The Friends of Hemlock Gorge need help in finding old family photographs and other documents detailing specific forms of wildlife and vegetation that were found in and around the Reservation as far back as 75 to 150 years ago. We hope to compare these past findings with what’s found in the reservation now, and transpose the differences onto annotated photos and sketches for display within the Reservation.
I was born in Newton and hiked around Hemlock Gorge from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s. We’ve seen dramatic changes including the blighting of the Hemlocks, the onslaught of invasive species, and the massive reintroduction of native wildlife that we almost never saw as kids. This may only scratch the surface of what’s changed in the Gorge.
I first saw the possibility of doing something like this while attending events in Concord to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Thoreau’s birth. The highlight for me was a remarkable display at the Concord Museum that compared Thoreau’s meticulous descriptions of the area’s natural environment with what’s there now. We are hoping that a simplified variation might be feasible for Hemlock Gorge and perhaps other natural areas as well.
We’re searching the State Archives and the historical societies of Newton, Needham and Wellesley. Vital findings, however may actually be hidden in old family photographs and descriptive plant and wildlife inventories by volunteer groups. The key is to find these scattered resources and that is what prompts this initial note.
We’d be most grateful if you could let us know if you possess this information or know where it might be located. My email is [email protected].
Bob Burke,
A Friend of Hemlock Gorge for 75 years.
