirably conducted by Messrs. Bacon & Tarbell. A 
 handsome shelter of stone, with tiled roof, is provided 
 here for passengers AAmiting to take the carriages. These are 
 handsome vehicles with seats for eleven passengers, in which the 
 
26 
 
 drive through the park may be taken as comfortably as in a pri- 
 vate carriage. The carriages start at frequent intervals. The 
 fare for the round trip is twenty-five cents, and checks permitting 
 passengers to stop over at the principal points, continuing tJio 
 trip by subseqTient carriages, are given. Persons wishing, for 
 example, to enjoy a basket lunch at Schoolmaster Hill may take a 
 stop-over ciieck, dismount at the nearest stopping place to that 
 point, and proceed by another carriage when desired either from 
 the place of dismounting or from some other stopping place men- 
 tioned on the check, to which a pleasant walk may be taken. In 
 this way also the Auews from the Playstead Overlook, Hagborne 
 hill Outlook and Scarboro hill may be enjoyed at leisure, a boat 
 may be taken at Scarboro pond, or a game of tennis or croquet 
 may be played at Ellicottdale. The drive covers the entire circuit 
 of the park, including the loop and branch roads. Park carriages 
 may also be specially engaged for a trip over the Parkway and 
 through the A.rnold Arboretum. 
 
 The Playstead entrance from "Walnut avenue has a special 
 interest by reason of its fine view of the Blue Hills, pre- 
 viously described. This entrance is opposite School street 
 and is reached from the Egleston Square cars by a walk of two 
 or three minutes. This is the nearest carriage entrance to the 
 park from Columbus avenue, which has been extended to Wal- 
 nut avenue opposite Seaver street. A foot entrance to the 
 park is at the corner of Seaver street and Walnut avenue. Col- 
 umbus avenue, as soon as its extension is constructed and the 
 street-cars run over it, will form one of the most convenient and 
 direct approaches to the park. 
 
 Other carriage entrances are by Old Trail road from Seaverstreet 
 on the east, opposite Humboldt avenue; from Canterbury street 
 on the south to Circuit road; from IMorton street on the west, to 
 Circuit road near Rock Milton; and from Sigourney street on the 
 north by Glen road, which, with Glen lane, forms a traffic road 
 across the park, sunken for a part of the way so as not to mar the 
 grand prospect southward from the Playstead Overlook. 
 
 For guidance in walks through the park the plan given in this 
 book may best be consulted. Large copies of the plan are promi- 
 nently displayed in the various shelter and other buildings. 
 
 Street-cars: Blue Hill avenue and Warren street lines from 
 Union Station; or Cross-town lines from Union Station or Tremont 
 House via Huntington and Massachusetts avenues to Blue Hill 
 avenue entrance. Also Egleston Square lines from Tremont 
 House or Union Station via Shawmut avenue to corner of School 
 and Washington streets, Jamaica Plain, thence to Playstead en- 
 trance; or to Forest Hills station, thence by Arborway or Morton 
 street, to Parkway entrance. 
 
27 
 
 Steam-cars; Park Square station to Forest Hills; thence as 
 above. New York & New England station, Federal street oppo- 
 site Summer, to Mount Bowdoin, thence to Blue Hill avenue 
 entrances less than ten minutes. Persons leaving the park 
 towards evening, particularly on Saturdays, Sundays and holi- 
 days, might avoid a crowd by taking the steam-cars. 
 
 VII. FRANKLIN FIELD. 
 
 Franklin Field, though not adjoining Franklin park, is in its 
 immediate neighborhood, a few minutes to the southward on the 
 Dorchester side of Blue Hill avenue. It may be regarded as an 
 annex to Franklin park, and is intended for use for base 
 ball and other games played by men, also as a military training 
 field for musters, reviews, mock battles, etc., and for public 
 meetings in the open air. It has an area of seventy acres and is 
 well adapted for the purpose. In the winter the meadow is 
 flooded and used for skating, forming a large and safe pond for 
 that purpose. It is one of the most popular skating grounds iu 
 Boston. The large restaurant of J. A. Hendrie & Brother, on 
 Talbot avenue close by, is a pleasant place of refreshment for 
 skating parties and for persons resorting to the field for summer 
 sports. It is conveniently reached by the street-cars from Blue 
 Hill avenue and is but a short walk from Carletou station on the 
 New York & New England Railroad. 
 
 VIII. MARINE PARK. 
 
 Marine park, at City Point and Castle Island, South Boston, 
 terminates a projected system of pleasure- ways connected with 
 the central sections of the city and the main chain of parks and 
 parkAvays by means of the great cross-toAvn thoroughfare, Massa- 
 chusetts avenue, which from Columbus avenue eastAvard has a 
 boulevard character, Avith central planted spaces. Massachu- 
 setts aA’enue crosses the main park system at CommouAvealth 
 avenue, and at Harvard bridge connects Avith the projected im- 
 provement of Charles riA er on both the Cambridge and Boston 
 sides. It also comes Avithin a short distance of the ParkAvay at 
 Boylston street and at Westland avenue. From the easterly end 
 of Massachusetts avenue, at Dorchester Five corners, a shore- 
 ward system of pleasure-Avays begins with DorchesterAvay, a 
 parkAvay 1.10 feet wide, running easterly to the shore of Dorchester 
 bay at Old Harbor, near the ancient Calf Pasture. Dorchester- 
 way is under construction and nearly completed. From the Calf 
 Pasture to Marine Park, a distance of nearly tAvo miles, the park- 
 way continues under the name of Strandway, folloAving the shore 
 all the way. The construction of StrandAvay awaits the requisite 
 
t hmh ' 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 ImM 
 
 pi 
 
29 
 
 appropriation for the purpose. As designed, it will be a beautiful 
 shore drive with a total width of 110 feet, with a broad road, 
 walks, planted spaces, etc., including a strip of clean sandy beach. 
 The plan contemplates the improvement of the beach bath for 
 men and boys at the foot of L street, the oldest, most frequented 
 and popular public bathing-place in the United States. Strand- 
 way will, on its completion, be one of the most attractive features 
 of the park system, ■with its continuous and varying prospects 
 over the bay and its shores, the Blue Hills rising majestically to 
 the southward, and open to the free sweep of the prevailing 
 summer winds over the water. 
 
 At City Point the Strandway drive enters Marine park and is 
 planned to be continued to and around Castle island. Marine 
 park is a unique feature of the park system and already, in its 
 unfinished condition, is enormously popular. Its simple, but re- 
 markable ingenious, plan utilizes for recreative purposes in the 
 fullest possible way the advantages of the site, both natural and 
 suggested by its fortunate location— boating, sailing, bathing, and 
 the enjoyment of sea air and the varied spectacle of the maritime 
 life of the harbor and bay. The plan provides a “Pleasure Bay,'’ 
 nearly land-locked and consequently with smooth water, always 
 safe for rowing and sailing. Pleasure Bay is enclosed between 
 the great iron pier that extends far out into the w'ater on the 
 southwesterly side of the park and Castle Island on the east, 
 forming a fine sheet of water, the shores making a horseshoe 
 curve with a long sandy beach. Castle island is at present con- 
 nected with the mainland by a temporary bi-idge of wooden 
 piling which will be replaced by solid filling, with the exception 
 of the drawbridge that spans a navigable channel. 
 
 The greatest rendezvous for yachting in the United States has 
 for years been at City Point. Hundreds of pleasure craft of all 
 kinds are kept here, with moorings in the slmllow water to the 
 southward of the point and off Strandway, covering hundreds of 
 acres of water-surface. The yachting activities, with the craft 
 lying at rest or fiitting about under snowy canvas, skimming over 
 the 1)lue ■'vater like great seabirds, give a never failing interest 
 to the scene. It is the policy of the park department to encourage 
 this feature of the place and make the yachting facilities more 
 convenient and agreeable than ever. Various yacht-clubs have 
 long had their headquarters here, and when the shore land was 
 taken for park purposes due regard for their privileges was had 
 by setting apart a strip of ground between Strandway and the 
 water and leasing it to them as sites for their clubhouses. 
 
 Between the yacht-clubs and the head of the pier there is a 
 public landing place, wdth a large float. Here the Park Boat Ser- 
 vice has its most extensive activities. The boat service is de- 
 
1 
 
 30 
 
 sisned as one of the most important elements of recreation in the 
 parks, Boston having opportunities for aquatic pleasure far 
 beyond those of most American cities. Steps have just been taken 
 to utilize tliese on a large and comprehensive scale. The park 
 commission has made a contract with Mr. W. E. Sheldon, a lead- 
 ing Boston boat builder, for supplying a boat service under condi- 
 tions that assure the greatest degree of public enjoyment and 
 security in its use. The service extends to all the navigabh" 
 waters in the parks, and over 200 boats of various kinds are 
 already in use at Jamaica, Franklin, Leverett and Marine parks. 
 Charlesbank and the Riverway— rowboats and canoes, steam- 
 boats, electric launches, naphtha launches, etc. 
 
 Particular strees is laid upon having all boatmen specially 
 skilled in their duties, well disciplined, neatly attired, courteous 
 and attentive. It is required that they shall know how to swim, 
 to rescue and resuscitate drowning persons, and maintain good 
 order. 
 
 The boats are of first-class character, light, graceful, strongly 
 built and handsomely equipped. Moderate rates of fare are 
 charged, as follows: 
 
 Omxibus and Ferky Boats, running over a prescribed course, 10 
 cents per passenger for each trip, not exceeding twenty minutes. 
 Trip on Steamiioats, not exceeding one hour, 25 cents. Two hour 
 trips, 50 cents. 
 
 Said Boats, under 24 feet long, with Sailing Master, $1.25 per hour. 
 One-half day, $5; one day, $8. Sail Boats, 24 to 30 feet long, 
 $2 per hour, $8 per one-half day, .$15 per day. 
 
 Fishing Boats. — Per hour, ... 25 cents. 
 
 Per one-half day, . . $1.00. 
 
 Per day, . . . $1.50. 
 
 Fishing Outfits and Bait will be furnished at reasonable cost. 
 Row Boats and Canoes. — Week-days, except Saturday Afternoon 
 and Holidays : Per hour, ... 30 cents. 
 
 Per one-half day, . . $1.50. 
 
 Per day, . . . $2,00. 
 
 Saturday Afternoons, Sundays and Holidays : 
 
 Per hour. 
 
 Per one-half day, 
 
 Per day. 
 
 Row Boats with Cushions, 5 cents per hour extra. 
 
 Row Boats with Oarsman, 25 cents per hour extra. 
 
 No Boats let for less than One Hour. 
 
 One hundred five-cent Coupon Tickets for use of Boats, 
 
 STORAGE AND CARE OF BOATS. 
 
 Row Boats, 75 cents jier week. Sail Boats of 20 ft. or less, 
 
 $1.25 per week. 
 
 40 cents. 
 
 $ 2 . 00 . 
 
 $3.50. 
 
 1.76. 
 
 Here at Marine park there are various boating features in 
 addition to those in the other parks. Beside sixty rowboats and 
 canoes there is a large fleet of sailboats, and two fine steam 
 launches make excursion trips out into the bay at frequent inter- 
 
 I 
 
 A 
 
31 
 
 vals. Two handsome naphtha launches also furnish a pleasant 
 ferry service to and from Castle Island. It is intended to in- 
 crease the Park Boat service from year to year and probably, as 
 soon as practicable, connect the water-front pleasure grounds — 
 Marine and Wood Island parks, and that now under construction 
 at the Noi*t]i End — with each othei’ by a steaml)oat line. 
 
 The great pier serves for a promenade and a resting place for 
 the enjoyment of sea air and of maritime sceneiy. It terminates 
 at a small artiiicial island which is to be covered with a great 
 double-decked structure where thousands may sit with salt water 
 about them on every side and subject to the full sweep of the 
 breezes of the bay, with the effect of being on a huge steamboat 
 anchored out in the harbor. At the entrance to the pier is a pic- 
 turesque building designed by Edmund M. Wheelwright as city 
 architect in the style of many of the medieval municipal council- 
 houses of German cities, and suggested by the beautiful German 
 government building at the World’s Fair at Chicago. In the 
 plastered panels of the exterior are decorative designs in “sgraffi- 
 to,” executed by Max Bachmann, the sculptor and decorator, after 
 sketches by himself and drawings by Mr. Wheelwright. These 
 designs, in figures and arabesque, depict the story, historical and 
 traditional, of Boston bay. Sgraffito work is a favorite form of 
 mural decoration in Italy and Germany. It is done by incising 
 through various layers of colored cement according to the effect 
 desired. The term is Italian, and signifies “scratched” or “in- 
 cised.” This is the first example of the process in this country. 
 The building is flanked on each side by raised platforms for 
 promenades extending to the pier. Below and between these 
 platforms are 500 dressing rooms for bathers, the adjacent beach 
 being designed for a general public bathing place for both sexes. 
 On the ground, or terazzo, floor is a general waiting-room, with 
 retiring and toilet rooms for men and women. Under the prome- 
 nades are offices for park-keepers and other officials. On the 
 second floor are two large cafes, adjacent to the promenades and 
 connected by a corridor and service rooms. On the third floor is 
 the restaurant, with kitchen, etc. 
 
 Several acres of the ground are devoted to lawns, trees, shrub- 
 bery, etc. Opposite the end of BroadAvay a bronze statue of the 
 great naval hero, Admiral Farragut, by Henry Hudson Kitson, is 
 appropriately located, in full view of the bay with its processions 
 of ships. 
 
 A space has been reserved in the northerly part of the park 
 for an aquarial garden, with salt-water pools for amphibious ani- 
 mals, and marine mammalia, like seals, walruses, porpoises, etc. 
 A handsome aquarium building has been designed for this place. 
 
 Castle Island has been given by the national government into 
 
32 
 
 cliar>:e of the park department for recreative uses, Fort Inde- 
 pendence being now regarded as of no military value except in 
 case of emergency. This island was the first fortified place in 
 Boston bay, and its name comes from the old “Castle,” as the 
 original British fort was called. Since the introduction of long- 
 range guns its strategic importance, as commanding the entrance 
 to the harbor, has ceased. Fort Independence still remains in 
 charge of a sergeant of the regular army, and the general public 
 is not admitted. At the southward of the fort near its gate there 
 is a pleasant shaded place with large elm trees, and the island 
 forms an attractive place for promenade, rest, and enjoyment of 
 the extensive maritime scenery on every side, from the reaches of 
 Dorchester bay and the various islands seaward on one side to the 
 main ship channel on the other, with its passing steamers and 
 sailing craft, large and small, far up into the busy inner harbor 
 towards the Navy Yard at Charlestown. The spectacle here is 
 one of the most beautiful and attractive on the Atlantic coast. 
 
 Of the islands in the bay, Thompson’s island is the one nearest 
 at hand, to the southeastwal’d, separated from the picturesque 
 rocky headland of Squantum, in Quincy, by a naiTow channel. 
 It is the seat of the Farm School, an admirable educational insti- 
 tution for the benefit of poor and worthy boys. A steam launch 
 runs between Marine park and the island for the convenience of 
 the school. Being diversified with groves and groups, of trees 
 Thompson’s is the most beautiful of the islands in the bay. 
 Across the main ship channel to the northward is Governor’s 
 island, so called from its having been owned by Gov. Winthrop, 
 and the fortification which occupies it is called Fort Winthrop. 
 
 Street-cars: All South Boston cars marked City Point, from 
 Scollay square, Adams square, Postofiice square. Park square. 
 Union station. East Cambridge and Cambridge (latter by way of 
 Park square), I’uu to Marine park. Cars to the park run from all 
 the steam-i'ailway stations at frequent intervals. On South Bos- 
 ton cars that run only to Doi’chester street free transfers are 
 given to City Point cars. The lines through South Boston run 
 either by Broadway or by Bay View and Eighth street — the latter 
 route, which is a few minutes longer, passing near the line of 
 Strandway, and at various points commanding views over Dor- 
 chester bay. The pleasanter street route, however, is by way of 
 Broadway, which is arched by beautiful elms. 
 
 IX. CHARLESBANK. 
 
 Charlesbank occupies the shore of Charles river for a stretch 
 of something like half a mile, between West Boston and Craigie 
 bridges. It was designed to give a pleasant and ample breathing- 
 
OO ‘ 
 
 space to the people of the densely inhabited tenement district 
 close by. Its varied, thoughtfully devised and well administered 
 facilities for popular recreation and exercise make it a place that 
 should be visited and studied by all interested in social and muni- 
 cipal economy. Open to the prevailing summer breezes from the 
 broad river basin, it has brought pleasure and health to many 
 thousands, while it has saved the lives of hundreds of infants 
 who otherwise would have perished from cholera infantum for 
 lack of fresh air. The multitudes that resort hither on pleasant 
 summer evenings make Charlesbank one of the notable sights of 
 
 WOMEN’S GYMNASIUM, CHARLESBANK. 
 
 the city, and one that must rejoice the heart of every lover of his 
 kind. 
 
 Charlesbank has a broad promenade along a river-wall, 
 guarded by an iron railing where a long, straight row of lamps 
 makes a beautiful glittering line of light along the margin of the 
 river at night. This adjoins a long stretch of gently undulating 
 grassy ground, planted with trees and shrubbery, and coursed by 
 pleasantly winding paths. The promenade is lined with seats 
 facing the river, and some of these are shaded by awnings and 
 reserved exclusively for women with infants. Near either end of 
 the river-wall is a bastion, with exceptionally good views over the 
 
34 
 
35 
 
 river and steps connecting with boat landings. At the landing 
 near the northerly end, towards Craigie bridge, the Park Boat 
 Service (see Marine Park) has a station, with excellent provisions 
 for rowing and canoeing. This is a convenient point of embarka- 
 tion for persons desiring to make a canoe-trip up the river. 
 
