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The Friends of

Hemlock Gorge

P.O. Box 62
Waban, MA 02468

Enjoy and Help Preserve Hemlock Gorge!

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Welcome to the Home Page of the Friends of Hemlock Gorge Reservation, a community organization founded in 1990 and dedicated to preserving and improving Hemlock Gorge. Hemlock Gorge is a 23-acre reservation along the Charles River between Route 9 to the north and Elliot Street to the south. It was conceived by Charles Eliot in 1892 and is managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. At its heart is the famous Echo Bridge, which dates from 1886. Parts of the park are in Wellesley, Newton, and Needham. In addition to street parking nearby, there are two small parking lots for visitors, one in Needham at the intersection of Elliot Street and Hamilton Place and the other in Newton at the intersection of Ellis Street and Boylston Street. Hemlock Gorge Reservation survived the influenza epidemic of 1918 and even now, in the midst of the covid-19 pandemic, the park is there, in good shape, and a place you can (for now) take a walk (socially-distanced, of course) to relieve yourself of the tedium of isolation and seclusion. The Friends of Hemlock Gorge is now a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Contributions to the Friends are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Anyone wishing to contribute to the Friends can contact us at friends@hemlockgorge.org. Please consider contributing to The Friends of Hemlock Gorge. A contribution in any amount is appreciated. Suggested annual dues are $15 for individuals, $25 for families, and $100 for angels. Our donations are managed through PayPal and go directly to our bank. To read our Bylaws, click here. To read our Statement of Purpose, click here. Officers for 2020 are: President: John Mordes; Vice-President: Evan Weststrate; Treasurer: Robin Dexter; Secretary: Sheila Purdy. News & Announcements Upcoming Meetings of the Friends Regular Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month at 7:15 in the evening unless otherwise announced. The next regular meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 2, 2020. Due to the covid-19 epidemic this will again be a Zoom virtual meeting. An invitation to join the meeting is sent to all members. If anyone not a member would like an invitation to the meeting, please email us at friends@hemlockgorge.org . Minutes of the May, 2020 Zoom meeting will be available here. To read our 2019 End-of-Year Annual Report to Members, click here. To find links to much more news of our activities, click here. Hemlock Gorge: Past, Present, and Future At our May meeting we were joined by Wellesley College student Lara Prebble who in 2019 wrote this thoughtful analysis of the history, present state, and possible future of Hemlock Gorge Reservation. It was her graduation project. Lara reviewed the history of the park in detail and proposed some improvements that were discussed at the meeting. she and her adviser have graciously allowed us to share it. To read her report, follow this link: A Landscapre Architect's Hemlock Gorge
2020 Spring Cleanup The Friends of Hemlock Gorge’s 30th Annual Spring Cleanup took place despite covid-19 in warm weather under cloudless skies on Saturday, April 25, 2020. The reservation was surprisingly clean, perhaps as a result of people picking up trash regularly and perhaps due to fewer visitors. We don't know exactly how many persons participated because of extreme social distancing but there were quite a few of us at different times of the day. Lee and Jean Fisher, Emily Gelbert and her son Max, Evan Weststrate and his son, Robin Dexter, Bob Ellertsen and John Mordes were among the participants. Evan and his son cleaned the riverbank from his canoe. Jean raked leaves off the west end of Echo Bridge while Lee repainted the two trail markers. Emily also raked the area around the Stone Building and Bob worked on the Route 9 exit. There were many day visitors hiking through the Gorge. There were more than half a dozen bags of trash left for the DCR at the Stone Barn and Hamilton Place by the end of the day. We missed the comeraderie of the canceled luncheon but want to thank everyone who turned out to make this a success. For a photo archive of this and many past clean-ups, click here. Echo Bridge Across the Years and in Music Click here to read the history of Echo Bridge as written by the late historian Ken Newcomb in his online book, Makers of the Mold, published by