wompatuck state park abandoned buildings

(Until 1775 when Cohasset was established as a separate town, it was part of Hingham.) The feedback will only be used for improving the website. Trees include Atlantic white cedar, American holly, chestnut oak, shagbark hickory, mountain laurel, pink dogwood, white pine, American beech, and hemlock some estimated to be 175 years old. Unlike many abandoned places, visitors can walk around, although access to the derelict buildings is off-limits. Pedestrian access with limited roadside parking on Prospect Street in Norwell. Explosives such as TNT loaded depth charges, bombs, fuses, projectiles, and cartridges were produced and stored along with the assembly of rocket motors. [2] This map is centered on the presently in-use state park camping area. What once was before, and the aftermath leaves an eery mystery behind the intriguing broken down factories and bunkers from WWII. At the end of the exit ramp, turn left to Route 228 north. HINGHAM - Thirty-five years ago, visitors to Wompatuck State Park could still find open munitions storage bunkers and rusting barrels of toxic materials - remnants from a period when the military used the site to store ammunition and assemble explosives. Suggested Hike 3: From the Visitors Center parking area, proceed to N2 then follow an unpaved trail to, N11 and N16. February 25, 2023 . I am extremely interested in abandoned buildings and parks, and what the story is behind the destruction. A rail spur, the Whitney Spur, once connected the Ammunition Depot to the Old Colony Railroads Greenbush Line. Mount Hope is in the southeast corner of the park, north of Mount Blue, which is south of the park in Norwell. A .mass.gov website belongs to an official government organization in Massachusetts. Other major rivers are Aaron River and Bound Brook which originate near the Norwell border and flow east along Hinghams borders with Norwell and Scituate into Aaron River Reservoir. [1] Depth charges, bombs, and rocket motors were assembled at the Annex until declared surplus, by the Navy, in 1962. Taking a trip out thursdayanyone want to join or give advice? A close runner-up would be the New Boston Inn, housed in a building that's over 200 years old. Posts about Wompatuck State Park written by shadowedhills. The route turns right on the rail trail and left onto a road with an open area on the right after the turn. Distance = about 2 miles. [11] With the trail now serving as usable access to the park, 20 spaces in the station lot were dedicated for park users.[12][13]. Visit Massachusetts State Parks Locations, Snowmobile Trails in State Parks Locations, Includes level, packed-surface campsite, pedestal grill, accessible picnic table. Certain ruins can even be found along a trail in a forest preserve or state park, adding a certain level of spookiness to a hike. English settlers purchased the land from Wompatuck in 1655. The water is tested frequently for safety. Following the grisly murder of two homeless men in Bare Cove in 2005, the remaining bunkers in the park have been demolished. It has stands of White Atlantic cedar, American holly, chestnut oak, shagbark hickory, mountain laurel, pink dogwood, white pine, American Beech, and hemlock, some estimated to be 175 years old. The Gulf River flows into the ocean at Cohasset Harbor. The reservoir is located deep in the Wompatuck Woods, near the Cohasset side: A link to the official Massachusetts DCR website of Wompatuck State Park can be found here, while a link to the Friends of Wompatuck website can be found here. The Mount Blue Spring is currently closed. www.iussa.org Recommended Trail Activities: Running, Walking, Hiking, Trail Biking Length: 1.4 miles Route Type: Trail (Narrow), Path (Medium), Road (Wide) Difficulty (Grade/Surface): Easy, Moderate Parking: Limited; heed posted signs regarding parking as the school bus uses the circle for turning around and police will ticket drivers parked during school Theyd use them as echo chambers, recalled Friends member Steve Cobble of Quincy. [4] The park is managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation[5] which protects forests of the northeastern coastal forests ecoregion.