 The Charlesbank free open-air gymnasia are the first institu- 
 tions of the kind in this country and the most complete of their 
 class in the world. So admirable have been the results that the 
 park-department has planned for similar institutions on three 
 other neu recreation grounds of the city — at Charlestown, East 
 Boston, and Marine park. South Boston. At the northerly end of 
 the grounds is the gymnasium for men and boys, an oval space 
 enclosed by a high iron fence which presents no bar to a good 
 view of the interesting and animated spectacle from outside. An 
 excellent cinder-path for running and bicycle practice, with six 
 laps to the mile, surrounds the large area of rolled gravel for 
 gymnastic exercises. In winter this space is sprayed, forming a 
 perfectly safe skating-ground for small boys. The apparatus is 
 of the most approved kind, and so superior is exercise in the open 
 air to that in an indoor gymnasium that all classes of young men, 
 including college students and members of the socially foremost 
 atldetic associations, resort hither for practice. The institution is 
 in charge of a first-class professional athletic instructor who 
 gives free training to all who wish it, with advice as to the best 
 course for physical development suited to the individual. Some 
 of the best young athletes in the country have received their 
 training here. The best of order is maintained, and the border of 
 turf and shrubbery at the margin of the track, adjoining the 
 fence, has never been defaced in the least. Connecting with the 
 track gymnasium by a bridge and steps from the second story is 
 a large house for offices, lockers, toilet and dressing rooms, and 
 facilities for bathing after exercise. On the ground ffoor are- 
 accommodations for those using the boating service. The build- 
 ing was designed by Edmund M. Wheelwright as city architect. 
 
 At the southerly end of Charlesbank, near West Boston 
 bridge, is the gymnasium for women and girls, combined with a 
 playground and creche for children. This, like its companio’i 
 institution, has been phenomenally popular from the start. Both 
 were suggested and planned in all their minutest details by Mr. 
 Frederick Law Olmsted, in accordance with his steadfast aim to 
 make the public parks administer to all possible rational open-air 
 recreative uses by the largest number of people. These grounds 
 are surrounded by a dense growth of shrubbery to screen them 
 from public gaze, and provide the seclusion desirable for the sex 
 that uses them. Access is through a building of picturesque char- 
 acter designed by Walker & Kimball, and corresponding in uses 
 
36 
 
to that of the other gymnasium. The space for gymnastic appara- 
 tus is smaller and more compact than that for men and boys. .A. 
 fine running track of ten laps to the mile encloses an area of well- 
 kept lawn where little children may play on the grass under the 
 eyes of their mothers or attendants, for whom a long row of 
 covered seats is provided. There are also sand-courts for children, 
 which are immensely popular with the little ones. The institution 
 is in charge of a committee of the Massachusetts Emergency and 
 Hygiene Association, with trained women superintendent and 
 assistants. The attendance in 1894, from May 15 to Nov. 1, was 
 145,392, a daily average of 887. The average age of users of the 
 gymnasium is between fourteen and fifteen jmars. Various cases 
 of benefit to girls sent by physicians as needing special gym- 
 nastic treatment are i-eported. On the grassy playground little 
 children practise football to some extent, and games of hand-ball, 
 jumping-ropes, hoops and team-races are constantly going on. 
 There are also classes in kindergarten exercises. Mothers obliged 
 to go out to work may leave their children here to be cared for for 
 the day. 
 
 Street-cars: All cars to East Cambridge from Scollay square 
 or South Boston pass by the northerly end of Charlesbaiik, at 
 Craigie bridge, and all other Cambridge cars, from Bowdoin 
 square, Bark square and South Boston via Charles street, together 
 with the Belt Line cars via Cambridge street or Charles street, 
 pass by the northerly end at West Boston bridge. 
 
 X. OTHER MUNICIPAL PARKS OF BOSTON. 
 
 WOOD ISLAND PARK. 
 
 Wood Island park is a local pleasure-ground for East Boston, 
 covering an area of forty-six acres on what was formerly a 
 “marsh island,” an upland with the bay on three sides and a 
 marsh on the fourth. It has been finely adapted to a variety of 
 recreative uses, and has been converted from a naked area of 
 seaside upland and marsh to an attractive park. A drive, ap- 
 proaching the park by way of a parkway called Neptune avenue 
 on the northward and Prescott street on the southward, makes 
 the circuit of the grounds close to the shore. The greater portion 
 of the space is devoted to playground and gymnastic purposes. 
 An open-air gymnasium for men is enclosed by a running track of 
 four laps. Adjoining is a large playground of rolled gravel, with 
 a grand stand planned to overlook it. Between the playground 
 and gymnasium stands the Field House, for dressing-rooms, 
 baths, etc., a handsome structure planned by Sturgis & Cabot, 
 who are also the architects of the bath-house for the open beach- 
 bath to the southward. On the northerly side of the park is 
 
as 
 
 planned an open-air gymnasium for women and girls, which, with 
 an adjacent grassy playground for little children, is screened by 
 dense shrubbery on all sides. The running track has six laps to 
 the mile. 
 
 Street-cars: Winthrop Junction line from North P'erry to 
 Prescott street or Neptune avenue. 
 
 Steam-cars: Boston, Revere Beach & Lynn Railroad to the 
 station at the Prescott street entrance. 
 
 CHARLESTOWN HEIGHTS. 
 
 Charlestown Heights is a small local park space occupying a 
 section of the northerly slope of Bunker Hill. It is an instance 
 of the successful landscape treatment of a difficult piece of steep 
 ground. The notable feature is the extensive view over the 
 Mystic river with its commerce, immediately below, and a large 
 section of Greater Boston beyond to the rock-hills of Middlesex 
 Fells, including Everett, Chelsea, Malden and Medford. To this 
 end are adapted the walks about the central lawn space and over 
 the picturesque steep slope with its terraces, and long stairs of 
 stone. A handsome house for siielter, etc., together with a foun- 
 tain against the wall near by, was designed by Walker & Kimball. 
 
 The Bunker Hill line of cars to Charlestown has its terminal 
 near by. 
 
 UNIMPROVED GROUNDS. 
 
 There are four local pleasure-grounds as yet unimproved, in 
 charge of the park department in various portions of the city. 
 Dorchester park is a picturesque tract of twenty-six aci’es near 
 Lower Mills of a pastoral and woodland character. At the North 
 End a large tenement-house section is to have a remarkably 
 attractive waterside open-space, with terraced grounds on the 
 slope of Copp’s hill, a Pleasure Cove and beach, enclosed by piers, 
 and bathing facilities. The Charlestown playground will occupy 
 a large rectangular space with a frontage on the Mystic river, 
 adjacent to Sullivan square, and will have gymnasia for both 
 sexes. At North Brighton, on Western avenue near Barry’s Cor- 
 ner, fourteen acres of land are to be devoted to a playground. 
 
 CITY SQUARES, ETC. 
 
 In charge of the department of public grounds there are in 
 Boston, including the Common and Public Garden, with nearly 
 seventy-three acres, sixty-six urban squares and open spaces 
 devotfed to recreative uses, having a total area of something like 
 •150 acres. 
 
Rart? II, 
 
 THE METRePeLlTAN AND SHBaRBAN 
 
 SYSTEMS. 
 
 Beside several notable park improvements recently under- 
 taken by various suburban municipalities, there has been estab- 
 lished within the past two years, a very important and extensive 
 system of metropolitan parks for the benefit of the cluster of 
 municipalities known as “Greater Boston” and organized for this 
 piirpose as the Metropolitan Barks District. This district com- 
 prises thirty-seven municipalities: The twelve cities of Boston. 
 Cambridge. Chelsea, Everett, Lynn, Malden, Medford, Newton, 
 Quincy, Somerville, Waltham and Woburn, and the twenty-five 
 towns of Arlington, Belmont, Braintree, Brookline, Canton, Ded- 
 ham, Dover, Ilingham, Hull, Hyde Park, Melrose, Milton, Nahant. 
 Needham, Revere, Saugus, Stoneham, Swampscott, Wakefield. 
 Watertown, Wellesley, Weston, Weymouth, Winchester, and 
 Winthrop. The population of this district is now something like 
 a million. 
 
 The outer fringe of more rural municipalities was included 
 merely for potential reasons and can hardly be considered at 
 present as otherwise belonging to the metropolitan group. For 
 instance, the towns on the south shore of Boston bay and the 
 outer towns on the Charles river include landscape features that, 
 at some time in the future, may be desii-able for reservation for 
 public uses, and they were included in the district simply with a 
 view to such contingencies. 
 
 This great metropolitan undertaking came about in conse- 
 quence of a strong public sentiment that in order to assure to the 
 public the enjoyment of landscape beauties and the opportunities 
 for ample recreation in the open air essential to the well-being of 
 a great urban population some form of organized cooperation 
 l)etween the various municipal units of the Boston metropolitan 
 group was necessary. Responsive to the suggestion of a metro- 
 politan park system first made in a Boston newspaper in 1891, a 
 few public-spirited individuals took the initiative in urging a 
 legislative inquiry into the subject. In consequence, the prelimi- 
 nary Metropolitan Park Commission of 1892 was appointed to 
 conduct the investigation which resulted in an important report 
 on the subject in 1898. This report was received with such favor 
 that the law of 1893 was enacted by almost unanimous consent. 
 
 39 
 
 I 
 
40 
 
 BLUE HILLS FROM STONY BROOK WOODS. 
 
41 
 
 A commission of five persons, appointed by the Governor, was 
 placed in charge of the work. A loan of $1,000,000 for the purpose 
 was advanced by the Commonwealth, to be met by the various 
 municipalities of the district W'ith interest and sinking-fund 
 charges apportioned every five years according to a special com- 
 mission appointed by the Supreme Court; Boston, however, to 
 bear fifty per cent of the cost for the first five years. Action by 
 the two succeeding Legislatures has made the total amount avail- 
 able for the piirpose $2,800,000. Large and important tracts have 
 been acquired for public reservations on all sides of Boston, mak- 
 ing the first comprehensive instance, according to Mr. Olmsted, 
 in which the primary consideration governing the choice of lands 
 for such purposes has been their fitness for the uses intended. 
 
 I. STONY BROOK WOODS. 
 
 The most immediate connection between Boston’s municipal 
 system and the metropolitan S5^stem is that with the Stony 
 Brook reservation, lying in the West Roxbury district of Boston 
 and the town of Hyde Park. By joint action of the Metropolitan 
 and Boston park commissions land has been taken for a parkway 
 of a picturesque type, of the same character as the great Boston 
 Parkway, through one of the most beautiful parts of West Rox- 
 burv from the Walter street entrance of the Arnold Arboretum 
 to the Stony Brook reservation at Bellevue hill. This parkway 
 will be constructed and maintained by the city. Bellevue Hill, 
 320 feet above the sea, and the highest point within the limits of 
 Boston, commanding a remarkably extensive view from the 
 water-works tower on its summit, is included within the parkway. 
 Eastward spreads the bay with its islands, and Franklin park 
 lies in the middle distance, while the Stony Brook Woods, imme- 
 diate below, form a remarkably fine foreground for the stately 
 Blue Hills. The view over the interior, with the mountnins in 
 the distance, from Wachusett to Monadnock, is particularly fine. 
 The directions of the principal landmarks are given by engraved 
 lines on brass plates in the outlook of the tower. 
 
 The metropolitan reservation of the Stony Brook Woods 
 begins at Washington street. It has an area of 475 acres. In 
 character it is a rocky wilderness, with steep slopes and precip- 
 itous ledges enclosing the wild, rugged glen in the depths of 
 which lies the tarn-like piece of water called Turtle pond, the 
 source of Stony Brook, which reaches the salt water at the Fens. 
 While the sylvan and wilderness features of this reservation are 
 interesting in themselves, the great charm lies in the different 
 sui-prising and fascinating views of the Blue Hills, which are 
 
MAP OF STONY BROOK RESERVATION. 
 
 42 
 
43 
 
 remarkably impressive, rising across the Neponset intervales anfl 
 filling the vistas down and above this valley. 
 
 The ground is ribbed by cedar-covered ledges, and thickets of 
 shrubs fill the swampy hollows. Mr. Warren H. Manning in his 
 ’interesting report on the vegetation of the reservations included 
 in the Metropolitan Park Report of 1895 points out that the exist- 
 ing fragments of pine growth, young and old, along the greater 
 part of the highland, suggest the forests of great trees that made 
 up the framework of the picture which the Indians viewed from a 
 few of the open ledges and projecting points. “The scenery must 
 have been far more impressive and varied than it is now, because 
 of its dark and high framework of conifers. It is such scenery 
 that is now gradually to be restored by the skilful use of re- 
 sources still remaining on the ground.’* Mr. Manning says that the 
 richness of the flora, Avhich has made the place long a favorite 
 collecting-ground for botanists, tends to show that the surface has 
 been little disturbed by cultivation or grazing. Wet land niakes 
 up a considerable part of the territory, and along its edge there is 
 already an interesting, luxuriant and varied growth of shrubbery 
 and promising seedling trees. The large neighboring populations 
 make it certain that this reservation will soon be thronged not 
 only in summer, but in winter, when skating is good. 
 
 The main outlook points, all coimnanding notable prospects, 
 are IMilkweed hill, at the edge of the reservation where Washing- 
 ton street makes a slight turn; Bearberry hill and The Perch, 
 immediately overlooking Turtle pond; Overbrook hill, command- 
 ing the gorge of Stony Brook near the centre of the reservation; 
 Bold Knob, overlooking Waters weet meadow close to Hyde Park; 
 and Rooney’s Rock, near Happy Valley, in the extreme southern 
 portion of the i-eservation not far from tlie point where it termiu- 
 atos at :Mothor brook. From this point it is contemplated ulti- 
 mately to make a connection will) tlie Blue Hills across the Nepou- 
 set valley, thus forming a continuous parkway from the Boston 
 municipal system to that reservation. 
 
 The thickly settled portions of Hyde Park and West Roxbury 
 lie close about Stony Brook Woods, and the centre of Dedham is 
 less than two miles distant. Hyde I‘ark station is the nearest 
 point for persons coming from a distance, but the' best way to see 
 the reservation is to begin at Bellevue Hill and go southward, 
 with the numerous vistas of the Blue Hills continually revealing 
 themselves. Central, Highland and West Roxbury stations on the 
 Dedham branch of the New York, New Haven & Hartford are less 
 than a mile from Bellevue hill. Central station is close to the 
 projected parkway. Various wood roads and footpaths traverse 
 the territory. 
 
44 
 
 II. THE BLUE HILLS. 
 
 The Blue Hills Reservation forms a public domain of 3.953 
 acres. It Avas taken by the Metropolitan Park Commission in the 
 autumn of 1893, a few months after the passage of the law estab- 
 lishing that board with the authority to lay out public open 
 spaces in the Metropolitan Parks District. It is the largest of the 
 several public reservations and parks in the metropolitan district, 
 and the largest recreation ground possessed bj^ any American city. 
 It comprises nearly the entire range of the Blue Hills, and lies 
 ■within the limits of the towns of Milton and Canton, and the city 
 of Quincy. It is a diversilied tract of hills and woodland, and the 
 greater portion of the region has a mountain-like character, 
 whic.') gives the reservation its distinctive charm. It also include.s 
 a fine sheet of water, Hoosicwhisick pond. The shape of the 
 x’eservation is irregular, the boundaries having been defined ac- 
 cordijig to local circumstances, and to a great extent so drawn as 
 to follow the contour lines in a way to favor the laying out of 
 boundary roads at good grades. Existing roads form the bound- 
 ary on the westerly side and on a portion of the southerly line at 
 Hillside street. A large part of the southern boundary is formed 
 by iMonatiipiot stream and the line between the city of Quincy and 
 the towns of Randolph and Braintree. The length of the reserva- 
 tion i.s about five Julies, and in width it varies from about one and 
 three-foui'ths miles in its widest portion to a little less than .a 
 mile in its narrowest section. 
 
 ’I hese hills are not only the highest points of land in easterji 
 Massachusetts, but are the greatest elevations on the Atlantic 
 coast of the United States, from Mount Agamenticus in southern 
 Maine to the Mexican boundary at the mouth of the Rio Grande. 
 They have a great historical significance in the fact that they 
 gave the commonwealth of Massachusetts its name. They are the 
 first land sighted by the approaching mariner. When Captain 
 John Smith explored the coast of New' England in the summer of 
 1614 he named the range “Massachusetts Mount.” Massachusetts 
 Bay received its name from this circumstance, and from the bay 
 came the famous name of our commonw'ealth, as the successor to 
 the Massachusetts Bay Colony and Province. When Captain 
 Smith named these hills he probably did not know that the desig- 
 nation intimately concerned them. He doubtless named them 
 fi'om the Massachusetts tribe of Indians, and Massachusetts 
 means “the place of tlie great hills.” When, at the request of 
 Captain Smith, the boy Prince of Wales, afterwards King Charles, 
 sprinkled the captain’s map with English names, he gave the 
 name of “Chevyot hills” to this range. • 
 
 It is notew'orthy that the “Blue Hill lauds” w'ere originally a 
 
A 
 
 GREAT BLUE HILL FROM NEPONSET RIVER. 
 
45 
 
 MAP OF BLUE HILLS RESERVATION. 
 
46 
 
 public forest and owned by the town of Boston. They were sold 
 to private parties on May 1, 1711. 
 
 INlr. Charles Eliot, in his report as landscape architect to the 
 preliminary Metropolitan Park Commission, justly called the 
 Blue Hills “a park such as any king would be proud to call his 
 own, a public forest possessed of vastly finer scenery than any of 
 the great public woods of Paris can show, a recreation ground 
 far surpassing in its refreshing value even London’s Epping For- 
 est.” And he remarked that so considerable a barrier do they 
 present that the railroads, the creators of suburbs, have avoided 
 them entirely — with the result that in all the five miles from the 
 eastern base of Rattlesnake hill to the western front of the Big 
 Blue, there are not yet more than a half dozen buildings standing 
 on the hills above a contour of 200 feet. 
 
