On Sunday afternoon, I’ll be leading a free Historic Newton Walking Tour of a curious corner of the city, and you’re all invited too.
In 1889 it was described this way: “Riverside is a charmingly picturesque point, where the Auburndale plateau bends away to let the Charles River sweep by, with the broad emerald meadows of Weston and the craggy heights of the legendary Norumbega beyond. Here the river is narrow and still, flowing between high grassy banks, among cool and shadowy thickets and groves, where the young people, in their pretty boats, enjoy the charms of solitude a deux. – Kings Handbook of Newton 1889
Today, there’s still beauty and nature to be found there but it has become an island surrounded by 20th century infrastructure – highways, interchanges, aqueducts and railroads.
Come join us at 2 PM on Sunday (june 14) afternoon across from 107 Charles St in Auburndale. We’ll take a leisurely mile long loop walk over a portion of the proposed Riverside Pathway, talk about the history of the area and see what there is to see.
Jerry, can this meeting place be accessed from Auburn St?
I can’t make it because of commitments at Highlands Village Day; but I toured this area with Jerry and Jonathan Yeo a year ago January and it is well worth doing. It’s one of those secluded areas I really didn’t know existed when I grew up here. It is well worth doing, particularly if you stop by our Village Day before you hit Auburndale. Village Day gets into high gear about noon.
@Colleen – Yes. Auburn St to Charles St. I hope you can make it
Emily Norton is having a fund raiser at exactly the same time. I am trying to figure out how to do both.
Wow! Almost forgot. Thanks for the reminder.
@Steve Morris – great, see you there
Here’s a bikeable route* from the Highlands festival to today’s Riverside walk. It’s 3.8 miles, about 28 minutes according to google maps: https://goo.gl/maps/tI3fy
*Chestnut Street and Washington St crossings require extra caution.
Nathan, thanks.
@Nathan Phillips – I just may give that a try. Thanks
Great crowd (65 folks), great weather and a few V14 regulars in attendance. Colleen it was good to meet you in person. I also got a kick out of a stranger saying hello at the Highlands Village Day and learning it was blueprintbill.
The one very dramatic moment of the day was when we came across a small downed sapling across the trail. A few of us tried to pick it up and clear the path. The branch I was pulling on snapped, and I tumbled backwards, head over heels down the side of the hill and miraculously came up unscathed. Dumb luck rules!
A couple of photos.
https://www.facebook.com/zencuke/posts/10152915705132066