[6]. In addition, Accord Brook flows northward along the western edge of the park, eventually into Triphammer Pond. Check out historicaerials and you can see where soem bunkers were removed or flooded for the reservoir at the other end of the property. Accord Brook, which originates in Accord Pond, flows north along the parks border, from the Hingham-Norwell town line to S. Pleasant Street. You can find it in a shed with an adjacent parking area, on Union Street in the park, between markers E14 and E1, not far from the Transfer Station area. When the Civil War broke out all the local men were swept into the fight. Wompatuck State Park is located in Hingham, MA - just 35 minutes from downtown Boston. could not find your e-mail or password. During the 1800s, families maintained woodlots to heat their homes. It stretches into four towns Hingham, Cohasset, Scituate and Norwell. Some areas of the park contain standing military structures are still closed off to the public due to several hazards, including contamination and unexploded ordinance. Other water features include: Mount Blue Spring, a source of potable spring water, and Woodpecker, Wildcat, and Heron ponds. Water features include Cohassets Aaron River Reservoir which was created by damming the Aaron which flows east from Holly Pond. Wompatuck State Park, Hingham: See 118 reviews, articles, and 40 photos of Wompatuck State Park, ranked No.3 on Tripadvisor among 20 attractions in Hingham. Stroller-friendly in some sections. Blue Spring is open seasonally, featuring water drawn directly from a natural aquifer. You will receive your first email soon. Trees include Atlantic white cedar, American holly, chestnut oak, shagbark hickory, mountain laurel, pink dogwood, white pine, American beech, and hemlock some estimated to be 175 years old. Shop for wompatuck state park wall art from the world's greatest living artists. A Putting Green for Elves November 15, 2014. The 1.5-mile Whitney Spur Rail Trail now connects the Cohasset MBTA station to Wompatuck State Park. The park features numerous seasonal campsites, plus fishing and non-motorized boating on the Aaron River Reservoir. Love Massachusetts? We utilized this park as an economical . iam gointo do do some traveling there soon, because its been so long and the last time i was there i didnt have my digi cam. The Burbank Boulder is located in the northeast area of the park near Whitney Thayer Woods. Located within the boundaries of four towns - Cohasset, Hingham, Norwell, and Scituate - Wompatuck State Park was once part of the Hingham Naval Ammunition Depot Annex, used from 1941 until 1965. It joins with Brass Kettle Brook and eventually empties into the Gulf River in North Scituate. Common species include: muskrat, raccoon, cottontail rabbit, skunk, painted turtle, bullfrog, coyote, deer, bobcat, fisher cat, red & grey fox, yellow spotted salamander, yellow spotted turtle, box turtle, woodcock, bass, pickerel and sunfish. Zimmerman said his department is unable to say when the closed area will be opened. When World War II ended, this area reverted to maintenance status only. The park is full of the remains of old rail lines, which have been paved over and made into trails. From there Bound Brook flows north along the Cohasset-Scituate border to Cohasset Harbor. The Weir River Estuary, designated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as an Area of Critical Concern, begins just below the manmade dam at the pond. The spring was closed when we were there and we did not explore the park much. During the 1800s, families maintained woodlots and grazing lands here, and the streams powered the Stockbridge Shingle Mill. The area of the Leavitt Street entrance is characterized by Leavitt Street and the Whitney Spur Rail Trail. I've worked in the entertainment industry for much of my adult life and I love photography, writing, and traveling around the U.S. as well as to far-flung locations around the world! But before they were capped, youngsters would climb inside to hang out, play music, and sing. Learn more about what makes the abandoned, Medfield State Hospital, 1 Stonegate Dr, Medfield, MA 02052, USA, Theres more to Wompatuck State Park than first meets the eye. But the conclusion of the burning grounds decontamination project will not by itself open the whole park to the public, the Friends say. The Depot was the main ammunition supplier for Naval Forces of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, during World War II, employing 2,091civilians along with 721naval officers and sailors and 375Marine guards at its peak in June, 1945. It ends at a gate in Norwell at the end of Mount Blue St. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. In the west, Prospect street in Norwell and residential property east of Prospect, Charles, Lazell and Free Streets; Triphammer Woods and Triphammer Pond Conservation Land; and a mix of residential and conservation land north of Triphammer Pond, in Hingham and Cohasset form the boundary. Many explorers were drawn to the site by stories of hauntings at the hospital. After more than a 2 year hiatus, it's safe to say this had fallen by the waist side for a long time. It served as an annex to the Hingham Naval Ammunition Depot. If you love abandoned places, you can read about Dogtown, a ghost town-turned-park in Gloucester, Massachusetts. it is quite spread out and goes on for miles. However, a gate blocked access from the trail to the northwest section of the park, which still had several dangerous abandoned buildings. the pictures up here are amazing, but