We were touring through the area and had time to kill before dinner at a relatives so we decided to…read moresee what Babson's campus looked like. Overall a decent campus but nothing that interesting until we came across this super cool globe. Wow! I had no idea that this existed and was here - OK I am a bit of a fan of globes. Nerd! And it rotated too. Interesting history is explained on some nearby plaques. A great roadside America type stop. Worth a detour.

I was nearby buying new skates, it was a nice day I didn't want to go to the school when it's in…read moresession so I stopped by for a quick walk. Beautiful campus ground . Not much to say but I always check Yelp to see what is around to do and where to eat.

Perfect day for a cemetary stroll. Very peaceful with some graves dating to the 1800s. The tower is…read morerather impressive. Would love to see it's twin in Ireland some day.

AN ABSOLUTELY MUST DO! A FREE EVENT & FREE PARKING! This is one of the Secret Hidden Gems of…read moreAmerica that most people have never heard of or been to before, If you love Castles, Towers & the Fairytale Rapunzel or the Disney movie Tangled then you'll be excited about our journey today. It's Time to jump into The TimeMobile & scour the Earth & take you to places from a different time that you won't believe still exist. We have set the dial to the 1890's in the town of Milford MA about an hour outside of Boston. We've landed at this Beautiful Irish Round Tower that conjures up images from a bygone era. The Tower looks like it has been plucked from medieval times from thousands of miles across the Pond in Ireland. IT IS BEAUTIFUL! Father Patrick Cuddihy envisioned an Irish Round Tower as the centerpiece of a new cemetery when the land was purchased in 1890 for the Catholics of Saint Mary's Parish in Milford. Travelers from all over the globe spend thousands of dollars & travel to Ireland to see The Irish Round Towers. There is one Irish Tower in particular called The Devenish round tower & is located in County Fermanagh on an island located on Lower Lough Erne Lake. The Round Irish Tower in Milford is almost an exact replica with the same look, design & height as the The Devenish Tower in Ireland. It is made out of Granite from the Milford quarry. It stands tall over the graves of thousands of Irish immigrants who were buried in the cemetery. They are laid to rest in an Irish setting that mimics the architecture & land of Ireland. You might wonder why did Fr. Cuddihy build this tower? The answer can be found in his obituary "It may be folly - yet when you and I have passed away, the Irish in America will make a pilgrimage to the Irish Round Tower at Milford." Now although it was very popular in its day this has now fallen completely under the radar. Now just about everyone has heard of the German Fairy Tale Rapunzel by the Brothers Grimm, but have no idea that a Rapunzel like Tower even exists here in America. The Milford Round Tower was the only one of its kind in the whole USA for decades & only a few Irish Towers in the whole world even exist outside of Ireland. In 2003 The Tower at Castleton Lyons Farm was built in Kentucky to be an exact replica of the round tower at the Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary Ireland. So now there are 2 Irish Round Towers in the US. The Milford one is well over a hundred years older than the one in Kentucky. It represents a unique granite architectural wonder that pays tribute to Father Cuddihy vision of an Irish Tower in America without going overseas. The 1978 East German stamps of Rapunzel look just like the Devenish Tower in Ireland & the one in Milford MA. I have posted the stamp pictures for you to see too. Just so you know the door to the Tower is locked so you can't venture to the top! In addition, behind the Irish round tower there is a small pond & benches with pine trees in the background that makes a peaceful place to pray, meditate & explore the grounds. On the other side there is a mysterious cave like structure that resembles a catacomb. Across the street there is a public park and free parking. You really wouldn't expect to see an Irish Round Tower or a Rapunzel Tower at a cemetery, but that's where it is - a True Hidden Gem. To make it really worth your trip in the area check out The Moon Tree a tree that went to the Moon & The Largest Rosary Beads in the World both in Holliston. All of these are Freebies as well. It used to be, you had to have Mega Bucks & be really Rich to have the Good Life, not anymore. The Game has changed. You've been Upgraded. Now You Can Live Like a King on a Limited Budget!

We had an amazing time visiting this school house. The scenery was beautiful and the area was…read morewell-kept. The surrounding area was serene and beautiful. I can't wait to come back and enjoy the view.

AN ABSOLUTELY MUST DO! A FREE EVENT & FREE PARKING! THIS IS THE MOST FAMOUS SCHOOL IN THE WORLD…read moreTHAT YOU NEVER KNEW REALLY EXISTED. Every kid from 1-101 has learned the Mary had a Little Lamb nursery rhyme. It goes Mary had a Little Lamb it's Fleece was white as Snow & Everywhere that Mary went the lamb was sure to go. It followed her to school one day etc. Well, this is the School in that famous classic story that Mary attended. This is part of the Secret Hidden Gems of America that most people have never heard of or been to before. The tiny red schoolhouse is called The Redstone School & was built in 1798. Mary Elizabeth Sawyer was the Mary in the story born in 1806. Rebecca Kimball was the School Teacher. John Roulstone wrote the first 12 lines of the Classic. Sarah Josepha Hale completed the work. The building originally stood in Sterling Massachusetts. It was moved by Automobile Kingpin Henry Ford in 1927. When you talk about Old School this is the Original Old School! There are Plaques on the rocks outside that give you more information about the nursery rhyme. The Schoolhouse itself is open weekends only from May- October on Friday Saturday & Sunday from 12- 4:45 PM & is FREE! Unfortunately when we went it was closed but you can still look through the windows & check out the inside. Well I'll have to catch the inside the next time around. Go next door & visit the Martha Mary Chapel an all white picturesque church that appeared in the Matthew McConaughey film with Jennifer Garner & Emma Stone "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past". Also visit across the street there's the Grist Mill ( a great place to picnic), The Waterfall, The Pond, The Glacier Rocks from an Ice Cap 18,000 years ago. Also check out The Old Barn Farm Stand where they sell plants, local honey & other products & The Inn itself has lodging, a restaurant & a bar. What a Great Spot! It used to be, you had to have Mega Bucks & be really rich to have the Good Life, not anymore. The Game has changed. You've been Upgraded. Now You Can Live Like a King on a Limited Budget!

