#swforester

A visit to Goshen Center Cemetery, late in February. Though I love to photograph cemeteries and old burial grounds in the winter I wasn't ready for how deep the snow was. The top photo is the entrance but it's actually covered in a deep snow drift. Not only that but there's a layer of ice on top so you think you're walking ok until you break through. I ended up finding a place where the road was close to the stone wall then climbing over that way to gain access. I know, obsessed right? It was worth it for some beautiful pics. But so difficult. By the time I made it back to my car I was exhausted. But happy.

Wow that's incredible. I'd love to see some pictures of that place. You know, Granville MA is one of my favorite places to visit. There's like 4 cemeteries in that town, two that are very old. And RT 57 is a beautiful ride through the small towns and countryside of the western hills. An old burial ground that's located on one of the steepest hills is where I first started to take pictures of old graves back in 2016. Just recently, like a week ago I took another ride out that way and took another round of photos. I really enjoyed my visit. Thanks for reaching out that's a fascinating story I never knew about. Hope you are doing well-

A road trip to historic Fall River Massachusetts. Fall River was the English name of the Pokanoket Wampanoug tribe’s name, “Quechquechan River” which loosely translated as “leaping/falling waters.” Though it was incorporated as a town in 1803, the Plymouth Colonists had started an earlier version back in 1653 that was called Freetown. Two of its biggest families were the Durfee’s (with a Revolutionary War hero, Capt. Joseph Durfee in the family,) and the Borden’s (Thomas Borden owned a sawmill and gristmill, later burned down by British forces in 1778.) In later years, the town suffered a horrible fire in 1843, losing 291 buildings and leaving 200 families homeless. The population was 8000 at the time. 

And then of course there’s the lurid tale of Lizzie Andrew Borden and the brutal axe murders that killed her stepmother, Abby Durfee Gray and her father Andrew Jackson Borden on the morning of August 4th 1892. If you visit the Historical Society, (top photo), you can actually see the axe head that “may” have been used in the murders. But more on that later.

top photo: The Historical Society in a Federalist style house

2: the Lizzie Borden House

3: street art

4: North Burial Ground

5: another Victorian house, found in the historic district

6: an imposing stone church, also found in the historic district

7: “Welcome to the historic Lizzie Borden House, one of the top 10 haunted places in America”

8: the Borden monument, located at Oak Grove Cemetery

9: the old burial vault at Oak Grove Cemetery, This cemetery was the final resting place of Lizzie Borden.

A walk up the ridge trail leads you to the top of Chandler Hill and the place where the first meeting house in Colrain once stood. It was surrounded by a stone wall. As seen in the 2nd and 3rd photos, some parts of this very old wall have taken a beating from the elements and forest. Bottom photo is a historical marker that tells you the meeting house was erected in 1750. After this I was back on the road, heading north again on route 112. Eventually I would reach Vermont. The further north I traveled, the colder it got until it actually started to snow lightly. And there was a light coating of snow everywhere. I had 5 more cemeteries to visit though none of them would live up to the first two I saw, Hill Cemetery and Chandler Hill Cemetery. But really, all cemeteries have their own unique and special charm.

A trip to Palisado Cemetery on an overcast day. Perfect conditions to take pictures in my book. Much beautiful funerary art and some very old gravestones can be found here, some that date back to the late 1600s. This is one of my favorite graveyards. I had a rough day on Thursday so to get away from it all I decided to visit a couple of local burial grounds. I’m glad I did.

So I took a road trip yesterday. It was a recreation of a trip I took back in 2016 with my best friend George who sadly passed away a couple of years ago.  North on RT 32A from Ware MA, through the towns of Hardwick and Petersham,  all old New England towns located to the east of what used to be the Swift River Valley but disappeared after the construction of Quabbin Reservoir along with all the towns in the valley; Enfield, Prescott, Dana and Greenwich. After Petersham take 122 north to 202 south. From there you can explore some more old towns such as New Salem with it’s historic town center and Orange. Hardwick, Petersham and New Salem are all have beautiful old burial grounds. So much history can be found on this trip along with some of the most scenic roads you can drive in the state of Massachusetts. There are also many excellent places to hike in Quabbin Reservoir. This trip basically takes you up and over the top of Quabbin and then south, down the western side of it. I saw some incredible sights which I am in the process of sharing with you. And though I was sad with the memory of my departed friend, I know he was with me in spirit. 2/7/20    PS it was about 106 miles. 

plate 1: the town burial ground Hardwick

plate 2: the city cemetery Hardwick

plate 3: RT 32A Hardwick

plate 4: the town burial ground Petersham

plate 5: the town center New Salem

Well sadly another October has passed. I miss it already. I’m sure I’m not alone in thinking of both this month and Autumn as the most beautiful time of the year. Today I’m posting a photo shoot I did on October 30th during a road trip I did along Rt 20 Massachusetts, through the towns of Charlton, Sturbridge and Palmer. Thanks to all of my followers out there who love funerary art, graveyards and melancholy landscapes as much as I do. And really, if ever you have a thought or question don’t be afraid to send me a message! I’d love to hear from you. Take care and I hope everyone is doing well.

SWForester 11/2/19

Above: The old town burial ground on a very dark day.