the Friends of Hemlock Gorge To see stories about Echo Bridge that have appeared on our web site go to: Archive of Echo Bridge news stories. To read a very detailed government report on the Echo Bridge railings, provided to us by Lee Fisher, click here. To hear the bluegrass classic Echo Bridge by FHG member Mark Bridger, click here. Here is Mark's recollection of the recording as recounted in the Upper Falls Newsletter in November, 2019: "More than 30 years ago I wrote a song inspired by living near Echo Bridge. At that time I played mandolin for a local bluegrass band -- with the eponymous name "Echo Bridge" -- that performed for about a dozen years in the Boston Area, especially around Newton." August 6, 2019: Dedication of the Friends' Memorial to Brian Yates and our 2018 Summer Picnic Brian Yates, former Newton City Councilor and the Founder, Past-President, and guiding spirit of the Friends of Hemlock Gorge passed away on March 15, 2019. A granite memorial to Brian has now been placed in Hemlock Gorge close by the Stone Building and the Circular Dam. The dedication took place on the evening of August 6 before our annual summer picnic, which he always hosted. Nearly 60 people attended, including some of his closest friends and colleagues. Rememberances were given by Rep. Ruth Balser, Newton Mayor Fuller, Amy Mah Sangiolo, Bob Burke, and Rena Getz. Vaunita Schnell and Rob MacArthur recounted the history of the saving of the Stone Building from derelection and the long list of accomplishments of the Friends. Finally, three of Brian's cousins attended and spoke. Pictures of the dedication will be posted soon. On August 14 the Newton Tab published an article about the dedication of Brian’s memorial. It’s on the front page of the second section of the printed version. Here is the link to the online version: https://newton.wickedlocal.com/news/20190814/remembering-former-newton-city-councilor-brian-yates Music for the picnic was provided courtesy of Karen Osborn, who also landscaped the Stone Building for the event. Brian loved our picnics. For the archive of past picinics, click here. Rescuing the Stone Building was a key project in the founding of the Friends. To read Brian's History of the Founding of The Friends of Hemlock Gorge, click here The Friends of Hemlock Gorge is now an approved 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Contributions are tax-deductible. Stone Building News: Funding for a new Stone Building Roof roof has been approved. At the dedication of the BrianYates memorial, Representative Ruth Balser announced that the new state budget includes a $50,000 appropriation for restoration of the roof of the Stone Building. The Friends applauded her efforts. At our March meeting, Site Supervisor Erica Aubin reported that the DCR is beginning the preliminary design process and the next day Rep. Ruth Balser announced that she had secured a commitment from DCR to do the work by the end of June.s 2020 Annual Summer Picnic: The Friends of Hemlock Gorge’s Annual Summer Picnic in 2020 hopefully will take place in August at the Stone Building. Echo Bridge Railings Project Echo Bridge is one of outstanding landmarks of the Metropolitan Parks System. Built in 1876, Echo Bridge was designed by the Boston Water Works (BWW) to carry the Sudbury Aqueduct over the Charles River. The largest of its seven arches is 130’ in length, which made it the second longest masonry arch in the United States. The bridge is remarkable for its graceful and handsome granite and brick design that contribute to the rugged beauty of Hemlock Gorge. The historic cast iron railings pictured above are an integral component of the promenade over which pedestrians and bicyclists traverse daily. After 140 years, however, they are now in serious disrepair. In 2008, the MWRA installed a temporary chain link safety fence inside the historic railings to enable the bridge to remain open. The time has come to either raise the funds to properly replicate the historic railings or to install a more permanent and attractive safety railing system inside the historic railings while leaving the old railings themselves in disrepair. Everyone prefers the former path if at all possible. While State Rep. Ruth Balser was successful in allocating $250,000 in a past transportation bond bill for the railing project, full costs for the project far exceed that amount. In response to the fact that the MWRA cannot fund historic preservation projects decoupled from its water supply mission, a group of citizens has joined together to help raise funds