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Newton Park and Conservation Lands
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21
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Hemlock Gorge Reservation |
LOCATION: Newton Upper Falls and Needham
Location
and driving directions on Google Maps for entrances at:
Ellis Street Hamilton Place (Needham)
Newton Conservators trail map (Buy a copy of our trail guide)
Other maps and aerial
photos: Newton Assessor Bing USGS
Nearby: Sudbury Aqueduct
SIZE: 23 acres
LONGEST WALK : 0.8 miles (a longer walk that passes near this park) (more)
ACQUIRED: 1895
ADMINISTERED BY:
Hemlock Gorge: DCR
Echo Bridge: Massachusetts Water Resources Authority
FEATURES: A
National Historic Landmark, the handsome stone bridge contains the
Sudbury Aqueduct, with a pedestrian walk on top. Visitors standing
under the arch can make a fine echo and view the deep river gorge,
waterfall, and steep hemlock-covered banks. Spectacular views atop
the bridge.
HISTORY:
| 1600s |
English settlers
knew the Ponkapoag Indians built a fish weir here to trap fish
in the weir's branches, catch fish from canoes, and smoke the
fish on the river banks. |
| 1700s |
Grist mill, saw
mill, fulling mill, snuff mills, and wire mill were built nearby. |
| 1877 |
Echo Bridge built
by Boston Water Works as the second largest masonry arch in
the U. S. |
| 1895 |
Acquired by Metropolitan District Commission (MDC)
for Metropolitan Park System, one of its first purchases. |
| 1984 |
MDC water system, including Echo Bridge, taken over by newly created Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA). |
| 2006 |
Echo Bridge was briefly closed to pedestrians due to concern about safety of the railings. The bridge was soon reopened after temporary fencing was installed. The MWRA and city officials are seeking funding for permanent repairs. |
| 2012 |
DCR rebuilds dike and spillway (photos) |
 ADVOCATES & CARETAKERS:
Friends
of Hemlock Gorge
1094 Chestnut Street
Newton Upper Falls, MA 02464
Friends@HemlockGorge.org
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Walks and Park Information
DCR website
An AMC book, More Nature Walks in Eastern Massachusetts, describes an easy 1-mile walk in Hemlock Gorge.
Another AMC book, WalkBoston, describes a 3-mile walk that includes Hemlock Gorge and Newton Upper Falls. See a map of this walk.
The park is described in the book, Walks in Wellesley.
On the Charles.com (kayaking and canoeing information)
A Walking Tour of Hemlock Gorge, by Kenneth W. Newcomb
KMZ file for use in Google Earth and GPS devices
 History
"Then and now" photos
Old postcards from the Newton History Museum
Discover Historic Newton Upper Falls brochure
Kenneth W. Newcomb's neighborhood history has a chapter that discusses Echo Bridge and Hemlock Gorge.
Photos
Photo gallery
Photos on Flickr ... and more photos ... and more ... more ... and still more
General
Preserving Echo Bridge (President's message)
"Echo Bridge" (a poem by Francis J. Ryan)
A book of poetry, Echoes
in Hemlock Gorge, uses this park as a theme.
A new echo platform was opened in 2004 at the base of Echo Bridge. (more)
Boston Globe article on Echo Bridge
 Wikipedia entries:
Hemlock Gorge
Echo Bridge
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