 There are eleven prominent summits in the range. Chief of 
 these is the Great Blue Hill, the westernmost elevation, 635 feet 
 aboAC the sea. The Blue Hill observatory, established by Mr. A. 
 l.awreuce Rotch of Milton in 1884 in the interest of meteorological 
 science, is celebrated for the important work done here. Various 
 towers have preceded it. In 1798 a wooden tower, from forty- 
 five to fifty feet high, was erected by the proprietor of Billings 
 tavern, a celebrated country resort near the hill. In those days 
 the hill was more resorted to than in later years when more 
 remote points of interest have been made accessible by the rail- 
 ways. On the south side of the hill stood ‘‘Cherrj^ Tavern,” fa- 
 mous for its cherry parties. During the cherry season the visitors 
 used to ascend the hill in great numbers. Harvard College built 
 a circular stone tower twenty feet high on the summit over fifty 
 years ago, for the sake of obtaining a meridian line, it being due 
 south of the old Cambridge observatory. At the time of the 
 Revolution a beacon was maintained on the hill, ready at an in- 
 stant’s notice to give warning with its flame. 
 
 13 le prospect from this hill is remarkably varied and beauti- 
 ful. There is a bird’s-eye view with a radius of twenty-five miles 
 anl a circuit of 150 miles. With a telescope buildings can be 
 identified in 125 cities and towns. The eye ranges from the 
 mountains of New Hampshire to the hills of Rhode Island. On a 
 clear day there have been seen, far beyond the spreading Boston 
 bay, with its islands and headlands, the shores of Cape Ann and, 
 forty miles away, the twin lighthouses of Thacher’s island; south- 
 eastward, Manomet hill in Plymouth and Captain’s hill in Dux- 
 bury; directly south, beyond what seems for the most part a 
 woodland wilderness studded with silvery lakes, the city of Fali 
 River, forty miles away. These lakes are, in their order, Hoosic- 
 whisick pond, at the foot of the hill and*the gem of the reserva- 
 tion; then Ponkapog pond. Canton reservoir, and Massapoag pond 
 
47 
 
 in Sharon, the latter eight miles to the southAvest, AAith the Woon- 
 socket hills beyond the Sharon range. To the westward and 
 norttnvestward are the Massachusetts mountains, Wachusett and 
 Watatick, and then many peaks in southern New Hampshire— 
 Crand Monadnock, 67^/^ miles away, Mt. Kidder, Pack Monad- 
 nock, the Lyndeboro hills, Joe English hill in New Boston, and 
 Uncannunock mountains. 
 
 The nearer views are full of diversified charm: the great city 
 to the northward with its towers and glittering State House dome 
 and clouds of drifting smoke; notable in the nearer portion the 
 beautiful oasis of Franklin pai’k in an urban desert, with its great 
 central meadow whence these hills are so grand a feature in the 
 landscape. From the park the straight line of Blue Hill avenue 
 makes directly toAvards this summit. The leA^el green meadoAVS 
 of the Neponset, coursed by the tortuous stream, are close at the 
 base of the hill. But after all one is impressed by the predomi- 
 nanrly sylvan character of the landscape and is made to feel that 
 not many years of abandonment by man Avould restore to a forest 
 state one of the most densely populated regions of America, and 
 obliterate all evidences of civilization from the scene, where not 
 far from tAvo millions of people dwell within range of the eye. 
 
 The distinctive character of the Blue Hills reservation, as 
 described by the landscape architects, is that it presents “a chain 
 of bold, convex masses of rock and gravel, affording widespread 
 panoramic prospects in all directions. . . . While several passes 
 and defiles are very striking and many vieAvs from hill to hill are 
 even grand, it is the vast blue distance which tends to engross 
 the attention,— a distance here of ocean and there of forest, and 
 tlu^re again marked by the remote Wachusett and Monadnock— a 
 distance Avhich, fortunately, is not yet disfigured by the too near 
 approach of any town or city.” 
 
 A newly built road, constructed to meet administrative neces- 
 sities. runs almost the entire length of the reseiwation. Located 
 sometimes on one side of the divide and sometimes on the other, 
 it commands several fine prospects, but the best en.ioyment of the 
 scenery cannot be had until the contemplated permanent roads 
 have been established. “It is easily possible,” say the landscape 
 architects, “to imagine a road along the range which, presenting 
 one quiet or surprising picture after another, could not fail to 
 aAvaken admiration of sceneiy in every observer. The reserva- 
 tions Avill not return to the community that dividend of refresh- 
 ment Avhich is rightly expected of them until roads and patlis 
 shall have been built with special reference to the exhibition of 
 the scenery.” 
 
 The entrance on the northwest, near the junction of Canton 
 and Blue Hill avenues, will for some time be the most frequented 
 
48 
 
 one, ns boin.^ the approach to the principal point of attraction, 
 Great Blue Hill, and the nearest to the railway stations at Read- 
 ville. a little more than a mile and a half away, the route thence 
 beiu;^ by way of Milton street to Paul’s bridge, thence by Brush 
 Hill and Blue Hill avenues. 
 
 The road runs easterly through Wolcott Pines, crossing the 
 range to Ponkapog pass through the valley between the Great 
 Blue and Hancock groups. A short distance from the entrance is 
 the branch road to the Great Blue summit, about three-fourths 
 of a mile, barely passable for carriages and very rough. Shoul- 
 ders of Great Blue Hill are Wolcott hill and Shadow point, the 
 latter to the southward, and between them the source of Monati- 
 quot stream, which largely forms the southern boundary of the 
 reservation. The westerly shoulder of Hancock hill is Hemenway 
 hill; under the latter is Five Corners divide, named from the meet- 
 ing of several paths and the road. Before the divide the road 
 crosses Bakster brook, named from a Boston ship-builder who, 
 before 1609, bought standing timber in this region and used the 
 brook, when swollen by rain and melting snow, to move it. 
 
 Hancock hill Avas owned by Gov. John Hancock, with much of 
 the surrounding territory. The remains of the Hancock orchard 
 are on the south side. In the winter of 1780, when there was 
 great suffering among the poor of Boston from the intense cold, 
 Governor Hancock had a large (piantity of wood cut from his 
 Milton land, and sledded dOAvn the Neponset and over the ice of 
 the bay to the toAAm for gratuitous distribution. 
 
 BetAveen Hancock and Houghton hills the road descends to 
 Hillside street, Avhich, crossing the range through the narrow and 
 beautiful Ponkapog pass and thence to Blue Hill avenue in Can- 
 ton, forms the southei’n boundary of the reservation. 
 
 About half a mile to the southAvard, following Hillside street, 
 is the crystal clear HoosicAvhisick pond, with pastoral shores and 
 commanding a striking view of the Great Blue, with its bold 
 southerly face. 
 
 At the northerly angle of the Avesterly section, at Crossman’s 
 Pines, the proposed Blue Hills parkAvay Avill enter the reservation, 
 folloAV'ing a portion of the Avay the valley of Pine Tree brook, and 
 destined to furnish a direct and popular approach from Boston by 
 way of Franklin park, continuing the line of the Blue Hill avenue 
 bouleA'ard southAAmrd from the Neponset river. 
 
 The central section of the reservation, with the five principal 
 suitiinits of Breeze, Tucker, Boyce, Burnt and Buck hills, is be- 
 tween Ponkapog and Randolph passes. Through this section the 
 road keeps on the southerly side of the range, betAveen Breeze and 
 I>urnt hills on the south and Tucker, Boyce and Buck hills on 
 the north. At the Old Bugbee Place, east of Breeze hill, the road 
 
JAMAICA PARK — MOONLIGHT ON THE POND. 
 

i 
 
 
 t 
 
 i 
 
 
 i- 
 
 ^ . ’• 
 
 
JAMAICA PARK — MOONLIGHT ON THE POND. 
 
49 
 
 Is joined by a branch running southerly from Hillside street at 
 the \vesterly base of Tucker hill. 
 
 llaudolph avenue, the old Boston and Randolph turnpike, 
 crosses the range through Randolph pass. The service road 
 strikes the avenue at the point wliere Forest street, from Milton, 
 joins the latter. The road ends here, and to traverse the easterly 
 section of the reservation Randolph avenue must be followed 
 about a mile to the northerly boundary of the reservation, whence 
 a second service road runs easterlj’. 
 
 Tlie main elevations of the easterly section are Chickatawbut, 
 Bear, Kitchamakiu, Nahanton, Fox, Wampatuck, and Rattle- 
 snake hills, together with a picturesque ridge called the Broken 
 Hills, and, on tlie northerly margin. Great Dome, Little Dome, 
 and Pine Rock. Streamside ledge is on the southerly margin, 
 overlooking the iMonatiquot. The I'oad passes along the northerly 
 slope of Chickatawbut, largely through an open country com- 
 manding grand sweeps of vision. Chickatawbut is named for the 
 chief Indian sachem of this region; it is the second highest eleva- 
 tion of the range, 518 feet high and of noble contour. The pros- 
 pect from the summit is a magnificent one, rewarding the ascent 
 particularly on account of the nearer view over Boston and Mas- 
 sachusetts bays. The road continues across the slope of Nahanton 
 hill and along the foot of Fox hill to just above Twin Brook 
 swamp and down the easterly slope of the range to the boundary, 
 thence following Purgatory road and Willard street to West 
 Quincy, where the station on the Granite branch of the New York, 
 New HaA'en & Hartford Railroad is a little more than half a mile 
 from the reservation. The granite quarries of West Quincy have 
 a strong picturesque interest, with their wildly broken scenery, 
 their forests of derricks, and" the gnome-like activities of the 
 quarrymen in and about the chasms deeply hewn into the hills. 
 
 Prof. William O. Crosby, in a report on the geology of the 
 reservations included in the INIetropolitan Park Report of 1895. 
 pronounces that of the Blue Hills of exceptional importance to 
 students, being virtually a key to the geological structure of the 
 entire region. The formation is a complex of granitic rocks 
 (granite and felsite) and the Cambrian slates, the most ancient 
 rocks of this region; both geologically and topographically a 
 solid wall of the older formations— the core of an ancient range 
 many thousands of feet high. 
 
 Mr. Manning describes the vegetation of the reservation as a 
 nearly uniform deciduous covering, broken only by occasional 
 small groups of pines, and by dark patches of cedar on the shrub- 
 covered ledges and hilltops. He says that it is not likely that a 
 single acre of the reservation has escaped the woodcutter’s axe. 
 unless it may be the stunted growth on a few hilltops, and that 
 
50 
 
 of the few large trees now standing it would be rasb to assert 
 that any of them are over 200 years old. Most of the area is 
 “sprout land” covered with stumps from which spring sprouts 
 that form an inferior class of trees. But while there is noA^ but 
 little sylvan beauty, he says that this will come in time. After 
 all, it is Imt the garment of the splendid hills and valleys from 
 whicli are obtained the magniticeut panoramas and beautiful 
 views that impress every one with the value of the reservation.” 
 
 ^lost visitors to the Blue Hills will take the roirte above 
 described, beginning at Readville. To many, however, it may be 
 more convenient to reverse the roirte, beginning at West Quincy. 
 Carriages are to be had at the Readville station of the New York, 
 New Haven & Hartford, or may be specially ordered for trips 
 through the reservation by telephone from Boston to livery 
 stables in Hyde Park or Quincy. A pedestrian trip through the 
 range is full of interest, and is a matter of a day. There are yet 
 no refectories in the reservation and luncheon should be taken 
 along. One of the pleasant places to enjoy lunch is on the margin 
 of Hoosicwhisick pond. 
 
 III. THE MIDDLESEX FELLS. 
 
 The great wilderness reservation of the Middlesex Fells has 
 exceptional importance in the history of the Boston park move- 
 ment as the subject of an agitation for a public domain, main- 
 tained for many years by the three venerable lovers of nature, 
 now dead— Elizur Wright of Medford, Wilson Flagg and John 
 Owen of Cambridge — together with many other earnest and pub- 
 lic-spirited people. The public sentiment aroused by this agita- 
 tion finally led to the establishment of the Metropolitan park 
 system. The final act in the conversion of this magnificent region 
 into a pnl)lic reservation took place on Feb. 2, 1894, when 1,583 
 acres were taken by the Metropolitau Park Commission. In con- 
 nection v.ith various previous acquisitions for water-supply pur- 
 poses by the cities of Malden and Medford and the towns of Mel- 
 rose and Winchester, and for park purposes by the town of Stone- 
 ham, together with a tract given into charge of the Trustees of 
 I’ublic Reservations, this act unified the entire territory in a great 
 public domain of nearly 3,200 acres of land and water. 
 
 The Middlesex Fells lies in the five municipalities of Malden. 
 IMedford, Melrose, Stoneham and Winchester. In the earliest 
 Colonial days it was known as “The Rocks” and subsequently as 
 the “Five-Mile Woods.” A large portion of the territory was at 
 first common land, held by the adjacent towns. In 1879 the 
 author of this guide first applied the name of Middlesex Fells in 
 an article in a Boston newspaper describing the region as particu- 
 
 
MIDDLESEX FELLS — CRAGS NEAR MALDEN 
 
51 
 
 iarly suitable for a great public forest domain. The name, in its 
 application to New England landscape of the old Saxon term for 
 wild rock-hills, common in England and corresponding to the 
 German “felsen,” struck the popular fancy, and, adopted by the 
 Appalachian Club at the recommendation of the Malden Scientific 
 Field Club, has ever since been retained. 
 
 The character of this reservation is that of a plateau whose 
 surface is minutely broken into numerous comparatively small 
 hills, bowls and vales. In the words of the landscape architects. 
 “I'he landscape pleases chiefly by reason of the intimate mingling 
 of many types of scenery and objects of interest. Here is a cliff 
 and a cascade, here a pool, pond or stream, here a surprising 
 glimijse of a fragment of blue ocean, or again a faint blue vision of 
 a far distant )nouutain.” Mr. Manning, in his report on the vege- 
 tation of the reservation, says that it was the stately timber and 
 the wilderness in which it stood that impressed the early observ- 
 ers of the Fells region. 
 
 One of the first explorers of this “uncouth wilderness,” as it 
 was called, was Governor Winthrop, who made the following 
 ofien quoted entry in his diary; “Feb. 7, 1632. The Governor, 
 Mr. Nowell, M. Eliot and others, went over Mistic river at 
 Medford; and, going N. and by E. among the rocks about two or 
 three miles, they came to a very great pond, having in the midst 
 an island of about one acre, and very thick with trees of pine and 
 beech; and the pond had divers small rocks standing up here and 
 there in it. which they therefore called Spot Pond. They went all 
 about it upon the ice. From thence (towards the N. W. about 
 half a mile) they came to the top of a very high rock beneath 
 which (towards the N.) lies a goodly plain, part open laud and 
 l)art woody, from whence there is a fair prospect; but it being 
 then close and rainy, they could see but a small distance. This 
 place they called Cheese Rock, because when they went to eat 
 somewhat they had only cheese (the Governor’s man forgetting 
 for haste, to put up some bread).” 
 
 Cheese Rock is supposed to have been the precipitous north- 
 ern end of Bear hill, and that name is now applied to the locality. 
 Spot Pond is now somewhat larger than when Winthrop saw it. 
 its waters having been raised by damming, first for w\ater-power, 
 and again to a still higher level for wmter-supply purposes. It has 
 been selecred as the distributing reservoir for the northerly sec- 
 tion of the Metropolitan Water District. A notable circumstance 
 connected with the island in this pond is related in Marsh’s cele- 
 brated w’ork on Man and Nature, in the fact that the species of 
 trees on this island are the same, and also cover it in the same 
 proi)orriou, as the trees on the land about the pond. Spot pond 
 is one of four beautiful large sheets of water that form one of the 
 
most prominent elements in the scenery of the Fells, the other 
 three being the reservoirs for the Winchester water-supply, artifi- 
 cial and of recent origin, but having, with their irregular and 
 rocky shores, the appearance of natural lakes. 
 
 Governor Cradock, who was granted land in 1G34, included in 
 his in-operty of about 3,500 acres a large share of the southern part 
 of the I'ells. The region was valued for its fine timber; great 
 quantities were used for the ship-buiding industry of Medford; 
 it was a leading source of fuel for domestic use and for brick- 
 making, and the beautifid canoe-birch, once abundant here, was 
 practically annihilated for the manufacture of shoe-pegs. Large 
 sections of the land were also cultivated and pastured, the evi- 
 dences of which are*still plain even where it has long since re- 
 verted to wilderness. 
 
 “Never can the views from the hill-tops of the Fells compare 
 in variety, grandeur or extent with those from the Blue Hills.” 
 says iMr. Manning; “never can the views over water, from hill to 
 hill and to valley, be so beautiful or so varied in the Blue Hills as 
 they may be in the Fells. One can hardly ask for a more attrac- 
 tive combination of land and water. Even the artificially im- 
 pounded waters of the reservoirs are not expected to be such 
 until their dams are encountered. Of course the wonderful vari- 
 ety and the grandeur of the primitive forest have long since 
 disappeared; but with all the destruction of 250 years there is 
 still much that is beautiful, and there are few dismal wastes of 
 burned and falling brush. Large areas covered with deciduous 
 trees are less frequently spotted by scattered, single pines than 
 at the Blue Hills. Where the pine appears it is in large groups, 
 or broad masses that are so well disposed with the surrounding 
 deciduous growths that beautiful landscape effects are produced. 
 Great hemlocks appear in places with the pines, and do much to 
 add to the beauty of the forest scenery.” 
 