to fix the historic railings, and we invite your support. For more information, please see the minutes of the February, 2019 meeting, other materials on our website, and our flyer. Funds are being sought from multiple sources via a private/public partnership so that the expense of proper restoration is shared across a variety of stakeholders and contributors. Sources will include State funds, Newton and Needham Community Preservations funds, historic foundations, and private contributors. MWRA, the bridge owner, will be the funding recipient and will provide the engineering, contracting, and project management expertise to conduct the project. Will you join us in a pledge? To pledge in suport of this project go to: EchoBridgeRailings@outlook.com 2019 Annual Report The 2019Annual End-of-Year Report to Members is online. Click here to read it.	Friends' Founding President Brian Yates The Memorial to Founding President Brian Yates The Echo Bridge Railings as they appeared a century ago Echo Bridge in Summer (Click for a larger image) Echo Bridge in Spring, 1997
Feast in the Falls 2021 Seana Gaherin and her volunteer committee successfully arranged the second of her Upper Falls Residents outdoor luncheons on June 23, 2017. The food was delicious and Jerry Reilly entertained us all with grandeloquent rap singing. A grand time was had by all. Another feast is in the planning stage for June 21, 2020 but is hostage for now to covid-19. Links News about us and our activities Meetings and Special Events of the Friends Online Publications Histories of Hemlock Gorge, Upper Falls, and The Friends of Hemlock Gorge Information about the preserving the Reservation The struggle against the woolly adelgid Archives of the Friends' activities The Charles River Wetlands Trail, located downstream of Hemlock Gorge, on the opposite side of Route 9, less than a mile away. The trail features signage that uses QR barcodes that a hiker with a smartphone can use to learn more about the flora and fauna near the sign. Click here if you are interested in exploring these wetlands. Links to external sites A Map of the reservation Directions to the Reservation Sound! Click to hear the Charles as it flowed over the Circular Dam on November 9, 1998. A Walking Tour of Hemlock Gorge by Ken Newcomb is available for printing. A printable trail map for Hemlock Gorge.	The new landscaping at the stone building The new spillway dam.
2013 Adelgid News from Bob Burke Biggest news is that the Arboretum is planning to save some of its hemlocks using new technology. "I met with Peter Del Tredici at the Arnold Arboretum and then went over to see their hemlocks. Peter had good news and bad news. The good news is that there is, indeed, a new hemlock treatment that is good for 5 years. It involves placing a chemical substance in the soil rather than injecting it into the tree.The bad news is that at least 60 percent of a tree should be free of adelgids for this treatment to work. This can be quite expensive. He thinks we should look to saving perhaps half a dozen of the healthiest trees. He also stated that 2011 was very bad for all the hemlocks because of the warm weather. Western hemlocks are more resistant than Eastern ones, but they don't do as well here because of the colder winters and drier summers. He says we need a professional tree company to determine what can be done. He was reluctant to recommend one, but then casually said that Hartney Greymont of Needham is very reputable and one of the best. I had a look at the Hemlocks back in April or May, but have had a very bad ankle tendonitis that makes it difficult to walk up hills or sideways. Maybe we could all go around and take a look at the trees during the cleanup in October. The Hemlocks at Arnold Arboretum are also worth seeing since they have been treated and look fine." Stone Building Windows: Great News Windows are fabricated and have been installed! As soon as the prtective screens are put in front of them, we will be able to see and enjoy them--probably before 2013. Of course, we'll have to have a party to celebrate and thank the Sangiolos for their generous support of this much delayed project. We are now hard at work to find the funds to replace the roof.
The "Memory House" at Hemlock Gorge Friends member Bob Burke not too long ago wrote a lovely guest columnist article about Hemlock Gorge and the Friends' activities that has appeared in the Newton Tab. Highly recommended. Click here to read it.	Echo Bridge in the Fall