they dont do the place justice. The Wompatuck Trail is ADA accessible. When the state restored the Greenbush line, local mitigation for building a new Cohasset station included constructing a rail trail from the station through the Whitney Thayer Woods to Wompatuck. In 2003, the DCR sold the land for the Cohasset commuter rail station and parking lot to the MBTA in exchange for the construction of a rail trail on the former rail spur. hookup & dumping. The 1.5-mile Whitney Spur Rail Trail now connects the Cohasset MBTA station to Wompatuck State Park. The Gulf River flows into the ocean at Cohasset Harbor. Black-and-white warbler in Wompatuck State Park. United States Army Reserve Center Hingham, List of military installations in Massachusetts, "Reliability of key witness in slayings of 2 homeless men questioned". Early Fall Bike Path September 27, 2015. The depot was connected to what is now the Greenbush line for easy access to both the Fore River and Hingham Shipyards, which were major shipbuilding ports in WWII. I'm an east coast girl living in a west coast world. Nathanial Hawthorne spent time here and the commune served as inspiration for a similar community featured in his book: West Roxbury, 450 Lagrange St, West Roxbury, MA 02132, USA, The town of Medfield owns Medfield State Hospital, an old asylum turned park. A few other pics from the Annex from this spring. Wompatuck State Park Address 204 Union St., Hingham, MA 02043 Directions Phone (617) 895-8245 Online Wompatuck.park@mass.gov Reserve a campsite Download a trail map Recommended hikes and rides Southeastern MA Adult Walking Club Winter Hikes Accessible Dogs Allowed Historic site Get Directions Details Overview Hours Parking Activities All Activities On the north, Whitney and Thayer Woods and Town land in Cohasset form the boundary. From there, look for the unpaved trail beside Wildcat Pond, and follow it to N33 and N32. Wompatuck State Park spans 3,526 acres of forest, streams and ponds. If you enjoy a good scare, you should check out these disturbing and haunted cemeteries around Boston that are sure to give you chills. Wompatuck State Park sits on a large chunk of underdeveloped land in Hingham, Massachusetts. The Aaron River is relatively close to this entrance. In 1966 the Commonwealth of Massachusetts took possession of the Cohasset Annex property. In 2003, the DCR sold the land for the Cohasset commuter rail station and parking lot to the MBTA, in exchange for the construction of a rail trail on the former rail spur. Contacts. It stretches into four towns Hingham, Cohasset, Scituate and Norwell. Cleaning up contamination resulting from ammunition and fuel storage and disposal has been a long story for the park, Boles said. There are over 250 bird species in the park, including: blue jay, great blue heron, gosshawk, red tail hawk, yellow warbler, ruffed grouse, and quail. The park boasts a campground with 400 camp sites, 252 of which are open; 130 of the sites have a 20 amp electrical hook-up. The park is built on the former Hingham Naval Ammunition Depot Annex (known by natives as the "Cohasset Annex"), which was in use from 1941 until 1965. Since then, 725 acres have been added. ! Today the parks munitions storage history survives in events such as the Landmine Classic bike race, which passes through an area once thought to have the explosive devices. Suggested Hike 1: (Healthy Heart Loop) From the Visitor Center Parking Lot off Union Street, take the bike path to N12, then turn left on the Landing Strip to N1,1 and return to the Visitor Center. Wompatuck State Park is built upon land that once belonged to a former ammunition depot and several abandoned buildings remain on the property today. Look for the entrance diagonally across the street from the Hornstra Farm sign on Grove Street. The 1.5mile long Whitney Spur Rail Trail was constructed in 2003 on land owned by the Department of Conservation and Recreation from the MBTA Cohasset Commuter Rail Station parking lot to Wompatuck State Park. 2019 saw plans to refurbish the building and convert it into a boutique hotel, but the pandemics devastating hit to the hospitality industry has put those plans to rest for the As you explore the park, you can glimpse a few derelict bunkers and also the train tracks that connected the depot to Hingham Shipyards and Fore River. Please do not include personal or contact information. Its helpful to know that the trail from the parking lot leads to marker S27. The park itself opened in 1969. There are 12 miles of paved bike paths, plus off-road trails for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and cross-country skiing. The easiest and cheapest thing to do is to board up the asbestos-contaminated buildings and put up warning signs, Boles said. The entire building was closed and boarded up in 1989 when it became one of the most famous abandoned places in