 To see all the points of interest in the Fells would require 
 several visits, and the drive over existing roads would occupy 
 more time than most persons could give in one day. Two main 
 highways traverse the region from north to south; Forest street 
 in Medford continuing on the westerly side of Spot pond as Main 
 street in Stoneham, and Elm street in Medford on the easterly 
 side as Woodland road in Stoneham, joining, at the northerly end 
 of the pond. Pond street, which is a continuation of Wyoming 
 avenue from Melrose. Ravine road enters the reservation, fork- 
 ing from Wyoming avenue and running to Woodland road. 
 Washington street, from IMalden, largely forming the easterly 
 boundary, enters the reservation, crossing Ravine road and join- 
 ing Pond street at the “Red Mills,” now the offices of the reser- 
 vation. 
 
MIDDLESEX FELLS — THE CASCADES. 
 
» Irtl I..1 
 
The southeasterly section of the Fells is the wildest and most 
 romantic part, with high cliffs and narrow valleys. The service 
 roads which have been built through this section give little idea 
 ^of its beauty, for they follow the lines of old wood roads through 
 the hollows and command none of the prospects that here abound, 
 being mostly bordered by young coppice oak. 
 
 The Bear’s Den entrance is the principal one on the southerly 
 side of this section, in Malden. The main approach to this will be 
 by the eastern branch of the Middlesex Fells Parkway, to be 
 constructed this year from Pleasant street in Malden and through 
 Fellsmere park to the southerly boundary road, in connection with 
 which it is ultimately to form a parkway circuit, with a planted 
 space for electric cars, together with the westerlj^ branch of the 
 parkway from Salem street in Medford near the Malden line to 
 the proposed boundary road at the foot of Pine hill. It is de- 
 signed ultimately to carry this parkway to Broadway square in 
 Somerville, forming the most direct route between Boston and 
 Cambridge and the Fells. 
 
 At present the principal entrance from Malden is from Sum- 
 mer street by the boundary road to the Bear’s Den entrance. 
 Thence the road ascends Jerryjingle Notch— the name comes 
 from the loose stones in the former gullied old wood road that 
 caused the carts of the farmers to “jingle” doAvn the steep slope— 
 and branches just beyond the summit. The easterly way, which 
 runs across the reservation to the Melrose side near Washington 
 street, is without special interest in itself beyond furnishing a 
 pleasant drive through young woods. The westerly way runs 
 to Woodland road past Hemlock and Shiner pools and near Cairn 
 hill. Hemlock pool is a beautiful bit of woodland watex’, bor- 
 dered by ledges and hemlocks. Cairn hill is marked by the Cairn, 
 or “Stone Monument,” a pile of i-ocks of unknown origin and 
 evidentlj^ designed to extend the view. This is the highest point 
 in the reservation east of Spot pond and commands remarkaby 
 fine prospects on all sides: to the eastward Lynn Woods, Nahant, 
 the bay and the ocean; to the south wai-d the great metropolitan 
 population of Greater Boston densely massed throughout the 
 Boston basin, veined by the waters of the harbor and its estuaries 
 and encircled by a wall of rock-hills fi'om the Blue Hills, sixteen 
 miles away to the Menotomy hills of Arlington across the Mystic 
 valley to the southwestward. The mountains of the interior lift 
 their heads to the westward and noi-thward. College hill in Med- 
 ford, with the clustered buildings and chapel tower of Tufts, is a 
 prominent landmark. These southerly elevations in the Fells, 
 near Malden and Medford, something more than six miles from 
 the State House, form exceptionally good points of view from 
 which to gain an idea of the extent of Greater Boston. 
 
54 
 
 Fells station in Melrose is the nearest point to the Cascades, 
 and tlie greatest number of persons from Boston who visit the 
 P’ells on foot take the trains to this point. At Wyoming station 
 convenient conveyance may be had in the barges and carriages 
 from the Langwood Hotel which meet all trains hei'e. From Mel- 
 rose station the northeasterly section may be entered on foot fi’om 
 near the end of Emerson street. From Melrose Highlands station 
 there are electric cars to Stoneham, whence it is a little more than 
 a mile to Bear hill. 
 
 Tall cliffs of reanarkably noble form mark the easterly verge 
 of the Fells near the Cascades of Shilly-shally brook, which 
 comes tumbling down the rock-wall in several beautiful falls 
 between Black Rock on the south and White Rock on the north. 
 IT-om near the Cascades northward the easterly section of the 
 reservation is marked by the finest and most extensive tree- 
 growths in the Fells. Magnificent groves of white pine cover a 
 great part of this region, including Virginia Wood, the charming 
 tract near Spot pond, coursed by the ravine of Spot pond brook, 
 given in charge of the Trustees of Public Reservations by Mrs. 
 Fanny Tudor of Stoneham in memory of her daughter, whose 
 name it bears. The celebrated Ravine road is marked by a stately 
 growth of hemlocks between Virginia Wood and Langwood Trail. 
 
 In the neighborhood of Spot pond, bordering Woodland road, 
 is an area of private property occupied by the Langwood Hotel 
 and several stone villas. The Langwood is a large summer hotel 
 and many visitors to the Fells will find it convenient for luncheon 
 or dinner. 
 
 From here the westerly section is reached by two ways: Pond 
 street — past the northeasterly section, interestingly varied with 
 wood and meadow land, traversed only by footways, and contain- 
 ing the small sheet of Doleful pond, more attractive than its name 
 implies, and Saddle-back, Vamoset and Whip hills— and the north 
 boundary road past Sheep Pasture Point to Main street and Bear 
 hill. The second way crosses from Woodland road to Forest 
 street just south of Spot pond. The views up and down the 
 mile-long pond from both these ways are fine. 
 
 The service roads in the westerly section traverse much inter- 
 esting and strikingly varied scenery. From near Porter Cove, 
 Spot pond, a road passes between Middle and South reservoirs 
 over the Causeway past Molly’s Spring, with delicious cold water, 
 to Winchester at Mount Vernon street. A branch follows the 
 eastern shores of Middle and North reservoirs, running northward 
 through delightful sylvan, pastoral and lake scenery past the 
 westerly base of Winthrop and Bear hills. Branches from this 
 road and from Main streets reach the ridges of these two hills 
 through Dark Hollow. Bear hill is 370 feet above the sea, and 
 
WINCHESTER NORTH RESERVOIR. 
 
50 
 
 a lookout tower built by the Appalachian Club carries the point 
 of view to a height of an even 400 feet. This is the northerly 
 outlook point of the Fells, and commands a glorious panorama of 
 wilderness, sylvan, rural and ocean scenery. Far to the south- 
 ward the vast metropolitan population spreads its sea of houses 
 in the hazy distance, with the State House dome exactly seven 
 and three-foui-ths miles away. The mountains, from Wachusett 
 to Monadnock and beyond, show much the same as from the Blue 
 Hills: to the northeastward the great asylum in Danvers is a 
 landmark; the Atlantic fills the east with its majestic expanse; 
 on nearly all sides stretch the wild undulations of the Fells, with 
 blue lakes in the valleys, and merging in a seeming wilderness 
 that beyond, on nearly every side, is but dotted here and there 
 with islets of human habitation, though the most populous sec- 
 tion of New England. 
 
 On the Winchester side of South reservoir a road runs 
 through the southerly section almost to the western base of Pine 
 hill. From the railroad station at Medford square to Pine hill 
 the distance is about a mile. Pine hill is the southern outlook 
 point of the Fells. Jutting far out into the plain of the Mystic 
 valley it commands extensive views, largely of a suburban char- 
 acter. In the lovely valley of Intervale brook, at the eastern 
 foot of the hill, is the homestead of the late Elizur Wright, “the 
 father of the Eells.” His children generously gave the land about 
 and including Pine hill in memory of their father, and near by 
 Owen’s Walk and Flagg’s Walk commemorate his venerable 
 colleagues. Wright’s pond. Cudgel cave, and Wenepoyken, Silver 
 Mine and Gerry hills are features of this section. 
 
 From the Winchester station the Winchester section is 
 reached by Mt. Vernon street. Notable in this section are Boston 
 Rock, Rockfield Ridge, Quigley Quan-y, Nanepashemet hill. 
 Squaw Sachem Rock, Grinding Rock hill and Money hill. Cran- 
 berry pool is a pretty bit of water near Nanepashemet hill, whence 
 there is a fine view over the Mystic and Aberjona valleys, with the 
 large populations of Winchester and Woburn. 
 
 To see the main features of the Fells the following drive may 
 be advised: Bear’s Den entrance, Malden, to Woodland road, 
 thence by Pond street to north side of Spot pond, return by Pond 
 street and Wyoming avenue to Ravine road, W’'oodland road and 
 south of Spot pond to Forest street, thence across Causeway and 
 return along the reservoirs to end of road at northern, foot of Bear 
 hill, thence return, and by branch to Bear hill summit, thence by 
 Main and Forest streets to Medford. Carriages may be ordered at 
 Malden, Medford, Melrose, Winchester and Stoneham. All the 
 roads are practieable for bicycles, though having abrupt grades in 
 places. 
 
f 
 
 57 
 
 PINE HILL, MEDFORD. 
 
58 
 
 There are also many foot and bridle paths in all directions 
 where one may wander for hours with a sense of absolute seclu- 
 sion from the outside world. This constitutes the great service 
 of these woodland reservations; the opportunity to lose one’s self 
 in the wilderness and escape, for the time being, from jarring 
 contact wdth the nervous distractions of modern city life. 
 
 Street-cars: Scollay square to Malden (walk from Western 
 Division B. & M. R. R. station by Summer street to Boundary 
 road and Bear's Den entrance) ; to Medford square (walk one mile 
 to Pine hill) ; Lynn & Boston line from Chelsea square via Malden 
 and Melrose to Stoneham near easterly and northerly sections of 
 the Fells. 
 
 IV. BEAVER BROOK OAKS. 
 
 The first act of the Metropolitan Park Commission in the ful- 
 filment of its trust was the taking of the tract of land along 
 Beaver brook in Belmont and Waltham containing the magnifi- 
 cent oaks, and the cascade that was sung by Lowell. Though 
 small in size it is of great importance by reason of its remarkable 
 landscape beauty and its associations with one of the greatest 
 and noblest of American poets. Its area is 58)^^ acres, but its 
 rural character is on nearly all sides insured against the intrusion 
 of discordant elements by the posssesion of very large neighboring 
 tracts by the McLean Asylum for the Insane, the Convalescent 
 Home of the Massachusetts General Hospital, and the School for 
 Idiotic and Feeble-Minded Youth. A large part of the cost of 
 taking this Beaver Brook Reservation, as it is called, was met by 
 a gift of $12,500 from Mrs. Elisha Atkins of Belmont and her son, 
 Mr. Edwin F. Atkins. The Fitchburg Railroad and the Central 
 Massachusetts line of the Boston & Maine border the reservation, 
 and their Waverley stations are within five minutes’ walk. 
 
 The site occupied by the oaks, the finest group of their kind in 
 the United States, forms one of the most beautiful pastoral and 
 park-like landscapes in the neighborhood of Boston. The oaks 
 grow along the line of a kame, as the geologists call the drift for- 
 mation believed to have been created by the action of sub-glacial 
 streams. This kame is a remarkably fine example of its kind. 
 Its serpentine form, wdth Beaver brook flowing swiftly at its base, 
 gives beautiful diversity and finely modelled contours to the 
 landscape. 
 
 The grand old trees were originally called the Beaver Brook 
 Oaks, but when Waverley station was established near by that 
 name became their popular designation. Their old name is now 
 restored. Mr. L. L. Dame, in his “Typical Elms and Other Trees 
 of Massachusetts,” says that while solitary oaks as large as these 
 

 
 - ^ ^ ^ ^ 1 i* ' ' , , ^ 
 
 *. • 
 
 
 
 
 r'^' ■* ' ■ 
 
 ■ .V - 
 
 '-r\~ ■ - .' .’ 
 
 
 - ■ ■ .• •> ;., ‘ ^ ..• i > V . <>- - ' .■,-*r; 
 
 
 
 ,-- 3 S»r 
 
 
 
 
 r • » 
 
 
 
 
 _ '* - 'Pw- 
 
 •» I h'i 
 
 IV- 
 
 Mik' 
 
 
 ■- ■ ^»- * '#- ^ - . 'X* .• r, *. 
 
 . i/v ^A -. >' . ■ \\ *-->5^3 
 
 .--< v;:' 
 
 ■^ ■ - 
 
 v v-/'" 
 
 ■-:i:-^cmi 
 
 
 
 . - fSWBSwiw i •^' -' . ■>' 
 
 “ ■ '• ■'"''w- ■.-?> u ■ “'■''r.~'' ■ ‘'■•i-*'' . •.* r. 
 
 .:' ---.'X.wOi 
 v-:A ■■ 
 
 ’■ ^■ 
 
 
 
 ■ r-: 
 
 
 9 =^- 
 
 
 i- 1 . ^ '’^ ^ 'T' 
 
 • • ■ ■ v . 
 
 ■ ,.- v;fv , v>v 
 
 .-J’ fwjjWMW^' ^ '<' 4^ 
 
 ..•rf •:< 1 '» i'. 
 
 -i. 
 
 . x.-JidislLv 
 
OAKS AT BEAVER BROOK. 
 
59 
 
 are not uncommon, it is not likely there is another group of such 
 noble trees within the Eastern states. “With one exception, they 
 are white oaks, now twenty-five in number. The sturdy individ- 
 ualism characteristic of the oak pushes now and then to the verge 
 of eccentricity. Each diffex's fi’om its fellows; each is woi'thy the 
 pencil of the artist; as a whole they admirably illustrate the 
 variant types of the species.” Agassiz once roughly estimated 
 the age of a hollow ti’ee, prostrated by the wind, at 1000 years. 
 Neai'ly fifty yeai’s ago one of the smaller ti'ees was cut down and 
 Lowell counted its rings. They numbered over 750. Mr. Dame 
 says that the largest, and pi-esumably oldest, of the group, may 
 well have sheltei'ed Leif Ericsson beneath its branches, and must 
 have been at its best when Columbus rediscovered America. It is 
 on the noi'thern slope of the kame, is about fifty feet high, and 
 five feet fi’om the ground is 18 feet, JYj inches in cii’cumference. 
 Trapelo road divides the reservation into two sections; the 
 larger poi'tion, containing the oaks, lies south of the road, and 
 the noi-thern poi’tion is just wide enough to give a sylvan seclu- 
 sion to the valley of the brook. This part, which is bounded 
 on the east by Mill sti’eet in Belmont, includes two small mill- 
 ponds. The brook courses thi’ough a well wooded ravine, strewn 
 with moss-covered granite boulders. The cascade above fills the 
 air with the music of its waters, which tumble over a granite 
 ledge. The whole locality was a favorite haunt of Lowell, and it 
 did much to stimulate his keen love of nature to poetic expression. 
 It was this cascade that he sung in his poem of Beaver Bi-ook, one 
 of his noblest and most exquisite lyrics, full of humane sentiment, 
 and picturing a brighter futui-e for the toiler, as well as exquisite' 
 pictures of local featui-es. The mill of the poem has disappeared, 
 with the gi’eat wheel that tossed “armfuls of diamond and of 
 pearl.” But we still have “the loose-piled wall” of the dam that 
 hems in the pretty mill-pond that Lowell aptly called a “small 
 pitcher,” and “sweet Beaver, child of forest still,” will henceforth 
 bear its proper name. 
 
 Steam-cars: Union station by Fitchburg and Boston & Maine 
 trains to Waverley; eight miles, twenty-two minutes. 
 
 V. LYNN WOODS. 
 
 The inspiring example of the establishment of Lynn Woods as 
 the second largest municipal pleasure-ground in the United 
 States furnished the immediate incentive to the movement that 
 resulted in the metropolitan park system of Boston. “Such is the 
 gift which the good God, working through social history and 
 natural history and statute laws and the hearts of men, has 
 given to the present and future people of Lynn,” wrote Edward 
 
60 
 
 Everett Hale. Ten miles from the State House and within the 
 Metropolitan Parks District, this magnificent public woodland is 
 practically a part of the Boston system, corresponding on the 
 north to the Blue Plills, which lie at the same distance in the 
 opposite direction. It came about in this wise that the city of 
 Lynn dedicated 2,000 acres, or one-third of its entire area, to pub- 
 lic uses, reconstituting as a public domain a region that for 
 nearly a century was held in common, for it was not until 1700 
 that it was divided up among the freeholders: 
 
 Three different causes led to this consummation. The wilder- 
 ness region offered excellent advantages for an additional water- 
 supply that was urgently needed. By damming the outlets of 
 several SAvampy valleys between the rocky hills and clearing 
 away the growth, a series of beautiful ponds was created, with a 
 capacity of many millions of gallons. In their general aspect 
 these ponds are not to be distinguished from natural lakes. Then 
 to assure the Avater against pollution by human occupancy of the 
 drainage areas the greater portion of the surrounding lands was 
 taken by the AA’ater-board, to be preserved in a state of natur(i. 
 The second factor AA’as a movement on the part of several nature- 
 loving citizens who conceived the idea of securing as much of this 
 territory as possible by gift or by purchase with voluntary con- 
 tributions. A Board of Free Public Forest Trustees was char- 
 tered by the I.egislature to hold in trust for the people of Lynn 
 whatever of this Avild land should be conveyed to them. The late 
 Cyrus M. Tracy, a distinguished naturalist and antiquarian, 
 headed the movement. By this plan various scattered holdings 
 of about 150 acres, all told, were secured. But there was no avail- 
 able means for connecting and unifying these tracts, and the 
 movement came to a standstill. So the general park act was re- 
 sorted to, with its poAver of condemnation. The act was accepted 
 by the city and, $20,000 haA'ing been raised by private subscrip- 
 tion, an appropriation of $30,000 Avas made by the city in 1889. 
 With this sum. not only Avas enough land secured to make the 
 entire area 1,600 acres, including 300 acres of water-surface, but 
 several miles of pleasant road Avere constructed. The total area 
 has recently been increased to something over 2000 acres by co- 
 operation betAveen the park and Avater-boards, together witJi 
 several gifts of land. 
 