Links News about us and our activities Meetings and Special Events of the Friends Online Publications Histories of Hemlock Gorge, Upper Falls, and The Friends of Hemlock Gorge Information about the preserving the Reservation The struggle against the woolly adelgid Archives of the Friends' activities Links to external sites A Map of the reservation Directions to the Reservation Sound! Click to hear the Charles as it flowed over the Circular Dam on November 9, 1998. A Walking Tour of Hemlock Gorge by Ken Newcomb is available for printing. A printable trail map for Hemlock Gorge. News Stories General Reservation News: We have moved older Echo Bridge stories that have appeared on our web site to our Archive of News Stories. This is where you will find news of awards, encroachment, politics and such. For news about key concerns of the Friends like the adelgids, Echo Bridge, and the Stone Building are below. In Waban, there was trouble with the trails along the river. See an opinion article and accompanying blog by Jerry Reilly and a front page news article, both in the Newton Tab. Historic Newton Walks Finding the History in Hemlock Gorge Reservation Sunday, June 22, 2017 2:00 PM This walk took place on a gorgeous day, with about three dozen people in attendance. Everyone agreed that Hemlock Gorge is both a beautiful place to walk and the site of much historical importance as Newton's first industrial center. Old maps and photographs helped the group to visualize the mills that were located on the island and along the Charles River and to appreciate the importance of Worcester Turnpike/Route 9 to the area's commerce. The walk was expertly led by Lucy Caldwell-Stair, with whom the gourp found the site of the 1893 Echo Bridge Park amphitheater and the cave, the "Devil's Den," where Native Americans stored dried fish. Adelgid News Summer 2014 The woolly adelgid has now been in the reservation for some 15 years, and it is unclear how many of the hemlocks will survive. We have moved older adelgid stories that have appeared on our web site to: Archive of adelgid news stories. We have archived the entire saga of the adelgids' appearance, our efforts to pass legislation to combat them, the release of the predator ladybugs in 2001, and follow up analyses in the Friends' Adelgid News Stories Archive. Below are some highlights and links. The Newton Tab declares the Adelgid Vanquished! (2005) Click here to view the story. The Arnold Arboretum's Response to the Adelgid (Winter 2005) Click here to view the story. Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Website (January 2005) The USDA Forest Service now has a website dedicated to the woolly adelgid. The site includes all the of the USDA's newsletters on the pest, pictures, and a great deal of technical information. Interestingly, the Forest Service is looking at several different control insects, not just the P. tsugae ladybugs we released. Click here to go the to US Forest Service adelgid website. Mark McClure, who was a leader in adelgid research and discovered "our" ladybugs, retired. Release of the Ladybugs (2001) Click here for the story and photos of the release of the ladybugs About our Ladybugs (2001) Click here to view the story. About Adelgids (2000) Click here to view the story.
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Stone Building Project News A Stone Building News Archive is available by clicking here June 29, 2011 The new windows for the Stone Building, donated in 2002 and fabricated in 2008, are installed. March 1, 2006 In early January, the Friends of Hemlock Gorge succeeded in our application for a Public-Private Partnership with the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). The Friends earmarked $2500 for a new floor and other repairs to the Stone Building, and that amount will be matched by the DCR. We will post a copy of the correspondence soon. This means that our long hoped for plans to make the Stone Building a great venue for Friends' activities will soon become a reality (February 2006). The new floor will, hopefully, be followed soon by the new windows, for which funds have already been generously donated by the Sangiolo Trust. On February 23, we were notified by the DCR that they are preparing to pour the floor very soon, and that the Friends will be asked for input on design. Echo Bridge News We have moved older Echo Bridge stories that have appeared on our web site to: Archive of Echo Bridge news stories. Click here to read the history of Echo Bridge as written by the late historian Ken Newcomb in his online book, Makers of the Mold, published by the Friends of Hemlock Gorge