Sleep is for the weak, but it's also for the week, if you only sleep once a week, like me…read more It's been Weeks since I came to this beautiful Footbridge. Of course it goes over the gorgeous Charles River, and it's really nice that they actually built a bridge that is mainly for pedestrians. And of course because there aren't any bridges that are directly adjacent to this which you can drive across, then it means that students can walk across the river to school and whatnot. And there are great views of Boston and Cambridge from here. So it's just absolutely gorgeous - as is much of Boston honestly.

A bridge for people not for cars. Yay!…read more The Weeks footbridge crosses the Charles river between the Harvard Business School and Harvard proper. It's a picturesque faux-medieval bridge that appears in most postcards of Harvard with a rowing boat popping through the arches. A great place to spend a warm sunny day and the best vantage point for the Head of The Charles regatta once a year. It's nice to be able to see the lovely river without the bother of pesky cars and it's a romantic spot for any date. Hopefully one night the winter ice there will be thick enough for me to go out with a special someone to recreate the cover-scene from Eternal Sunshine.

This marker sign is located in historic Concord Massachusetts and points out some of the very…read moreearliest colonial history of the area. With the same text on both sides, it reads, "This short stretch of street still known as the milldam was the site of an Indian fishing weir and was laid out along the dam built soon after the settlement of the town in 1635." The marker was installed in 1930 by the Massachusetts Bay Colony Tercentenary Commission. Online, there is more information. In pre-colonial days there was a dam that blocked the Mill Brook running through the center of town. It ran a water wheel and grist mill. The river has since been diverted under Main street via an aqueduct. All of the shops on Main Street were built after the dam was removed. [Review 15342 overall, 844 of 2021, number 1122 in Massachusetts.]

For my birthday last year, I gifted myself a day's retreat in the house/room where Thoreau was…read moreborn. My entire trip to the Concord area was a transcendental pilgrimage in its own right, and my day alone in the home of seclusion's champion was more than meaningful. I read all the exhibit panels, wrote at the little desk by the window, picnicked on the lovely grounds for lunch, and read Emerson's "Read, then Write." I might have even slept a little in the peaceful, bird-sung quiet. It was a gift to have the entire day in this place, to see the shift of sunlight across the eaves, to contemplate the coming year. The staff made it so easy - they worked with me to shift days - and they made me feel absolutely welcome. It was quite humbling to have a key of my very own for the day! I came away with good written words, good philosophy, and a belief in the actuality of personal connection with literary heroes. Thank you for allowing it to happen!

I am so grateful for the writing space at the Writer's Retreat provided by the Thoreau Farm:…read moreBirthplace of Henry David Thoreau. It is a privilege to spend time in the very room that this American author was born. As the author and illustrator of eight children's books on Thoreau, I can attest that the Writer's Retreat has provided me the impetus for creating them during the numerous times I attended the Writer's Retreat. One might say that they were conceived in that room where many of my words and illustrations began. The Writer's Retreat provides a quiet space where one might write, read, and be reflective. It is beneficial to the amateur or professional writer or to anyone who just needs a space to think and read. The Farm is in a rural setting where one may take a meditative walk and is a special treasure. Imagine writing or reading on a replica of Henry's own green desk where he wrote his works. It is wonderful to have the opportunity to have a place to rest and think without any distractions in the room where Henry was born. Rebecca Migdal, Executive Director of the Thoreau Farm: Birthplace of Henry David Thoreau, is warm and welcoming to anyone who visits the Thoreau Farm or uses the Writer's Retreat. During the time I spent at this special place, Rebecca made me feel very comfortable. Rebecca's cheerful demeaner makes any visitor feel special and at ease. I highly encourage anyone who needs a space for quiet reflection or pursue literary endeavors to spend a day or two at the Writer's Retreat.

According to Wikipedia, The Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park is a 1,000 acre state…read morepark managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. The Blackstone River and Valley is where the industrial revolution was born in America. Toward the middle of the park you will find The River Bend Farm Visitor Center with access to canoeing, fishing, trails, and snowmobiling or cross-country skiing. If you walk southerly on the beautiful canal walkway, you arrive at the historic Stanley Woolen Mill, currently being redeveloped into offices and shops. The Stanley Woolen Mill is the common name applied to a defunct company based in southeastern Massachusetts and to the company's buildings. The Stanley Woolen Mill is the centerpiece of the Central Woolen Mills District which is part of the National Historic Register. There is a plaque at the end of the canal walkway which provides historical information about the mill. The mill is made of wood and brick, and is an interesting, though hardly spectacular structure. That said, there are some very cool views from the canal bridge, and great walking, canoeing and biking trails in the park. There is a public parking lot if you want to begin your hike here, a nice antique shop in the mill, and you can catch bass and carp in the canal here or near the visitor center.

Excellent spot close to downtown Boston with slips for small to huge boats…read more Reasonable prices, excellent service, electricity, water and sewage pumping available. No gas or diesel. Very friendly service.

We had rented a slip at Charlestown Marina several times and it was great. Last year we were there…read moreand a hurricane was forecast and we had to leave or we would be there indefinitely. We paid in full for several days and asked for a refund or if we could use our prepaid fees at a future time. NO refund or future credit was given. NOT going back!!!!!