 The landscape situation of Lynn is fortunate. The sea is at 
 its feet, and the ocean surf breaks grandly upon its celebrated 
 beach. On the other side the rocky woodland stretches away, 
 and its irregular, tree-covered promontories come down into the 
 toAA'n Avhose dense mass of houses retreats into the valleys, bring- 
 ing to mind, when seen from a distance, the sea-waves as they 
 surge up against a stony shore. The rugged hills form a portion 
 
f 
 
 I 
 
 /» 
 
 
 
 « i'‘ 
 
 ,«>.''v 
 
 
 
 
 Si 
 
 . '•*• X. ■ 
 
 Ai^- 
 
 
 
 -ci’ ^ • "yy. 
 
 
 ^ • , ' • ■■,--^ ^ .i 
 
 >, • -y. * 
 
 ; '^?T ' ' , /-*''**..> '' 
 
 -4 «;!?>&> I, . - ' 
 
 •■»»». 
 
 '' ^ ' j 
 
 ■■:■:- ■■ •■■y ''V-’- 
 
 r 
 
 (,'.'• ‘V 
 
 - ’*’ » SL.'jL.i 
 
 rEt ^ 
 
 > f ^ 
 
 ■ • .f^X-.-, -rte- 
 
 
 V I . *» "^ 
 
 -*;■ 
 
 '<j-y 
 
 4 !L.- 
 
 
 
 
 v .Tri'-'-i^;.- J ■ 
 
 ^’■v:^:-'- ViSsi' ■■'■“■ '; 
 
 
 ■•t- . -*. . 
 
 , >►>, *-./■.. T-, 
 
 ^ - '**'■ • *fo ■'' ' 
 
 
 'A^iT-v 
 
 %i.\ 
 
 '■ ■- '•' 7 .^- 
 
 ^■'f 
 
 ^ ;K-?. -1 
 
 
 
 tri- - < 
 
 ...rf 
 
 ^ fcv(r%; 
 
 1! 
 
 v;i 
 
 .W -?• 
 
 
 - •L- 
 
 ^.■|S / 
 
 ii •■■•.■ -i^. • ".■- 7 ' 'Xv. 
 
 : 
 
 ' ■ ■'*^ 
 - ■ V-.t • 
 
 
 i 
 
 * V* d 
 
 ■*?&■ 
 
 V 
 
 JF*- 
 
 ' ^-'‘. 4 o ^ St ■> > 
 
 
 
 •,<■-■;• 
 
 :*> '"i ^ 
 
 ■/: ■ 4 -r- ■,' :;av' - iv'.-'" 
 
 ii. 4 ■ /-■ ’ .. ■ ’A''' j’Ae 
 
 
 
 / .“is ■=• V - 
 
 *yi 
 
 ' ' ' ^' 1 * c ■'. *■ • ■■ •^ ’* i*<# ^ I* • . - - • 3 
 
 /<■'* r .cLiT^: . •• ^ *;']fr'/‘'^ 
 
 
 Sr-<^. i" '!!*■ 
 
 tfw^v. />r 7 :■■' 
 
 * - J,. <■■. “- r. i f74 -' . ' V-'*’ V- ? : ' , .' ' ”■■ 
 
 v;f 
 
 
 m. 
 
 
 
 
 jytf 
 
LYNN WOODS— GLEN LEWIS ROAD. 
 
61 
 
 of a range that runs inland and forms tne northerly rim of the 
 Boston basin. This region resembles the Middlesex Fells in many 
 ways, but in its tree-growth it is far superior to the Fells and the 
 Blue Hills. Nearly every tree native to New England is found 
 here. IMr. Frederick Law Olmsted, when consulted in relation to 
 the place, expressed great admiration for its natural character, 
 and he said that it offered rare opportunities for those forms of 
 recreation which experience shows to be of the most use to the 
 great body of the people of a city. The entire region has now a 
 genuine forest character, though early in Colonial days a large 
 portion was cleared for pasture and tillage, and rude old stone 
 walls run through the woods to this day. 
 
 Its central landscape feature is a grand ■woodland amphithe- 
 ater, overlooking which, from almost any point, little can be 
 seen but wood, water and rock. Several summits command 
 views over the ocean, with the city in the middle distance, and 
 Nahant appearing to be moored to the mainland by the slight 
 thread of its isthmus. There are wide views southward, west- 
 ward and northward; in the former direction the Blue Hills rise 
 above the entrance to Boston bay, with the coast sweeping in a 
 grand curve from Cohasset hitherwards to the Point of Pines, 
 and the Saugus and Revere marshes spreading far inland close 
 at hand. To the westward and northward the mountains of the 
 interior show much the same as from the Blue Hills. Within the 
 woods the broken shores of the ponds reveal themselves here and 
 there, with bold crags and steep slopes about them. The aspect 
 of the region changes with the seasons; in the summer the outlines 
 are softened by foliage that subdues the rugged basis, the rocky 
 formation appearing only at intervals and giving picturestpie 
 accent. When the leaA-es fall the rough nature of the land asserts 
 itself and the scene frowns with Puritanical sternness; tempered, 
 however, in sunny weather, by the exquisite violet tinge wliich 
 the peculiar hue of the porphyritic rocks lends to the landscape. 
 Several days might be spent in these woods without exhausting 
 the wealth of scenery and the beauty of its sylvan nooks. 
 
 In the southward section Dungeon Rock is a romantic place 
 with a magnificent groAvth of old pines about it. Here two de- 
 luded treasure-hunters, Hiram Marble and his son, under “spirit 
 guidance,” searched for over twenty-five years for the treasiu’e 
 of the pirate, Thomas Veal, which tradition said was buried in a 
 cavern whose entrance was destroyed by the great earthquake of 
 1658. The search was abandoned only at the death of the younger 
 Marble, a few years before the place became the property of the 
 Public Forest Trustees. In their search they excavated a tunnel 
 about 150 feet long through the steel-like rock, twisting to and fro. 
 
 There are three main entrances, two on the city side and one 
 
G2 
 
 on the west. First is that to the Great Woods road, with elec- 
 tric cars from Lyniifleld street to a point near Glen Lewis 
 pond where there is a small building for shelter, refreshment and 
 general information. This is the most convenient approach from 
 Salem, Peabody, Swampscott, Nahant and Marblehead. The 
 Dungeon Rock entrance is on the south on Walnut street at 
 Sadler’s Rock, and is also reached by electric cars. A beautiful 
 road runs past Breed’s pond to Dungeon Rock. The Belt line 
 electrics run farther along Walnut street to a point near Birch 
 pond where there is a footpath across the reservation to Dungeon 
 road. There is also a footpath entrance from Lynufleld street 
 near St. Mary’s cemetery. All these approaches are convenient 
 for persons coming from Boston by train and taking the street- 
 cars at the Central station. The western entrance is from the Old 
 Reading road to the dam at tlie foot of Walden pond, leaving 
 the road at a point near the crossing of a canal. The Newbury- 
 port turnpike is but a few rods away and forms the most direct 
 approach from Lynntield. Persons coming by carriage or bicycle 
 from Boston. Cambridge, Malden, Melrose, etc., by way of Saugus 
 will find this the most convenient approach. The roads in the 
 woods are excellent for bicycles, although occasionally too steep. 
 
 There are something over six miles of road in the territory. 
 Great Woods road follows generally the line of an ancient wood 
 road of the same name. It runs along the steep southerly slope 
 of Glen Lewis and Walden ponds, past Echo Rock, with a fine 
 view over Glen Lewis. On the left Boulder path runs acx'oss 
 country to Dungeon Rock by way of Burrill’s hill — the highest 
 point in Lynn Woods, 280 feet above the sea — and past a noble 
 group of gigantic boulders. Three roads diverge a little farther 
 on; the left-hand way the Mt. Gilead loop, the middle way Dun- 
 geon road to Dungeon Rock, and on the right Great Woods road 
 keeps on to Walden pond. At the summit of Mt. Gilead, 267 feet 
 above the sea, is one of the most beautiful prospects in New 
 England; a view which Mr. Olmsted said would make Lynn 
 Woods famous. The hillside drops almost precipitously into the 
 amphitheater of Tomlins swamp. An unbroken wilderness fills 
 most of the range of vision. The nearest glimpses of civilization 
 are Wakefield in the northwest, beyond a reach of tranquil 
 meadow, and the Boston vicinage to the southward. To the 
 southeastward is Massachusetts bay. Near at hand is a small 
 building for shelter and the park office. Paths lead to the Nortli 
 \iew and the South Yiew with varying and extensive prospects. 
 Dungeon road runs from Dungeon Rock by way of Hemlock 
 Ridge and under the cliffs of Mt. Gilead to Great Woods road. 
 Glen Lewis road runs from Great Woods entrance along the 
 northerly side of Glen Lewis pond, across the dam that seiiarates 
 

 : 
 
 
 
 
 -•j 
 
 '\ 
 

 
 
 13 -O--^ 
 
 O ® 
 
 WT C»U 
 
 eus'fftu 
 
 
 
 HKL 
 
 » 9 r apif ital ^lan 
 
 .LYNN. MASS. y 
 Lyon ParkCafizmle^toners 
 
 t>, 
 
 John N Mcdintoeh 
 
 1892 
 
 ncvi'''. . ^ 
 
 \ .^t^oxyt. 
 
 
 UYN N 
 
 Lynn Woods 
 
 vr 
 
 
 ■ / 
 
 ; f 
 
 
 ><\ 
 
 N i\ 
 
 
 
 V- 1 
 
 
 •H 
 
 
 
 lr“'-0 •/ 
 
 
 ’ '’* yr 
 

 ’VO • ^ — 
 
 aciOOW WMYJ 
 
 ^.cSAM .MMYJ . 
 
 irfl •>'' - '-’'^ 
 
 Xi* 
 
 »aioteXXiiW>A tvAoV 
 
 seal 
 
 ebooW niril 
 
 1 _ — ^ 
 
GS 
 
 it from Walden pond, and on the southerly side of the latter to 
 the western entrance, sweeping around the cove that receives 
 the waters of Penny brook. 
 
 Undercliff path runs from Dungeon Rock across countrj' to 
 this cove, a walk of two miles through a region of exceptional 
 interest. A secluded ravine on the way is named Glen Dagyr in 
 honor of the Welsh shoemaker who came to Lynn and founded 
 its great industry. Old Man’s Walk is by a long, low ledge near 
 the head of Penny P>rook. Here an old hermit-like man named 
 Hawkes, suffering from asthma, sought relief by living entirely 
 in the open air, and every day, winter and summer, in all 
 weathers, he would wander about these wilds, umbrella ever iu 
 hand. Large stones which he placed at convenient points, served 
 him as seats. Here at this ledge he would stand or sit for hours, 
 so motionless that the shy, woodland creatures would seem to 
 recognize him as one of themselves, and even the young foxes 
 would sport about him as fearlessly as kittens. This spot is 
 therefore called Fox Ledge. 
 
 Penny brook bridge is a rude structure of stone built in the 
 early days by farmers who, every time they passed, would con- 
 tribute a penny until it was paid for. The way through Penny 
 Brook Glen is exquisite in its sylvan loveliness. Tall pines and 
 hemlocks shade the clear, amber-hued brook flowing among moss- 
 covered boulders. 
 
 The Ox Pasture section is a wilderness of rolling hills, with 
 a fine tree-growth, covering about 400 acres to the northward of 
 Glen Lewis and Walden ponds. It is a maze of rocks, swamps 
 and cliffs, with many ^pots where the oak, pine and hemlock have 
 attained great size. No roads have yet been constructed through 
 it. The Wolf-Pits are a remarkable feature of this section. They 
 were built by farmers over 200 years ago. They are two in num- 
 ber, rectangular in shape, long, narrow and deep, lined with rock 
 laid with remarkable evenness and in a state of perfect preserva- 
 tion. It is related that one morning one of these pits contained 
 two strange occupants: a squaw and a Wolf, crouching opposite 
 each other at either end of the excavation, into which, on the same 
 night, the wolf had first fallen and then the squaw. Both were 
 paralyzed with terror. A third pit is on the island in Breed’s pond, 
 formerly a knoll in a swamp. 
 
 The electric cars of the Lynn & Boston Railroad run from the 
 Central Station of the Boston A Maine Railroad to the several 
 entrances of Lynn Woods at frequent intervals. Electrics also 
 leave Scollay square for Lynn every fifteen minutes. 
 
64 
 
 VI. THE OCEAN SHORE. 
 
 The establishment of seaside reservations, to assure to the 
 people forever the coveted right of free access to the shore, is 
 one of the most important elements in the scheme of metropolitan 
 park improvements. The chief of these reservations is that of 
 Revere Beach which, contemplated from the first, has just been 
 made possible by the authorization of a loan of a million dollars 
 for the purpose. This summer, therefore, the entire beach, for a 
 stretch of over three miles from the bluffs at Beachmont to the 
 . Point of Pines, becomes public proiierty. A plan is under consid- 
 eration whereby the reservation may be extended southward 
 along the Winthrop shore to Great Head in Winthrop at the 
 entrance of Boston bay. A gift of most of the laud required is 
 promised for this purpose. This would give a grand stretch of 
 over six miles of ocean shore. 
 
 Revere Beach is one of the finest reaches of shore on the 
 Massachusetts coast— a grand crescent of surf-fringed sands with 
 the lij-nn Woods and the rock-hills of Saugus for a background 
 beyond the wide green marsh levels. Its accessibility— only 
 twenty minutes by ferry and steam-cars from the heart of Bos- 
 ton, and reached by electrics from all parts of the north metropol- 
 itan region— has made it immensely popular, notwithstanding its 
 disgraceful condition, marred by shanties and all sorts of low 
 resorts. These encumbrances will all be cleared away, the Bos- 
 ton, Revere Beach & Lynn Railroad will be removed from the 
 crest of the beach to a new location, and replaced by a slightly 
 Oceanside way, with drive, walk and promenade, upon a long, 
 sweeping curve extending the length of the beach. 
 
 Revere Beach is reached by the Boston, Revere Beach & 
 I^ynn Railroad (ferry from Atlantic avenue station), and by the 
 Boston & Maine, Eastern division, to Crescent Beach, Oak Island 
 and Point of Pines. The Lynn Boston Railroad electrics reach 
 the beach at Crescent Beach and also by way of Revere street. 
 By the latter route cars also run from Malden, connecting with 
 lines to Melrose, Stoneham, Woburn, Wakefield, Reading, Lynn 
 and Medford. 
 
 LYNN, NAHANT AND SWAMPSCOTT BEACHES. 
 
 Other public beaches to the northward are those of Lynn, 
 Nahant and Swampscott. Swampscott bay, on which these 
 beaches front, has a shore of extraordinary beauty, forming a 
 curve of almost horseshoe shape, with alternations of glittering 
 sands and picturesque rocky headlands, woodland backgrounds 
 and elegant villa sea-fronts, while the bold contour of Egg Rock, 
 with its lighthouse, makes a striking accent in the scene. At the 
 
G5 
 
 foot of Nahant street, in Lynn, there is a fine reservation called 
 Oceanside, recently established by the city of Lynn. Adjoinini^. 
 there is a continuous stretch in Nahant of something: like two 
 miles, comprising the two necks uniting the mainland with Little 
 Nahant and the large peninsula, with a water-frontage for most 
 of the way both on Swaimpscott baj' and on Lynn bay. To the 
 northward the Lynn park board hopes eventually to construct a 
 promenade and sea-wall in place of the present w’oodeii bulkhead 
 along shore, and connecting with the public beaches beyond. 
 King’s Beach in Lynn and Swampscott, recently taken by the 
 Metropolitan Park board and transferred to the care of the local 
 boards of the two municipalities, and Phillips, or Fishermen's 
 Beach in Sw'ampscott, taken by Sw’ampscott for park purposes. 
 
 VII. THE RIVER VALLEYS. 
 
 A third element in the scheme of metropolitan improvement 
 is the reservation of the river banks so far as possible, both for 
 sanitary reasons in preventing the pollution of the waters and the 
 establishment of nuisances along the shores, and because such 
 lands with their adjacent waters offer particularly attractive 
 facilities for various forms of popular recreation. Notable prog- 
 ress has been made in these directions both on the Mystic and 
 the Charles. 
 
 MYSTIC RIVER. 
 
 In the valley of the Mystic, including the Aberjona river above 
 the Mystic ponds, free gifts of land and takings by the towm of 
 Winchester have led to the adoption by the Metropolitan commis- 
 sion of a plan by wdiich a fine river and lakeside parkw’ay from 
 the centre of Winchester along the easterly side of the Mystic 
 ponds to High street in Medford will be secured. This wdll give a. 
 continuous stretch of over three miles of water-way and drive.. 
 The opportunities for boating are remarkably good. 
 
 CHARLES RIVER. 
 