Occasional Notes: The Joys of Hemlock Gorge
To the right: the Silk Mill in 1905, before construction of the "Horseshoe" or Circular Dam. Note the lower water level. From a postcard recently found by Bonnie and Rick Pearson. Click for a larger image. The Newton Conservators have a lovely page of photos of Hemlock Gorge. Click here to see them. Richard Kramer has also put up photos of Hemlock Gorge to share with us. Click here to see them.

Four Seasons of Hemlock Gorge Panoramic photos of Hemlock Gorge taken by Steve Clark from the top of Echo Bridge show well the splendor of the Reservation and comprise the Friends' Four Seasons of Hemlock Gorge collection. Panoramas were pretty special back in 2000. Click on the small images below to see the Panoramas full size. Note: If you are using Internet explorer, you need to hover your cursor on the image to see it full size. An icon will appear. Click on it, and the image enlarges.
Spring 2000
Summer 2000
Fall 2000
Winter 2001, taken during the storm of March 5-6
Doug Cornelius posted a lovely account of canoeing through Hemlock Gorge a few years ago with pictures. Click here to see it. Another collection of photos of Hemlock Gorge is at Boston Online: Click here to see them.

Publications of the Friends

Makers of the Mold, a full-length illustrated history of the Newton Upper Falls community which borders Hemlock Gorge, is available only on the Web. Authored by Historian, Conservationist, and Friend Ken Newcomb, who passed away in 2002. Copies of the print edition of The Makers of the Mold can be purchased online and are also available at several local restaurants, convenience stores and cafes. The full list of outlets can be found here.

A Walking Tour of Hemlock Gorge

This work is available only at this Web site.

A Landscapre Architect's Hemlock Gorge

Wellesley College student Lara Prebble wrote this thoughtful analysis of the history, present state, and possible future of Hemlock Gorge Reservation in 2019. It was her graduation project. Lara, soon to be a student in the Harvard Graduate School of Design.

Other Dates and Events of Interest

Annual RUN of the CHARLES Canoe and Kayak Race.
- 6 or 9 Mile Recreational Races
- 19 Mile Racing and Recreational Events
- 24 Mile Relay for Canoe only
- Professional Flatwater 26.2 mile Canoe Marathon
- Visit www.crwa.org or call 800-969-RACE or 508-698-6810 or email crwarotc@aol.com for information

The Friends' Resources and Archives

1. Our most important Resource is People!

What you can do as a Friend of Hemlock Gorge
How to join the Friends

2. History

Ken Newcomb's Walking Tour of Hemlock Gorge
Ken Newcomb's Makers of the Mold, a history of Newton Upper Falls and the Industrial Age of Hemlock Gorge
Brian Yates' A Brief History of the Friends of Hemlock Gorge
Charles Eliot and A Brief History of Hemlock Gorge

3. Contemporary Challenges Facing the Hemlock Gorge Reservation

The Woolly Adelgid, an insect whose advance northward threatens the forest in Hemlock Gorge and elsewhere.
Legislation to combat the adelgid that was passed through our efforts.
Land acquisition at the margins of the Reservation.
The Restoration of the Echo Bridge Railings
Other legislation that has been proposed through our efforts to promote the Restoration
The Restoration of The Friends' Bridge
The construction of Fish Ladders along the Gorge section of the Charles
The walkways projected as part of the Upper Charles River Master Plan
The problem of the downstream lands along Quinobequin Road
The recently passed Rivers Protection Act may have a major impact on Hemlock Gorge and its neighbors

4. Local Governmental, Civic, and Conservation Organizations Online

Government

The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR)
The guardian of Hemlock Gorge
The Newton Conservation Commission
Has authority over the DCR in matters relating to water
Department of Conservation and Recreation Reservations Guide
This is a good site if you know which reservation you want to visit or if you want to see a map and choose a reservation near you.
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
Massachusetts Community Forestry Council (MCFC): www.mcfc.org
The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) brings the Boston Metro area its drinking water and is the guardian of Echo Bridge
Federal agencies for the preservation of natural plants: http://www.nps.gov/plants/

