Some people just take a walk

While my brain doesn't always turn on or off at the times I want or need it to, it's been in an "on" mode the last few times I hiked at Flat Rock. Specifically, I've been noticing specific areas where beech predominate, or where small dense hemlock groves darken the ground. In other places, craggy rock from the size of breadboxes on up to the size of washing machines, all weighing more than any person would care to deal with, seem to have naturally collected in patches. Stone walls divide the landscape, sometimes at bizarre angles to each other. So, I've been asking myself "why," and trying to develop the ability to come up with some answers.

I've been reading a great book, "Reading the Forested Landscape," by Tom Wessels. While the Fitchburg Public Library doesn't carry it, it's available (despite cutbacks) through an interlibrary loan (once I return it). Wessels hasn't answered all of my questions, but has at least provided a framework around which to interpret what I've been seeing.

So far I've learned that most stone walls in New England were built not as property line markers, but as a means to contain livestock, and specifically sheep. Most walls were built between 1810 and 1840 when a sheep craze hit New England. While Wessels says that stone walls needed to be at least 4 feet high to contain livestock, he also notes that often brush would be piled on top to supplement the height achieved by the stone. (He notes that walls along a cultivated area often contain smaller, fist-sized rock that were forced up by frost in winter months, and removed by farmers to nearby walls.) It makes me think of some large areas enclosed by stone walls, and also some smaller clear livestock pen areas that I've seen.

There are so many clues and indicators as to past land use, and why certain species or mixes of species grow in certain areas, that it's hard to summarize in a brief blog entry, but I'm hoping to be able to take some more educated guesses about some specific areas of Flat Rock and surrounding lands over the next few months. I'll post them as I do.

So, right now we have a number of areas on our radar screen for future blogs:
-more about Girl Scout Camp Wakitatina
-a livestock pen off the Overlook Trail
-various concentrations of trees along the Pipeline Path
-an apparent good-size piece of walled-in land off Flat Rock Road, and
-the unique habitat and vegetation of the high, rocky point of Flat Rock Road, what some refer to as "The Bald."

A little bit of Flat Rock history.

First the map

This map is dated 1870. You may notice that Overlook reservoir is not on the map. It was just in the beginning phases of being built when this map was created

Overlook was the first, built by Alvah Crocker a major landowner in Fitchburg. This was before
Fitchburg had it's own water dept.

It is interesting to note that Fitchburg had two different types of water lines a high pressure line
and a low pressure line. Overlook provide the high pressure and a smaller reservoir near by that is now filled in nearby provided the low pressure.

The excerpt below is from a book written by John Warner Barber entitled "Historical Collections Relating to the History and Antiquities of Every town in Massachusetts with Geographical Descriptions" Published by Warren Lazell in 1848.

It mentions Flat rock road as "Flat Rock" as well as Scott road. Please note that this book is in the public domain. Also please not that "Dorchester Canada" Is now known as the town of Ashburnham

This road, probably, passed the village oi Fitchburg, nearly in the same place with the present travelled way. It then wound up the hill, by Enoch Caldwell’s, over flat rock, through the land lately owned by Sylvanus Lapham, and thence to what was then Lunenburg west line, and into Dorchester Canada. John Scott had been for a long time desirous of a more direct route to the center of Lunenburg; but the town would not accede to his wishes. He accordingly procured a court’s committee, who laid the present Scott road, “to the great satisfaction of Mr. John Scott," as the records say. This road passed from the middle of Lunenburg by the log house where John Battles, Jr., now lives; then by Ebenezer Bridge's, where Deacon Jaquitt now resides, and then by Scott's own house, and so on to the road before mentioned. This Scott road was for some years quite a celebrated thoroughfare, and used to be called Crown Point road.


My thanks to Andy for his wealth of knowledge concerning Overlook Reservoir.

Camp Wakitatina

If you have ever taken the Loop Trail around Overlook Reservoir you may have noticed a piece of asphalt located beyond the earthen dam as you enter the woods.

Being a bit curious I asked around and found out that there was once a Girl Scout Camp located there. Due to vandalism it was torn down around 1981. Below are some photo's of the camp.

Our thanks to Beth for the map and pictures.and thanks to Jim and Dennis (and the Reservoir Dogs) for there help in locating the site.

The Map







































































And here is what remains. The "Singing Rock" (although it was quiet while I was there)