 Along the Charles river a large extent of the shore has already 
 been reserved for various purposes. Of the sixteen miles of bank 
 bordering the tidal portion of the stream from Craigie bridge to 
 Watertowm bridges seven miles had already been acquired by 
 various public and semi-public agencies when the Metropolitan 
 Park Commission began to make its takings. On the Boston side 
 Avere Charlesbank, Longfellow' meadow and Soldier’s Field, and 
 on the Cambridge and Watertowm side the park improvements 
 recenty entered upon by Cambridge, W'hich take nearly the entire 
 
bunk in that city for the Front, the Esplanade and Charles river 
 drive, while the frontages of the Cambridge hospital, the Cam- 
 bridge Cemetery and the United States Arsenal make up the 
 remainder. The rest has been taken by the Metropolitan board, 
 with the exception of practicallj’ irremovable industrial establish- 
 ments in Brighton. The i)roblem of the manner of improvement 
 remains in abeyance pending the settlement of vexed questions 
 concerning tidal flow, the construction of a dam, and the relations 
 involved with the national and state governments. The plan fav- 
 ored by the Metropolitan Park board and the State Board of 
 Health would convert the estuary into a fresh-water basin, and 
 national engineering authorities reconunend that such a basin be 
 used for the mooring of the steel war-ships of the navy when not 
 in commission. The best experts pronounce this plan the most 
 economical and serviceable in its promised results. 
 
 Cambridge has entered upon an extensive scheme of park 
 improvement, mostly in connection with the river front, and yet 
 in its early stages of planning and construction. A drive and 
 promenade, with adjacent playgrounds, etc., will occupy four 
 miles of the river bank in Cambridge. This drive will connect 
 with Fresh Pond park, and thence it is suggested that a parkway 
 connection be made with the iNIystic Valley improvement along 
 the line of Alewife brook. Fresh Pond park contains nearly 325 
 acres of laud and water, the pond occupying something over half 
 the area. A well-built pleasure-drive surrounds the pond, but. 
 laid out by the Cambridge water-board without the slightest 
 reference to landscape considerations, the park must be thor- 
 oughlj^ reconstructed before its scenery can be made beautiful. 
 
 Above the Watertown bridge the Charles, in its course through 
 the Metropolitan District, has long sections of slack water, 
 divided by dams and falls at Newton Upper Falls, Newton Lower 
 Falls, Waltham and Watertown. These slack-water stretches 
 give remarkably fine opportunities for boating. Several miles of 
 this part of the river are bordered by reservations for public uses, 
 and it is the purpose of the iNIetropolitan Park board, so far as 
 practicable, to unify and connect these reservations in a way 
 that will preserve and enhance the beauty of the river scenery 
 and improve its sanitary conditions. 
 
 One of the most beautiful sections of the river is that between 
 Riverside station in Newton, on the Boston & Albany Railroad, 
 and Waltham. It is the great fresh-water boating ground of 
 metropolitan Boston, and the scene here on summer afternoons 
 and evenings is one of the remarkable spectacles of out-door life 
 in this part of the world. The w.ater is animate with many hun- 
 dreds of canoes with young people of both sexes in the pictur- 
 esque costumes and graceful attitudes that belong to aquatic 
 
CHARLES RIVER AT RIVERSIDE STATION. 
 
68 
 
 pleasuring, and steamboats, steam, naphtha and electric launches 
 darting to and fro add to the interest of the scene. This section 
 of the river is exceptionally beautiful, with banks mostly of a 
 sylvan and pastoral character. .1 large portion of the water-front 
 in both Newton and Weston is reserved for i)ublic purposes. On 
 the Weston side the frontage between the stone bridge and River- 
 side has been demoted by its owner, Mr. Francis Blake, to such 
 ])urposes, and between Riverside and Newton Lower Falls Mr. 
 Charles Wells Hubbard has given to the town a park of fifteen 
 acres. On tlie Newton side the city has established a park at 
 Auburndale of twenty-four acres, with over half a mUe of water- 
 front, and between Riverside and Newton Lower Falls the city 
 has a park with something like a mile along the river. All these 
 park lands are beautifully wooded. 
 
 A striking feature of this part of the river is the “Norumbega 
 Tower,” at the mouth of Stony Brook in Weston; a picturesciue 
 and massive structure of stone erected by the late Prof. E. N. 
 Horsford of Cambridge to mark the site of the ancient town of 
 Norumbega of Norse legends, which, according to the elaborate 
 historical and archmological researches to which he devoted his 
 later years, was located here. 
 
 In this connection may be mentioned a recent park-improve- 
 ment by the city of Waltham, which has recently acquired about 
 seventj' acres of the twin summits and the slopes of Prospect Hill 
 and has built a good carriage road to the top. Next to the Blue 
 Hills, Prospect Hill park contains the highest ground near Boston, 
 460 feet above the sea. The ‘‘hill country” of the Massachusetts 
 interior may be said to begin with this eminence. It commands 
 noble views on every hand and overlooks a large part of the valley 
 of the Charles through the Metropolitan District. 
 
 Canoes and rowboats are to be hired at Riverside and Wal- 
 tham, and from Waltham there are excursion trips in steamboats 
 and launches. At Riverside the handsome clubhouse of the New- 
 ton Boat Club is on the NeAVton side of the stream, and nearly 
 opposite is that of the Boston Athletic Association. 
 
 Steam-cars to Riverside: Kneeland street and Columbus 
 avenue stations, Boston & Albany Railroad. 
 
 At Newton Upper Falls is the famous Hemlock Gorge, just 
 acquired by the Metropolitan Park Commission. This scene of 
 extraordinarily picturesque and romantic charm is formed by the 
 swift passage of the river, in falls and rapids, through a wild, 
 rocky gorge, with precipitous banks clothed wdth a splendid 
 growth of hemlocks, and spanned by the grand arch of Echo 
 bridge, carrying the Sudbury aqueduct of the Metropolitan 
 water-AA’orks. This spot, -which lies in the three municipalities of 
 NeAvton, Needham and Wellesley, is one of the rare landscape 
 
sights of the public reservatious of Greater Boston. Say the land- 
 scape architects: ‘‘Whether it be viewed from tlie high summit 
 of the aqueduct arch, from the low level of Roylstou street 
 bridge or from the points of ledge near the Newton Mills, this pas- 
 sage of the river through the rocks and hemlocks presents a 
 scene such as cannot be matched in the whole metropolitan 
 district.” 
 
 Tourists will find the Woodland Park Hotel at Auburndale 
 a pleasant stopping ifiace from which to visit Echo Bridge and the 
 Charles River portion of the I’ark system. It is situated on 
 private grounds but a short distance from Ihe river. 
 
 Above Newton Upper Falls between seven and eight miles of 
 river front, including most of both banks, in Newton, Needham, 
 Dedham and the West Roxbury district of Boston, has been 
 reserved by Newton and Brookline to protect their water-supply 
 from pollution. This reserve covers over 900 acres, about 700 
 of which belong to Newton. Mostly low and swampy, it is at 
 present of little service for recreation, but it preserves the 
 scenery of the river from disfigurement. 
 
 Steam-cars to Newton Upper Falls: Kneeland street and 
 Columbus avenue stations, Boston Albany Railroad. 
 
 CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS SINCE 1894. 
 
 Revere Beach: A wonderful transformation has been effected 
 by the metropolitan improvements at Revere Beach. From a 
 squalid, shanty-covered shore Revere Beach has been converted into 
 the finest example of an oceanside pleasure resort developed for 
 public recreative uses to be found in this country. The improve- 
 ments are of an extraordinarily permanent and substantial character, 
 possessing an aspect of finish and artistic shape that is commonly 
 called “ European,” and makes an unlooked-for impression when 
 found at an American shore resort. Revere Beach now forms a 
 magnificent ocean frontage for the modern metropolis of Greater 
 Boston. The cost of the improvement has been a million dollars. 
 A large part of this expenditure was required for the removal of the 
 Boston, Lynn & Revere Beach Railroad to a new location in the 
 rear of the beach, its former site on the crest of the beach being 
 taken for the great shore drive. This driveway is constructed upon 
 an elaborate scale after the design by the late Charles Eliot, who 
 was strenuous in providing that the grand three-mile sweep of the 
 beach should be followed by a curving line as nearly perfect as en- 
 
 iT 
 
70 
 
 
 . y 
 
 gineering skill could make it. The driveway has a remarkably 
 smooth macadamized surface, which, with the almost absolute level 
 of the line, gives ideal conditions for bicycling as well as for driving, 
 — conditions that make it extraordinarily popular. The constant 
 passing of pleasure-carriages and bicycles, together with the crowds 
 on foot, make a brilliant and animated scene. The southerly ter- 
 minus of the beach drive is at Eliot circle, near the bridge that 
 crosses the railroad. At this point was l\Ir. Eliot’s favorite view 
 over the breadth of the ocean, together with what he termed “ the 
 different but equally valuable alongshore view of the curve of the 
 beach, with the waves moving landward in ranks.” From Eliot 
 circle the road follows the shore to the Point of Pines. The build- 
 ings facing the road are entered from a broad sidewalk, forming a 
 promenade twenty feet wide. Many of these buildings are new. 
 Closely set in urban fashion, they show in their character the influ- 
 ence of the improvement in encouraging a better form of property 
 development, in contrast to the squalid conditions but lately pre- 
 vailing. 
 
 Between the road and the beach there is a second promenade of 
 the same width. The curbing and the gutters are of artificial stone, 
 the whitish lines of which accent the gradual curve of the beach. 
 A line of this stone also separates the promenade from the beach. 
 The design includes rows of poplar trees bordering the drive, and the 
 outer promenade is fitted at intervals with low-roofed shelters for 
 picknickers. Since these shelters are the only structures on the sea- 
 ward side of the road, the driveway and the adjacent promenades 
 command throughout their length both the seaward and alongshore 
 views in their entirety, superbly fulfilling the original intention of 
 creating here a strikingly handsome and valuable place for public 
 gathering. These shelters are built upon handsome terraces of an 
 artificial stone that closely resembles granite. They are provided 
 with drinking fountains and adorned with richly designed lamp- 
 posts. The terrace opposite the Crescent Beach terminal for the 
 electric cars, on Beach street, has a band-stand. A second shelter is 
 located opposite the great metropolitan bathing establishment, near 
 which, in the rear, is a special station of the Boston, Lynn & Revere 
 Beach Railroad, called “ Bath-house.” The bathing establishment 
 occupies a large and handsome building of brick, with over a thou- 
 sand dressing-rooms, filling two large, court-like spaces enclosed by 
 a high and ornamental wall. The establishment is operated directly 
 by the Metropolitan Park Commission, and thousands of bathers 
 often use it daily. The charge for use of dressing-rooms, towel and 
 bathing-suit, together with shower-bath, is twenty cents, — less than 
 that commonly charged by private establishments at other beaches 
 
71 
 
 for greatly inferior accommodations. For the same accommoda- 
 tions without bathing-suit the charge is fifteen cents. For chil- 
 dren’s trunks and towel the charge is ten cents. The establishment 
 has facilities for cleansing and drying many hundreds of bathing- 
 suits in a few minutes. The suits, and also the trunks, or “tights,” 
 for children, are of a uniform dark blue. The rooms for the two 
 sexes are on opposite sides of the establishment, respectively ; and 
 from each there is a separate subway passing under the roadway to 
 the beach, with openings in the face of the terrace. Xo private 
 bathing establishments are permitted on the beach, but residents are 
 allowed to bathe from their own homes. In the rear of the bath- 
 house are accommodations for checking many hundreds of bicycles. 
 The charge for this is five cents. Another place for checking 
 bicycles has been provided at the Administration Building, near the 
 band-stand terrace. In the evening the scene is fairy-like, with the 
 long line of electric lights along the drive and the brilliant clusters 
 illuminating the vicinity of the bath-house. 
 
 The bathing season lasts from June 10 to September 20. The 
 hours for bathing are from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. ; but, as a rule, no tickets 
 are sold after 8 p.m. The superintendent has authority to postpone 
 the hour of closing, when circumstances make it desirable. An ex- 
 pert swimmer is in attendance through the bathing hours, assisting 
 the bathers and ready to aid in case of accident. Bathers are ad- 
 vised to stay in the water not over twenty minutes. 
 
 From Eliot circle a parkway is under construction as far as 
 Winthrop avenue, Revere, and its extension through Snake Creek 
 valley and Everett to a connection with Fells way is under considera- 
 tion. The extension of the shore reservation along the greater por- 
 tion of the remaining water-front in Revere, and also that of 
 Winthrop as far as Winthrop Great Head, and perhaps Point Shir- 
 ley, has been determined upon. This Avould give a grand Oceanside 
 drive and promenade for something like six miles. The improve- 
 ment will ultimately also be extended to Lynn by the construction 
 of a bridge across the Saugus river from Point of Pines. This will 
 give a pleasant route to Lynn and Swampscott beaches, Marblehead, 
 Salem, and all the Xorth Shore beyond. The new State highway 
 from East Boston connects with the beach near Eliot circle and gives 
 a good approach from that direction. 
 
 In Scribner's Magazine for June, 1898, Revere Beach and its mag- 
 nificent improA^ements have prominent place in an article on “Sea- 
 side Pleasure-Grounds,” by the writer of this Guide, beautifully 
 illustrated by Walter Appleton Clark. The scene at the beach is 
 thus described : “ To the southward, the long south shore of IMassa- 
 chusetts bay loses itself in the distance, Befoi'e the beholder there 
 
72 
 
 spreads the open Atlantic, enlivened with the busy commerce of the 
 second seaport in the Union. To the northeastward the rugged 
 peninsula of Nahant thrusts itself out into the surges, moored to the 
 mainland, as it were, by the slender thread of its long neck, upon 
 which the promontory of Little Nahant is strung like a bead ; to the 
 northward is Lynn, backed by a rugged range of rock hills, — a 
 picturesque combination of maritime, urban, and wilderness land- 
 scape.” 
 
 Boston, Revere Beach & Lynn Railroad : From Atlantic avenue to 
 Crescent Beach, Bath-house, Oak island, and Point of Pines Stations. 
 Fare 10 cents for round trip. 
 
 Street-cars: From Scollay square to the Beach, via Beach street 
 and via Revere street. Also from Winnisimmet square, Chelsea; 
 from Maverick square. East Boston; and from Malden. 
 
 The Boston and Brookline Parkway: The John Boyle 
 O’Reilly memorial at the beginning of Fenway, facing the Boylstou 
 entrance, designed by Daniel Chester French, and dedicated June 
 20, 1896, is the most beautiful monument yet located in any public 
 open space in Boston up to that date, and shares with the Shaw Me- 
 morial on the Common, by St. Gaudens, the foremost rank among 
 works of the kind in Boston. On the front of a monolith is a bust 
 of O’Reilly. On the other side is a symbolical group : Erin, supported 
 by Patriotism, a soldierly figure, on one side, and the Genius of 
 Poetry on the other side; thus representing the two aspects of 
 O'Reilly’s character. Opposite this group is a seat of stone where 
 the spectator may contemplate at leisure the beauty of the group, 
 screened from the outside world by a mass of shrubbery. The archi- 
 tectural features were designed by C. Howard Walker. 
 
 The Fenwater is open for canoeing. A service of electric 
 naphtha launches has been established. 
 
 Jamaica Park is now the headquarters of the Boston Park Com- 
 mission. The terrace, commanding a beautiful view of Jamaica 
 Pond, has a beautiful fountain by IMiss Anne Whitney. 
 
 Arnold Arboretum and Bussey Park : The foregoing is now 
 the official name of the Arboretum, this designation being in accord- 
 ance with the indenture between Boston and Harvard College for the 
 addition of the new tract that comprises Whitney Hill. 
 
73 
 
 West Roxbury Parkway: The permanent improvement of 
 this picturesque parkway will be gradually carried out. A road re- 
 cently laid out through the parkway connects the Boston park sys- 
 tem at the Arboretum with the ^Metropolitan system at Stony Brook 
 Woods, entering the latter at Bellevue Hill. 
 
 Stony Brook Woods: A permanent interior road, in exten- 
 sion of West Roxbury parkway, has been built through Stony Brook 
 Woods, passing on the westward side of Turtle pond. It commands 
 a sex'ies of beautiful and varied views of the near and distant land- 
 scape, as far as the Blue Hills. Bathing facilities for men and 
 boys are provided at Turtle pond, and a convenient picnic ground 
 has been established in the reservation. 
 
 Franklin Park: The great refectory, near the Blue Hill avenue 
 entrance, has been finished, and elaborate accommodations in the 
 way of popular restaurant facilities are here provided. 
 
 Ellicott house, the cottage near Kllicott arch, designed for the 
 use of the players on the neighboring Ellicottdale, has been opened 
 and is in charge of a matron. The dressing and bath rooms are 
 largely used by tennis players. Ellicottdale has become very popular 
 for tennis, croquet, etc., and as many as twenty courts are often 
 occupied at, one time. 
 
 To the sporting attractions of the park a fine course of public 
 golf links has been added. It is in charge of Hr. Willie Campbell 
 as green-keeper. Only persons skilled in the game are permitted 
 to play. 
 
 A popular feature in Franklin park is the donkey service for 
 children, which has been established for Sundays. 
 
 Franklin Field : The ground is now used for base-ball, cricket, 
 and foot-ball, and the militia has begun to use it as a muster ground. 
 The Boston Cricket Club, which plays on this field, has moved its 
 house to a location opposite Hendrie’s, and has added shower-bath 
 facilities. The car tracks on Blue Hill avenue now extend past the 
 field and land people at Hendrie’s. This will be found a convenient 
 place for obtaining dinner or lunch after leaving Franklin park or 
 for visitors en route to the Blue Hills. 
 
 Marine Park: The ferry to Castle island has been improved by 
 the addition of two large boats, plying from a temporary landing at 
 
74 
 
 the beach, in Pleasure bay. The picturesque head-house at the pier 
 includes a large and handsome restaurant. Extraordinary facilities 
 for beach bathing have been here provided. The L Street bath, on 
 the Strandway, the most popular public bathing place in the country, 
 will continue to be devoted to nude bathing for men and boys. 
 
