How well do you know your way around the dozens of unique — odd or charming — objects to be found here and there in Newton? For each of the next several weeks, we’ll show you photos of five objects in Newton that are rather unique, rather permanent, and visible from public property.
For each object:
- The first person to write in the comments below the correct (and sufficiently precise) location of the object will win one point per object identified.
- Separately, the first person to take a photo of the object and email it to [email protected] will win two points per object.
At the end of the summer, whoever has the most points will win a $50 gift certificate for the Newton restaurant of the winner’s choice.
Here’s this week’s set of photos. Click on each for a closer look.
1. Mileage Marker …from 1810!
2. Until Security Returns
3. Red and Green
4. Tunnel
5. Pitcher
I love this Bruce! I know two of these five right off the bat but I’m going to hang back a bit for now.
#1 is along Boylston Street, near Hartford Street.
#4 is in Auburndale, going under the Amtrak/Commuter tracks. Once led to original Riverside Station. Been closed for a while, I believe.
@Dave Brigham: Correct on both.
#1: Just a few years ago, the mileage marker said “To Boston Line 7 M”, but the “7” has eroded.
#4: The tunnel remains blocked off, but a camera can peer through the chain-link fence. Quite a display of graffiti art there.
#5 is in a private yard off Cabot Street not far from West Side Pkwy. I forget whether it’s Sandy Koufax, who is the starting lefthander.
@David Wallace: Correct. The sculpture of LA Dodger Sandy Koufax is on the lawn of the sculptor who created it, Bob Gaynor. Gaynor admires Koufax because Koufax placed his faith before his career (declining to pitch a World Series game on Yom Kippur). The TAB’s Julie Cohen has the story.
@Bruce Henderson – yes, the graffiti is amazing. I was beyond excited when I stumbled across that tunnel years ago. Walked through, explored the woods beyond and took tons of photos, including of the foundation for the old station.
#3 is where the Upper Falls Greenway crosses Oak Street, next to the Depot Coffee Shoppe.
@Michael: Correct. #3 is a railroad switch target, a remnant of the railroad that ran along the track of the current Upper Falls Greenway. It indicates to train operators the position of the switch to which it’s attached. This one is of the style of the New Haven Railroad, which owned the track there. It’s not clear that there was ever a switch near this part of the track, though.
I believe that the mileage marker on Route 9 spelled out the distances to Boston and to Worcester. This always fascinated me as a kid and I remember being upset at how much it had deteriorated when I returned from the Navy in 1965. I tried to determine if something could be done to move it to a safe location, but there was a prevailing belief then that things like this marker should just be allowed to deteriorate naturally. Too bad. Very few people even see it when they pass the spot; but wouldn’t it have made a grand display at the Newton History Museum?
@Bob, here’s more info about the mileage marker, from a Newton pamphlet called Discover Historic Newton Highlands:
“This slate milestone, dated 1810, marks the 7th mile from Boston and is the sole remnant of the small community of homes, taverns, and shops that were sited along the Worcester Turnpike. A tollkeeper’s booth and gate were erected adjacent to a marsh and quicksand below Woodward Street, making it difficult for travelers to “shunpike” (avoid the toll), a much practiced habit. The turnpike, originally privately owned, proved unprofitable for its investors, and in 1833 it was made into a public highway. This milestone originally stood on the south side of the road, but was moved to its present site at the end of Hartford Street during a turn-of-the-century widening of Boylston Street.”
RE: #4. This tunnel is called the Riverside Depot Tunnel. Its renovation is part of the creation/restoration of a network of trails and green spaces along the Charles River funded by state, local, and private sources. You can see it marked “L” on this map by the Riverside Greenway Working Group, and it’s discussed at timemark 53:20 in the “Creating Greenways Along the Charles River” presentation (1/24/2019). Its renovation is slated to be funded by Mark Development.
@Bruce, I appreciate the details on the tunnel because I was straining my eyes trying to read the map in this great V14 post from six years ago but there’s evidently been some link rot since the most recent V14 update, and old thumbnails like that one seem to have become dangling pointers.
Google street view offers a peek of the northern end of the tunnel and the satellite view shows the stairwell at the southern portal, along with some faint indication of where the trail starts at the top of the stairs.
Is that trail leading along the east bank of the river (from the tunnel staircase down to Riverside station) currently accessible, either via the old railroad bridges over 128 or via the Pony Truss Bridge? I thought DCR was going to reconstruct at least one of the bridges over the river (Pony Truss Bridge and/or Lasell Boathouse Bridge) but I can’t understand if either of them are now open or not.
That’s a really fascinating corner of the city and I hope a coherent trail network can finally be put together. Thanks for posting the intriguing picture!
BTW – Here is the wonderful story behind #3 Red and Green