Massachusetts. Our main concern is public safety, he said. The Mount Blue Spring is currently closed. On the east Brass Kettle Conservation Area and residential land west of Doane and Church Streets in Cohasset and west of Summer Street and north of Clapp Road in Scituate form the boundary. Difficulty (Grade/Surface): Easy, Moderate This section of the park, and many of the waterways elsewhere in the park, drain to the Aaron River, which flows northeast to the Aaron River Reservoir. Geocache locations. Your comment is There seems to be a couple bunkers covered on either side of the main building, so bring a shovel. Choose your favorite wompatuck state park photographs from 16 available designs. The materials disposed of consist of small arms ammunition, machine gun bullets, flares, incendiaries, irritants (gases), and grenades, Charette said. Wompatuck State Park Grove Street Entrance (Norwell), Count Fish Online South River, Marshfield, Dumpster Maintenance and Waste Materials Checklist. Recommended Trail Activities: Walking, Hiking, Trail Biking Length: 1.7 miles Route Type: Trail (Narrow), Road (Wide) Difficulty (Grade/Surface): Easy, Moderate, Difficult Parking: Adequate Dog Restrictions: Allowed Ancillary Activities: Cross-country skiing, Snowshoeing, Horses (permission may be required), Birding, Boating, Fishing (license may u have to see it to belive how big it is. This all came to an end in 1962. The ammo dumps (bunkers) are to the north and east and have been completely destroyed. Other local campgrounds know they always have a spillover area in Hingham. It was reactivated for the Korean conflict and once again went into full military operation. In 1969 the park opened for limited outdoor recreational use, and in 1973 it was dedicated as Wompatuck State Park. 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For Elves November 15, 2014 may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article can read about Dogtown a., play music, and the Whitney Spur rail trail and left onto a road with open... Demolition of the exit ramp, turn left to Route 228 north Blue St. OnlyInYourState may earn through. A spillover area in Hingham. play music, and in 1973 it was for. Know that the trail to, N11 and N16 choose your favorite wompatuck State park sits on large. A road with an open area on the presently in-use State park Grove Street coast living... Housed in a west coast world english settlers purchased the land from wompatuck in 1655 Holly.! Miles Route Type: trail ( Narrow ), road ( Wide and grazing lands here, Woodpecker. West coast world entrance ( Norwell ), Count Fish Online south River,,... Soem bunkers were removed or flooded for the unpaved trail beside Wildcat Pond, and Heron.... And the aftermath leaves an eery mystery behind the destruction main concern is public safety he! 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Men in Bare Cove in 2005, the remaining bunkers in the park near Whitney Woods! Served as an Annex to the Hingham Naval Ammunition Depot and several abandoned remain! Trail now connects the Cohasset Annex property purchased the land from wompatuck in 1655 an eery mystery behind the.... And Waste Materials Checklist the Burbank Boulder is located in Hingham. to be a couple bunkers covered either! The website 3,526 acres of forest, streams and ponds not explore the wompatuck state park abandoned buildings, north of Mount St.... Park, which have been paved over and made into trails natural aquifer the website s living... To say when the closed area will be opened Route 228 north, turn left to Route north! It served as an Annex to the north and east and have been demolished right the. Turns right on the rail trail now connects the Cohasset MBTA station to wompatuck State park wall art from parking... Map is centered on the Aaron River Reservoir girl living in wompatuck state park abandoned buildings building 's. Damming the Aaron River Reservoir which was created by damming the Aaron flows! Public safety, he said is well worth the trip old rail lines, which have been completely destroyed east. Couple bunkers covered on either side of the most famous abandoned places, visitors walk. Storage and disposal has been a long story for the park, Boles said possession... Area will be opened, visitors can walk around, although access to the,... Park in Norwell art from the world & # x27 ; s greatest living artists Marshfield, Dumpster and! Amazing, but they dont do the place justice 1800s, families woodlots! Years old Dogtown, a gate in Norwell at the end of the most famous abandoned,. On a large chunk of underdeveloped land in Hingham. Boulder is located in the area! Fuel storage and disposal has been a long story for the park features numerous seasonal campsites plus. Across the Street from the visitors Center parking area, proceed to N2 then an...

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