Non-governmental Organizations

LiveNewton.net -- an online community for Newton residents: http://www.livenewton.net/
The Charles River Wetlands Trail, located downstream of Hemlock Gorge, on the opposite side of Route 9, less than a mile away. The trail features signage that uses QR barcodes that a hiker with a smartphone can use to learn more about the flora and fauna near the sign. Click here if you are interested in exploring these wetlands.
The Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA)
The Green Decade Coalition
This is a Newton, MA organization that works to create sustainable solutions to environmental problems facing the city and the world.
The Newton Conservators
A community group focused on conservation of parks and open land in Newton.
Hemlock Gorge borders adjoins the communities of Needham, Wellesley, and Newton.
Friends of the Boston Public Garden
The Friends of the Middlesex Fells Reservation
The Friends of the Fells is an all volunteer organization with a mission to protect and preserve the natural and historic resources of the Middlesex Fells Reservation. In addition, we assist the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) formerly the MDC, in educating the public about the natural, cultural and appropriate recreational features in the Fells.
The Friends of Breakheart Reservation
The Friends of Breakheart Reservation is a volunteer organization dedicated to the preservation and improvement of Breakheart Reservation and Camp Nihan.
The Friends of Lynn Woods
The Friends of Lynn Woods have formed to ensure the perpetual existence of the Lynn Woods Reservation as outlined by the Indentured Trust of December of 1881. Our aim is to protect the Woods from development and exploitation, and maintain the Woods as a natural and unspoiled forest preserve.
Friends of the Blue Hills
The Friends of the Blue Hills work to restore, preserve and protect approximately 8,000 acres of the Historic Blue Hills and Neponset River Reservations. Active volunteer committees work on the preservation of historic, cultural, natural, and recreational resources. The Friends also run a series of outdoor activities and workshops year-round.
The Friends of Walden Pond
The Friends of Walden Pond is a key outreach activity of The Thoreau Society. The Society works with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, which manages the Reservation, to develop and sponsor interpretive programs that connect Walden, the book, to Walden, the place. The Society funds work to protect the spot that continues to inspire people in this new century as it did when it became Thoreau's laboratory, sanctuary and study in the woods.
Charles River Conservancy
The Charles River Conservancy (CRC) is dedicated to the renovation, maintenance and enrichment of the Charles River Basin and its surroundings, particularly its parks, parkways, and bridges. Founded in 1999, the CRC is a nonprofit advocacy group that works to create better understanding of the best uses of the basin through education, public dialogue, and interpretive programs. Promotion of increased access, good planning, and management practices is designed to enhance the architecture landscape, and amenities of the basin.
The Trustees of Reservations
This web site is your window into the diverse work of The Trustees of Reservations, the nation's oldest private, statewide conservation and preservation organization. Since 1891, we have protected over 33,000 acres of land in Massachusetts, including 82 public reservations representing many of the state's most scenic, ecologically rich, and historically important landscapes.
Massachusetts Audubon Society
Massachusetts Audubon Society, the largest conservation organization in New England, works to
preserve the natural world through conservation, education, and environmental advocacy. We protect
more than 29,000 acres of conservation land in Massachusetts, conduct educational programs for nearly 175,000 schoolchildren each year, and advocate for sound environmental policies at the local, state, and federal levels. We maintain 41 wildlife sanctuaries that are open to the public and serve as a land base for our education, conservation and advocacy programs.
The Arnold Arboretum has sponsored talks on the Woolly Adelgid and its plans to combat the adelgid are at http://www.arboretum.harvard.edu/LC/Hemlocks/hemlacti.htm
National Natural Landmarks Program, which we hope may have the gorge designated as a national landmark: http://www.nature.nps.gov/partner/nnlp.htm
NorumbegaPark.com
This website is keeping alive the memory of the Norumbega amusement park, a popular "trolley" park on the Charles River in the Auburndale section of Newton, MA. Norumbega Park opened in 1897 and closed in 1963. The famous "Totem Pole Ballroom" was located here.

Our Archives

All Annual Reports for 1993-present
Minutes of Meetings, back to 1992
Archive of adelgid news stories that have appeared on our web site
Archive of general news stories that have appeared on our web site
Archive of pictures from our Cleanups
Archive of pictures from our Picnics
Financial information: contributions and expenses. This page being updated in 2019
Officers of the Friends past and present
Text of legislation that was proposed in 1999 through our efforts to combat the adelgid.
A Celebration for the Friends' late Historian and Author, Ken Newcomb was held on Thursday, November 19, 1998 to celebrate Internet publication of Makers of the Mold. Click here to see our photo album of that night.

The Friends were honored with a beautification award from the City of Newton in 1997. Click here for the story. Click on the small picture to see a larger image of the award.

You can send e-mail to the Friends or to our Webmaster at . You can contact the DCR Site Supervisor for Hemlock Gorge by writing to Erica Aubin at . Former site supervisor Kevin Hollenbeck () is now an administrator at DCR.
The Friends of Hemlock Gorge Web Site went online on December 2, 1996.