 With the completion of Strandway, Dorchesterway, and Colum- 
 bia road there will be an unbroken parkway connection from Mai'ine 
 park to Neponset river by way of Franklin park, and to the Blue 
 Hills with the completion of Blue Hills parkway; also a connection 
 with the rest of the park system by way of Franklin park and 
 Arborway to the Arboretum and beyond, as well as a short cut to 
 the Charles river by way of Massachusetts avenue. 
 
 Charlesbank : The new building for the men’s gymnasium in- 
 cludes superior bathing facilities. These baths are now kept open 
 through the winter, making the first all-the-year-round public baths 
 in the city. The women’s gymnasium building has also been en- 
 larged and adequate bathing facilities provided for the first time. 
 
 Wood Island Park; The open air gymnasium, completed in 
 1895, is splendidly equipped. A cricket field has been prepared on 
 a portion of the playground. 
 
 Middlesex Fells: The greater portion of Fellsway, the park- 
 way extending from Broadway park, Somerville, to Middlesex 
 Fells, is finished. It is a boulevard with central reserved space for 
 electric-car tracks through turf. It crosses the Mystic river at 
 Middlesex bridge. The total length is 4.32 miles, including the two 
 branches, a little more than a mile each. The Malden branch, 
 Fellsway East, passes through Fellsmere park, with picturesque 
 scenery, and reaches the Fells at the Bear’s Den entrance. The 
 Medford branch, Fellsway West, reaches the Fells at Pine Hill, 
 whence the South Boundary road continues the route to Winchester 
 via Turkey Swamp. There are yet no particularly good connect- 
 ing roads at present between Harvard bridge and Fellsway. The 
 most direct route is either by Massachusetts avenue, Columbia, or 
 Prospect street to Webster avenue. Union square. Summer and 
 School streets, Broadway, Broadway park; or Union square, Cam- 
 bridge, Medford, and Cross streets, Broadway, Broadway park. It 
 is suggested that, if a good line of existing streets with easy grades 
 across Cambridge and Somerville from Massachusetts avenue were 
 selected, kept free from car-tracks, and paved with asphalt, it would 
 
I 
 
 / 
 
 75 
 
 supply the much-needed connecting link between the Charles river 
 and the northerly park system, — an improvement that would be 
 much appreciated. 
 
 The road from Bear’s Den entrance, in continuation of Fells way 
 East, passing up into the Fells through Jerryjingle Notch, has been 
 relocated and reconstructed as a permanent way, avoiding the dan- 
 gerous grades of the provisional road. The Bear Hill entrance is 
 a new and convenient approach from Stoneham, by way of Park 
 street. The scenery about Spot pond will be materially changed by 
 the raising of the water surface, in connection with its use as a dis- 
 tributing reservoir for the ^Metropolitan water-supply, to a height of 
 ten feet above the old high-water mark. Another new feature in 
 the scenery of the Fells wdll be the high-service reservoir under con- 
 struction to the eastward of Cairn Hill. Occupying the site of the 
 former swamps, it will make a beautiful lake with irregular rocky 
 and wooded shores, over a quarter of a mile in length. 
 
 Blue Hills: The Blue Hills parkway, designed to extend, in 
 continuation of the Blue Hill avenue boulevard, from the Neponset 
 river at Mattapan to Crossman’s Pines entrance at the Blue Hills, 
 has been completed between the river and Brook road. Facilities 
 for checking bicycles have been provided at the foot of the path 
 that leads to the summit of Great Blue Hill. Wolcott Pines, near 
 by, have been cleared of undergrowth, and makes a fine grove, con- 
 venient for picnic purposes. At Hoosicwhissick pond a fine shelter 
 has been built. It includes a lunch-stand and a bicycle-shed. A 
 fleet of rowboats has been placed on the pond, and bathing facilities 
 have been provided. These attractions and conveniences make the 
 spot the favorite centre for excursionists to the Blue Hills. The 
 great Henry L. Pierce estate, comprising several hundred acres and 
 reaching from the southerly shores of Hoosicwhissick to and beyond 
 Ponkapoag pond, having been bequeathed to the public for park 
 purposes, has been added to the Blue Hills reservation. 
 
 Mystic Valley Parkway: This beautiful lake and riverside 
 parkway was opened from IMedford and Arlington, at High street, 
 to the centre of Winchester late in 1897, and at once became a 
 greatly frequented and correspondingly popular resort for the people 
 of all the northern suburbs. The greater portion of the land was 
 given for the purpose. The town of Winchester appropriated §50,- 
 000 and the city of Boston §65,000, — the latter on account of its 
 ownership of the Mystic water-supply. The parkway follows the 
 
 t 
 
76 
 
 easterly shore of the Mystic lakes with a road that, in easy curves 
 and grades, adapts itself to the local topography. The road is par- 
 alleled by a walk that, for the greater part of the way, runs through 
 turf at the waterside. Here and there is a gravelly beach. The 
 landscape has a rare charm ; diversified park-like foregrounds with 
 numerous groups of finely developed and typical New England trees, 
 wide expanses of water surface with wooded and pastoral shores, the 
 opposite banks of the lakes occupied only by two or three inconspic- 
 uous country-seats- The lines of the ranges of hills rising above the 
 lake are particularly impressive. Above the lakes the course of the 
 parkway along the Abbajona river has a tranquil beauty akin to 
 that of Riverway in Boston and Brookline. The little river winds 
 picturesquely through its meadows, overhung by trees and shrubs. 
 The stream has two small islands, covered with evergreen and other 
 trees. The parkway terminates in the centre of Winchester, with 
 Winchester Common and the Boston & Maine Railroad station on 
 the left and the spacious grounds of the Town Hall on the right, the 
 fine tower of that edifice reflected in the waters of the river. The 
 house of the Shu-Shu-Gah Canoe Club, of Winchester, is on the river 
 a short distance above the upper lake. The opportunities for aquatic 
 recreations are excellent. The use of the upper lake for water- 
 supply purposes having been discontinued since it came into the 
 hands of the ^Metropolitan Water Commission, it will hereafter be 
 kept full to the dam, to the enhancement of the landscape and the 
 benefit of boating on the lake and river. A “ run-way,” proposed 
 for the dam, will permit boat-navigation from Medford and the 
 harbor through to Winchester. An extension of the parkway down 
 the Mystic river to the centre of Medford is projected, and connec- 
 tions to Somerville and to the Charles river, by way of Fresh pond, 
 are in prospect. A successful experiment is the lighting of this 
 parkway by naphtha lamps with incandescent burners, giving a brill- 
 iant white light and a beautiful night-effect along the waterside. 
 
 King’s Beach : King’s Beach, Swampscott, has been cleared of 
 the obstructing shanties, and now presents a beautiful open sweep. 
 
 Chestnut Hill Parkway and Connecting Boulevards to 
 Charles River : The drive and grounds about the Chestnut Hill 
 reservoir have been placed in charge of the Boston Park Commission. 
 With the extensive water-surface of the two basins, this makes a very 
 large public open space. It thus forms a fine pleasure-ground, and, 
 in a measure, supplies the needs for a park in this locality, intended 
 to be met in the original plans for the Boston park system. Al- 
 
 t 
 
77 
 
 though the necessarily formal margin of the reservoir detracts from 
 the natural effect of the water when viewed near at hand, yet the 
 general landscape effect is lakelike and pleasing in connection with 
 the rural character of the surrounding scenery and the beautifully 
 modulated forms of the hill-slopes. The drive was the first one 
 about Boston to be specially made for pleasure purposes, and has 
 always been remarkably popular. For years it has been a favorite 
 rendezvous for bicyclers. The artistic planting of the grounds is 
 due to the fine landscape taste of Mr. Desmond Fitzgerald, for 
 twenty years superintendent of this division of the Boston Water 
 Works. At this parkway the two great boulevards of Beacon street 
 and Commonwealth avenue come together ; and the latter keeps on 
 directly through the centre of Xewton to the Charles river, where it 
 terminates at Norumbega park. (See Charles river.) 
 
 Charles River: The banks of the river as far up as Xewton 
 Upper Falls have now passed into public or quasi-public ownership, 
 with the exception of certain portions occupied by industrial estab- 
 lishments that could not well be disturbed. The Metropolitan Park 
 Commission has made all practicable takings to that point. The 
 improvement of the river parkway on the Cambridge bank, from 
 the bridge at Boylston Street to the Cambridge Hospital, has 
 effected a remarkable transformation in a recently squalid locality. 
 The river is now bordered by beautiful grounds and a fine drive. 
 On the opposite side, in Boston, the construction of the magnificent 
 Speedway, from Soldiers’ Field westward to near the Abbatoir, is 
 in hand. This gives a perfectly level course over a mile long, un- 
 interrupted by cross streets, — ideal conditions for speeding horses, 
 without the restrictions imposed on other roads. An ideal speeding 
 track for bicycles has been planned to parallel the way for horses, 
 and will ultimately be constructed. A double track is provided for, 
 the course returning upon itself by making a loop at the further 
 end. On the bank of the river in Xewton, at the terminus of Com- 
 monwealth avenue, is Xorumbega park, a popular amusement 
 ground established in the interest of the street-railway company, 
 with varied facilities for sports on land and water. The excellent 
 restaurant is in charge of Mr. Dee of the Woodland Park Hotel. 
 A short distance up the river, at Riverside, are the extensive Charles 
 River Recreation Grounds, with complete facilities for boating and 
 other open-air recreation, including fine swimming-pools. These 
 recreation grounds offer to members of the association all the facili- 
 ties of a well-appointed country club, including pleasant rooms for 
 stopping over night. 
 
78 
 
 Metropolitan Park Flora: A list giving the flora of the 
 Metropolitan Park Reservations has been compiled by Mr. Walter 
 Deane of Cambridge, with the assistance of a number of botanists 
 familiar with the various tracts. The diversified character of the 
 lands gives rise to a most interesting flora. The work has been 
 issued for the ISletropolitan Park Commission in a handsome volume, 
 published by C. M. Barrows & Co. 
 
 Skating in the Parkfe : The Boston Park Commission has 
 adopted the policy of maintaining the ice in the parks in good con- 
 dition for skating throughout the winter. Special efforts to this 
 end were made the past winter at Jamaica pond, Franklin field, 
 Charlesbank, and Wood Island park. At Jamaica pond there were 
 nineteen days’ skating; at Franklin field thirty-one; at Charlesbank 
 and Wood Island forty-three. There was a total estimated attend- 
 ance of 410,000. Ingenious and effective devices have been adopted 
 for keeping the ice in good condition : planing when rough, scraping 
 and cleaning, and by spraying to restore a wornout surface. 
 
 Bicycling in the Parks : The most numerous class in the use 
 and enjoyment of the parks is composed of the riders of the bicycle. 
 The park roads on a pleasant Sunday morning or Saturday after- 
 noon, with their swarms of wheelmen and wheelwomen, represent- 
 ing all sorts and conditions, present one of the great sights of Bos- 
 ton. INIen and women eminent in the social life of the city may be 
 pointed out on their wheels as they once were on horseback or in 
 their carriages. The gospel of good roads here finds its most per- 
 fect exemplification, and among the most regular frequenters of the 
 parkway may be seen the first American apostle of that doctrine, 
 which has already proven of untold economic value to the country 
 at large. The Colonel’s eyes must be gratified not only by the fre- 
 quency with which a certain cabalistic-looking name plate is seen 
 upon the bicycles that pass by the hundred, but by the evident char- 
 acter of the riders associated therewith. The writer, for instance, 
 is one of many veteran wheelmen who have remained true to the 
 Columbia from the earliest days, before there was a park road in 
 Boston. (Jne of the old high wheels, an “ Expert Columbia,” went 
 with him to Mexico and back ; for four years it did not cost ten 
 cents for repairs until at last long use demanded a renewal of the 
 tires, and so satisfactory was it that there was no occasion to replace 
 it until the era of the “ safety ” came in. 
 
 The most popular roads for the bicycle are those of the park- 
 way and the connecting drives in Franklin park, Arnold Arbore- 
 
79 
 
 turn and other parts of the Boston park system. The neighborhood 
 of the spring in the easterly part of the Playstead, on Playstead 
 road, Franklin park, has from the beginning been the great rendez- 
 vous for wheelmen. 
 
 The roads in the IMiddlesex Fells, Blue Hills and Lynn Woods 
 are pleasant for bicycling, although in places the grades are so steep 
 that great care should be exercised. 
 
 The rules of the Boston Park Commission concerning bicycles 
 have been modified to agree with the general law of the common- 
 wealth on the subject. Enforcement of the rules is necessarily 
 rigorous. It is specially important in the parks that wheelmen 
 should observe the “ rules of the road ” : Turn to the right in meet- 
 ing; to the left in passing those who are going in the same 
 direction. 
 
 Errata; On page 9, third line from bottom, read Hospital for 
 Women instead of Children’s Hospital. 
 
 On page 19, eleventh line from bottom, read Frederick Law 
 Olmsted instead of the late Arthur Botch. 
 
 On page 20, twelfth line from top, read the late Arthur Botch 
 instead of Edmund M. Wheelwright as city architect. 
 
 On page 21, fifteenth line from top, read Frederick Law Olmsted 
 instead of C. Howard Walker. 
 
RIVERSIDE RECREATION GROUNDS. 
 
 The Riverside Recreation Grounds, which the Boston Herald has 
 aptly called “ the popular Country Club,” presents an ideal opportu- 
 nity for all the pleasure of out-door exercise at a cost within the 
 reach of all. Situated in Weston, l\Iass., directly opposite Riverside 
 Station, its grounds cover forty acres along the banks of the Charles 
 River, in the very midst of the park system, and within easy distance 
 of the city. It is reached by express trains from Boston in fifteen 
 minutes, and the electric cars of the Commonwealth Avenue boule- 
 vard run within a short distance of the grounds. 
 
 The land is held subject to the approval of the Metropolitan Park 
 Commission, and offers advantages for meetings of school and college 
 athletic associations, boating clubs, etc., which are possessed by no 
 other place in the neighborhood of Boston. 
 
 The buildings now open contain dressing-rooms, wash-rooms, and 
 shower baths, bedrooms, a restaurant and ladies’ parlor, boat-racks, 
 etc., while bowling-alleys and a large assembly hall are to be added, 
 and the buildings will be heated for use in winter. A fine swimming 
 pool, row-boats and canoes, numerous tennis courts, an out-door gym- 
 nasium, a quarter mile cinder track, and extensive fields for practice 
 or for match games offer every facility for athletic contest and out- 
 door recreation. 
 
 The charges are very moderate, and special rates are allowed to 
 students ; but satisfactory indorsement of character is required before 
 admission to membership. Single tickets can be obtained by those 
 who do not wish to become members. Membership or tickets include 
 the use of dressing-room and locker, swimming-pool, tennis courts, 
 running-track and ball fields, with part of gate receipts in case of 
 match games. Regular meals will be served in the restaurant, and 
 lunches can be obtained at all times. During June and September 
 the I^ewton Boat Club gives concerts on Saturday nights, and these 
 will probably be continued through July and August at the grounds. 
 
 The grounds are being laid out by Mr. Charles W. Hubbard with 
 the special view of preserving and developing a section of country 
 admirably adapted to these uses, and in the hope that it may become 
 the headquarters for school and college athletic associations, and other 
 like organizations, so that the property may eventually be held as a 
 land trust, owned and controlled by a few men interested in physical 
 education, and with its administration shared in by representatives 
 
VIEWS OF THE 
 
 RIVERSIDE RECREATION GROUNDS, 
 
 WESTON, MASS. 
 
 GENERAL VIEW OF BUILDINGS AND TENNIS COURTS. 
 
 OUT-DOOR GYMNASIUM. 
 
BOATING, CANOEING, RESTAURANT, AND BALCONY. 
 
 TRACK ATHLETICS. 
 
 SWIMMING POOL 
 
of such clubs. The grounds are heartily indorsed by the mayors, 
 superintendents and principals of schools, leading physicians and 
 health officials of all the adjacent cities and towns, as well as by the 
 presidents of Harvard and Boston Universities, and of the Massa- 
 chusetts Institute of Technology. 
 
 Full information can always be obtained from the manager, Mr. 
 James B. Knowlton, Auburndale, Mass. 
 
 Tbe charges and fees are as follows : 
 
 Yearly Membership SI 0.00 
 
 Students 5 00 
 
 Boat rack (per year) 5 00 
 
 Extra Locker 1 00 
 
 Single Ticket .25 
 
 Boats and Canoes, per hour 20 
 
 {Holidays, 30 cents.) 
 
 Bathing Suit .10 
 
 Towels 03 or .05 
 
 Bedrooms (for subscribers only), per night .35 
 
 Special rates by month or week. 
 
 By special arrangement with the Boston & Albany Railroad, single 
 tickets combined with Boston & Albany round-trip fares, via main 
 line or Brookline, will be sold for fifty cents. For these tickets apply 
 at the office on the grounds. 
 
Have you ever investigated 
 
 THE MERITS OF 
 
 The Aladdin Oven? 
 
 THE INVENTION OF 
 
 EDWARD ATKINSON, LL.D., Ph.D. 
 
 VERY LITTLE CARE, and does not 
 heat the room in which it is used. 
 
 WITH GAS. 
 
 ^ LABOR, EX= 
 
 V PENSE, and the most 
 
 nutritious part of the FOOD it cooks. 
 
 SEND FOR CIRCULARS TO 
 
 M ITH LAMPS. 
 
 NO 
 
 COAL 
 
 ASHES. 
 
 SECTIONAL VIEW. 
 
 THE ASBESTOS PAPER COMPANY, 
 
 Manufacturers of Asbestos Steanr Pipe and Boiler Covering and all kinds 
 of Asbestos Goods. Steam Pipe and Boiler Covering^by contract. 
 
 71 KILBY STREET, BOSTON. 
 
HEMLOCK GORGE, NEWTON UPPER FALLS. 
 
Bacon & Tarbell^ 
 
 . . 384 WARREN STREET, ROXBURY. 
 
 Telephone Number, 293 Roxbury. 
 
 Supply Carriage Service for Department of Parks 
 
 By Special Contract with Boston Park Commission. 
 
 ELEGANT “OBSERVATION CARRIAGES” of our own design at Franklin Park 
 
 Stations for Visiting Parties. 
 
 FIVE MILE DRIVE THROUGH FRANKLIN PARK, 
 
 Single fare 25 Cents. 
 
 NINE MILE DRIVE THROUGH FRANKLIN PARK AND ARBORETUM, 
 
 50 Cents. 
 
 DRIVE THROUGH ENTIRE PARK SYSTEM, 
 
 Delivering passengers at Copley Square (Boston Public Library). 
 One Dollar. 
 
 Carriage Service of all kinds supplied n^ith Careful Drivers, 
 calling at an'j point for parties at short notice. 
 
 4^ Order by telephone or mail. 
 
I 
 
 ] 
 
 
 MUDDY POND, WEST ROXBURY. 
 
The Coffee Tree Inn. 
 
 Original in architectural design. ^ Quaint, refined, and beautiful. 
 
 The Coffee Tree Inn (named from the coffee tree which origi- 
 nally stood upon the site where the inn is now located) is situated but 
 five minutes from the parkway, at the present terminus of the Jamaica 
 Plain cars ; and visitors to the park will find their time well spent in 
 looking the place over. The quaint design of the building, with its 
 old-fashioned wrought iron swinging sign, immediately attracts at- 
 tention, as well as the beautiful brick and stucco work and the over- 
 hanging carved barge boards. The interior of the Inn is furnished 
 entirely in quartered oak, rich in design, with all modern improve- 
 ments to make the place inviting and comfortable. The vaulted 
 dome is most beautiful, shedding its mellow light upon the quaint 
 mottoes and decorations. 
 
 Not only will the highest grade of Wines, Liquors, and Cigars 
 be sold at the Coffee Tree Inn, but Sterling Ale, the product of 
 the Highland Spring Brewery, and the fine brews of Lager furnished 
 by A. J. Houghton & Co., will be on draught and served in pewters 
 and glass. Besides, the Lunch Counter, with its substantial fare, 
 will provide Tea, Coffee, etc., to those who wish it. 
 
 e 
 
 a 
 
 a 
 
 a 
 
 a 
 
 IBS 
 
 a 
 
 a 
 
 a 
 
 BRADLEY & FARMER, j 
 
 14 Keyes Street, Jamaica Plain, Hass. y 
 
 QUEEN OF VACATION LANDS . . . 
 
 Land of Evangeline. 
 
 — - THE - - - 
 BEAUTIFUL 
 
 Healthful, Restful, Delightful — 
 
 And the Expense so Very Small. 
 
 Nature made Nova Scotia especially for vacation purposes. Its climate is de- 
 lightfully bracing, its scenery enchanting. You should see the superb view from 
 “ Look-Off,” and the Wild South Shore. It’s a land of history, poetry, arid 
 romantic legend. There's Annapolis — oldest town, except St. Augustine, in 
 America — and Grand Pre, where Evangeline lived. 
 
 There’s extraordinary fishing, too,— streams and lakes everywhere, full of fish, — 
 and universal boating ; and the roads are grand for cycling, walking, and driving. 
 It’s pre-eminently a land of rest, as truly Acadian now as in Evangeline’s tirne. 
 And it is so inexpensive staying there, an important matter these hard times. Six, 
 seven, eight dollars a week for good, wholesome, comfortable board. And the get- 
 ting there 1 The Delightful Ocean Voyage ! Only sixteen hours, but enough to 
 give you a good whiff of the Atlantic. You leave Boston at noon on the swift, steel 
 ‘‘ Boston ” or “ Yarmouth,” the fastest and finest steamers leaving Boston ; and the 
 next morning you breakfast in Yarmouth, a foreign city. And for so small a fare.' 
 
 A Handsome Illustrated Book, ‘‘ Beautiful Nova Scotia,” will be sent you 
 on receipt of ten cents for postage. This is a new book, containing sixty pages of 
 entertaining description and thirty-five half-tone pictures. For book, folders, or 
 any information, write 
 
 H. F. HAMMOND, Agent, - - Yarmouth Steamship Co., 
 
 43 LEWIS WHARF, BOSTON, MASS. 
 
/ 
 
 MUNICIPAL BOUNDARIES IN NEIGHBORHOOD OF BOSTON. 
 
LYNN J BOSTON RAILROAD COMPANY. 
 
 General Offices, 
 
 333 UNION STREET, LYNN, MASS. 
 
 Cars leave Scollay Square, BOSTON FOR CHELSEA, passing the United States Navy 
 Yard, and near the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown, every 2, 5, 7 and 10 minutes. 
 
 Cars leave BOSTON FOR REVERE BEACH, the most famous beach on the North 
 Shore, every five minutes. Fare only FIVE CENTS. 
 
 Cars leave BOSTON for LYNN, SWaMPSCOTT, and MARBLEHEAD, via 
 CHARLESTOWN, CHELsEA, REVERE, and the MARSHES, as follows: 6.30, 7.00, 
 7 ' 3 °> 705 A.M., and every 15 minutes until 7.45 P.M., then every 30 minutes until 11.15 p.m. 
 
 fare only ten cents. 
 
 A change of cars can be made in Central Square, Lynn, for Lynn Woods (Lynn’s 
 famous park of 2,000 acres), Salem and Peabody. 
 
 Cars leave LYNN FOR SALEM AND SALEM WILLOWS every half hour in the 
 forenoon and every fifteen minutes in the afternoon. A car can be taken at Marblehead for 
 a delightful ride to Salem, and Salem Willows, or on to the beautiful town of Danvers, pass- 
 ing many old and noted points of interest, such as the Home of Rebecca Nourse, Birthplace 
 of General Putnam, etc., etc. 
 
 Cars leave CHELSEA SQUARE FOR WOBURN, via Everett, Malden, Melrose and 
 Stoneham, passing Pine Banks Park and Middlesex Fells. A change of cars can be made in 
 Malden for Lynn and Salem, via Maplewood and Cliftondale, or a change can be made in 
 Melrose for Lynn and Salem, via Saugus Centre. Also at Melrose for Wakefield, Reading, 
 Wilmington, Billerica, Lowell, Lynnfield, Peabody, Lawrence, Haverhill, and Nashua, N.H. 
 
 Lynn & Boston Railroad Co. 
 
 Pleasure Resorts and Points of interest on the lines 
 Company. 
 
 LOCALITIES. 
 
 of the Lynn & Boston Railroad 
 
 Boston, 
 
 Charlestown, 
 
 Chelsea, 
 
 Winthrop Junction, 
 Everett, 
 
 East Everett, 
 Malden, 
 
 Middlesex Fells, 
 Wyoming, 
 
 Melrose, 
 
 Melrose Highlands, 
 
 Stoneham, 
 
 Lindenwood, 
 
 Glenmere, 
 
 Lynnhurst, 
 
 Upper Swampscott, 
 Lower Swampscott, 
 Clifton, 
 
 Beach Bluff, 
 Devereaux, 
 Marblehead, 
 
 Saugus, 
 
 East Saugus, 
 
 Saugus Centre, 
 
 Salem, 
 
 North Salem, 
 
 Asbury 
 
 Woburn, 
 
 East Woburn, 
 
 Faulkner, 
 
 Maplewood, 
 
 Linden, 
 
 Cliftondale, 
 
 Beachmont, 
 
 Crescent Beach, 
 
 Revere, 
 
 West Lynn, 
 Lynn, 
 
 East Lynn, 
 Wyoma, 
 
 Grove. 
 
 South Salem, 
 Salem Willows, 
 Peabody, 
 
 South Peabody, 
 Danvers, 
 
 Asylum Station, 
 Danversport, 
 Danvers Centre, 
 Putnam ville, 
 Beverly, 
 
 North Beverly, 
 
 Wenham, 
 
 Hamilton, 
 
 Crescent Beach, Chelsea, 
 Ell Pond, Melrose, 
 Columbus Park, Alelrose, 
 Point of Pines, Revere, 
 Revere Beach, Revere, 
 Echo Grove, Lynn, 
 
 Birch Pond, Lynn, 
 Breed’s Pond, Lynn, 
 
 Flax Pond, Lynn, 
 Goldfish Pond, Lynn, 
 Lynn Woods, Lynn. 
 
 PLEASURE RESORTS 
 
 Twin Springs, Lynn, 
 
 Nahant Beach, Nahant, 
 Willows, Salem, 
 
 King’s IBeach, Swampscott, 
 Phillips’ Beach, Marblehead, 
 Croker Park, Marblehead, 
 Fort Sewell, Marblehead, 
 Highland Park, Peabody, 
 Rockdale Driving Park, Pea- 
 body. 
 
 Spring Pond, Peabody, 
 Brown’s Pond, Peabody, 
 
 Pine Banks Park, Malden, 
 Wenham Lake, Wenham, 
 Asbury Grove, Hamilton, 
 Franklin Driving Park, Sau- 
 gus, 
 
 Pranker’s Pond, Saugus, 
 
 Lily Pond Grove, Saugus, 
 Bartholomew’s Pond, Peabody. 
 
 Points of Interest. 
 
 U. S. Navy Yard, Wapping Street, Charlestown. Bunker Hill Monument, Monument 
 Square, Charlestown. U. S. Marine Hospital, Broadway, Chelsea. Soldiers’ Home, Pow- 
 der Horn Hill, Chelsea. Dungeon Rock, Lynn. High Rock, High Rock Avenue, Lynn. 
 Floating Bridge, Lynn. Moll Pitcher’s Grave, West Lynn. 
 
 SALEM. 
 
 Roger Williams’ House, corner North and Essex Streets. The Shattuck House, of 
 Witchcraft fame, 317 Essex Street. House visited by Lafayette in 1784, and Washington in 
 1789, 138 Federal Street. Gallows Hill, head of Hanson Street. Old North Bridge, junc- 
 tion North and Bridge Streets. East India Marine Hall, opposite St. Peter’s Street. Old 
 Pickering Mansion, built 1649, 18 Broad Street. First Church, built in 1634, rear of Plum- 
 mer Hall. House of Seven Gables, 34 Turner Street. Hawthorne’s Birthplace, 21 Union 
 Street. Remains of Fort Pickering, Winter Island. Fort Lee, near the Willows.' Ship 
 Rock, Lynnfield Street, Peabody. 
 
 DANVERS. 
 
 Home of Rebecca Nourse, Centre St. Birthplace of General Putnam, Centre Street. 
 Oak Knoll (Whittier’s Home), Summer Street. Peabody Institute, Sylvare Street. Dan- 
 vers Asylum, Newbury Street. 
 
 MARBLEHEAD. 
 
 Old Burying Hill, Orne Street. Fountain Inn, Orne Street. Moll Pitcher’s Birthplace, 
 Orne Street. Cow Fort, Head of Harbor. Birthplace of Governor Gerry. Hospital Point 
 Light, Beverly Cove. 
 

 
 ONE OF THE MALDEN CLIFFS. 
 
WILL H. WILEY, Dealer in New and Second-hand 
 Yachts, Row=boats, and Canoes. 
 
 BOAT LIVERY, - - 3 Lake Avenue, WAKEFIELD, MASS. 
 
 No labor is spared to make this one of the best equipped boat liveries. 
 
 Established 1868 . 
 
 IDbotoflrapbg of . 
 
 Bostop apd Vicipity. 
 
 LARGEST COLLECTION 
 
 , . . OF . . . 
 
 Unmounted Photographs 
 
 IN THE COUNTRY. 
 
 Public Buildings, Churches, 
 
 Harbor Views, Nantasket Beach, 
 
 Charles River, etc., etc. 
 
 >>>>> MI5T0RK M2U5E5 <<<<< 
 
 White Mountains, New England Coast and Hudson River. 
 
 5oijle pi 70 t 0 (§rapl 7 Qo/hpapy, 
 
 338 WASHINGTON ST., BOSTON. 
 
 Near Old 5outh Church. 
 
 Up One Flight. 
 
V 
 
 Fremont ^urkieb SSatb 
 
 ADOLPH LUNDIN, Proprietor. 
 
 176 Tremont Street, 
 
 Under Tremont Theatre, 
 
 Hours : ^ 
 
 I LADIES. 
 
 I tVEEK-DAYS ; 9 A.M. tO 1 V.M. 
 Sundays : 1.30 to 6.30 p.m. 
 
 GENTLEMEN. 
 
 IVeek-days : 1 P.M. to 8 a.m. 
 Sundays : Until 1 p.m. and all night. 
 
 Boston. 
 
 Telephone, 
 
 Boston 2931. 
 
 Expert Masseurs Always in Attendance. 
 
 Our Baths have been highly recommended by many of the 
 leading physicians in the treatment of Rheumatism. Colds, etc. 
 
 I N. Dfford & Son, 
 
 12 West Street, 
 Boston 
 
 Pioneers in Papier- 
 mache Dress 
 Forms of every 
 description, up to 
 date 
 
 W E make a specialty of Ladies’ Dress 
 Forms to Order, warranted exactly 
 their own size and figure, or no pay required. 
 More than a thousand ladies now using our 
 celebrated Papier-mache Hodels with 
 great satisfaction, saving the serious fatigue 
 of standing for dress-fitting. With our hne 
 models dressmaking is made a pleasure. 
 Scores of letters from prominent ladies attest 
 this. Dressmakers find it profitable to supply 
 their help with our models. 
 
 Every Lady knows how indispensable in 
 the household is a “ dress form,’" especially 
 one like the “new departure” of Ufford's 
 ’97“8 (patented), that makes instantly ten or 
 more changes, adapting itself to the different 
 sizes, etc., of the family. Never before has 
 anything like it been seen. Overcoming all 
 the serious objections and defects in all pre- 
 vious “extension forms.” Presenting a 
 smooth surface front and back. No open 
 seam in the centre, besides opening symmet- 
 rically in its four sections, thus preserving 
 the natural form so essential. -A. prominent 
 lady, writing to the firm, says: “They are 
 lovely.’’ Another writes : “ She is delighted 
 with hers.” There is not room to properly 
 describe them here. Please send for illus- 
 trated circular to S. N. Ufford & Son, 12 
 West Street, headquarters for evert- descrip- 
 tion of forms. Ladies’ forms to order. Diffi- 
 cult cases solicited. — Dorchester Beacon. 
 
 DELIGHTFUL EXCURSION 
 
 TRIP TO 
 
 PROVINCETOWN. 
 
 The popular Family Excursion 
 
 Steamer “Longfellow,” 
 
 Capt. John Smith, 
 
 Will leave Commercial Wharf (North 
 Pier) daily at 9 a.m., Sundays 9 30 a.m. 
 (weather permitting), for a delightful 
 excursion trip to Provincetown, arriv- 
 ing about 1 P.M., giving pa.ssengers go- 
 ing up the Cape ample time to take the 
 afternoon train up. Leaves PROV- 
 INCETOWN at 2.30 p.m., arrives at 
 Boston about 6.30 p.m. 
 
 Excursion tickets $1.00. Stop-over 
 tickets, good until September 15, $1 50. 
 
 Dinners and refreshments served on 
 board, NO LIQUORS. 
 
 ATWOOD & RICH. Agents, 
 
 83 Commercial Wharf. 
 
 Special Rates for Parties. 
 
 / 
 
DATE DUE 
 
 Philadi 
 Oyster 
 and Ml 
 
 1 1 Kneels 
 
 next to Cobb, 
 
 Market an 
 floor. 
 
 Winthr 
 
 Ne 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 — 
 
 
 
 
 JAN '9 lai 
 
 ^3 
 
 , 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 MAY 28 
 
 1993 
 
 
 
 S 
 
 
 
 
 H 21 
 
 \S95 
 
 
 
 a 
 
 
 
 
 r. ruTf \ 9 
 
 1395 
 
 
 
 > : 1 
 
 9 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 GAYLORD 
 
 
 
 1 TRINTED IN US. A. 
 
 nNE 
 
 lerv 
 
 ook 
 
 1 be 
 “aps 
 
 ad, 
 
 ner 
 
 vv LCCl OLCclillCl 
 
 liy V I ■ ^Krijf 
 
 From BOSTON to PLYMOUTH Daily. 
 
 . . . Leaving Winthrop Line Wharf, No. 478 
 Atlantic Avenue, Boston (weather permitting), 
 at 10 A.M. Return, leave Plymouth at 3.30 p.m. 
 
 Round Trip, $1.00. Single Fare, 75c. 
 Children, Half Fare. 
 
 E XCELLENT CAFE ON BOARD. 
 
 Music by JORDAN’S NATIONAL CADET BAND. 
 
 For fuller particulars and special rates for large parties, societies, etc., apply to 
 
 J. R. BACON, General flanager. 
 
^UINIIN<llO^ AVENUE, BOSTON. 
 
 . Greatest Amusement Park in the State . 
 
 
ta 
 
 
 Ltzoo^ 
 
 BAXTER, S. 
 
 Boston park guide 
 including the municipal,. 
 
 SB 
 
 • B73 
 B3ii 
 1898 
 
 ELIZABETH 0 ORAT 
 8 CHAPEL '“O 
 %4NV£K3 «A ■ 
 
 SB 
 
 U63 
 
 .B73 
 
 B3li 
 
 1898 
 
 BAXTER. 
 
 Bapst Library 
 
 Boston College 
 Chestnut Hill, Mass. 02167 
 
When 
 
 In 
 
 Doubt 
 
 Buy 
 
 Of 
 
 Osgood 
 
 Boston’s Popular Small Profit 
 Home Furnisher