A MUST DO! A FREE EVENT & FREE NEARBY PARKING! This is one of the Secret Hidden Gems of America…read more Westford Knight is an interesting site located in Westford MA outside of Boston. It is a mix of Fact, Fiction, Folklore & what do you see on that rock - all wrapped into one. Historians have pondered the mysterious etchings on the rock. Did a Native American artist create this or does this go back even further in time? A medieval battle sword is believed to be visible on the rock's ledge. Some people also see the outlines of a medieval knight in full battle regalia, holding a shield in one hand & a sword pointed downward in the other hand. The image supposedly identifies him as a Knight Templar. Some individuals believe the carving is evidentiary proof of the Scottish explorer Prince Henry Sinclair's visit to America. Legend has it that Sinclair followed in the footsteps of the Vikings & in 1398 crossed the Atlantic & made his way south to Nova Scotia & then to New England. That is a hundred years before Columbus. The Westford Knight carving has been showcased on the Discovery, History, & Travel Channels with their documentary programs. In 2013 there was also a feature film. There's more info but those are the main highlights. Until the science evolves & more accurate testing can be done & properly dated we can't be sure of any anecdotal evidence, heresay or what people think they see. So Christopher Columbus you have been saved; nothing to worry about at least for the time being. LOL! Not to diminish what Columbus did, but were there explorers from other civilizations that came here first? Could this be the new Plymouth Rock? Or is it a Bust? Hopefully in the near future, science will evolve & we will have the technology to test & answer those questions & others for sure. The Exploration & the Mystery is very Exciting & part of the discovery journey. You always hear about fantastic finds being uncovered in Egypt with the pyramids; not as much in America. It's being done but it's just not being promoted nor front page news. I'm giving this place 4 Stars but if they find out this is indeed legit I will automatically upgrade to 5 Stars. There is now a full scale statue here that instead of standing upright, is lying down on his back. Many people pass by here & don't even know this place even exists on Depot Street, near the Abbott School. The site just doesn't jump out at you. To make it worth your trip, there is an EXCELLENT place you can eat nearby called Kimball Farms also in Westford. It is a family owned & operated Entertainment Complex, Dining, & Country Store since 1939. They are Famous for their Homemade DELICIOUS Ice Cream. They serve oversized portions of ice cream that people travel from miles around to enjoy. You can read my review of Kimball Farms for more details. 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!

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.

Not far from the Brandeis campus, this tower stands to memorialize a mythic city along the Charles…read moreRiver that never existed. Beginning in the mid-to-late-1800s, a food chemist, inventor, and major donor to Wellesley College named Eben Norton Horsford became obsessed with the idea Vikings were in New England around 1000. We know Leif Erikson and other Europeans visited North America before Christopher Columbus. However, Horsford deeply believed Erikson had established settlements in the Boston area. Some maps from the 1500s refer to New England as "Norumbega," and there were stories about explorers seeing mythical cities and houses made of gold. However, much of that information appears to have been misconstrued or invented. Most of Horsford's assertions about Vikings in present-day Boston were rooted in bad science. Evidence from his "archeological" digs didn't provide solid proof of links to Vikings. In any event, Horsford had the money to erect various plaques and statutes in the Boston area to memorialize his beliefs. Along the banks of the Charles River in Weston near Waltham he erected Norumbega Tower. The tower stands at the site Horsford believed housed a fort protecting the legendary Norse city of Norumbega. Horsford asserted that the city of Norumbega was located just downriver in Watertown, where he erected a memorial plaque. Again, there was never any real evidence of a Norse fort or city here. Perhaps more than anything, the tower is a monument to how money can shape history. It is, however, a nice place for a picnic and the accompanying Norumbega Road in Weston is a nice place for a jog. The tower has an iron gate at the entrance that I would assume is supposed to be chained and locked. However, it was open today and I risked life and limb and the strong smell of urine to climb the tower to the top. It was not easy as it is dark in some spaces and there are no handholds. I wouldn't recommend it unless you're feeling stupid like I was. [Review 15209 overall, 711 of 2021, number 1072 in Massachusetts.]

According to local legend, the founder of Middlesex University was traveling through Ireland and…read moresaw Lismore Castle. He was so impressed with the castle that he asked to bring it back with him. The owners denied his request. He then asked for the blueprints, only to be told no again. Not one to be stopped, he had drawings done of the outside of the castle. The Castle in Waltham was constructed based on these drawings. This is now Brandeis University and "The Castle" as it is called, was first used as an administrative space as well as a dining hall. It was used as a dormitory until the building was condemned and later partially torn down to make room for a new building. Some of the benches outside of the dormitory neighboring Usen Castle are made from materials of the demolished structure. The remaining part of Usen Castle is closed to visitors. Only the coffee house inside the castle is open to the public. Still, it's cool to check out the exterior if you're nearby. [Review 15210 overall, 712 of 2021, number 1073 in Massachusetts.]

The Peace Abbey is a multi-denominational organization with extensive educational, spiritual and…read moreother services. They offer retreat and many, many other services to the community and the world, and has been visited by Mother Teresa and supported by many of the world's most devoted peace activists. It is impossible to cover all this wonderful organization offers and achieves in such a small space; visit the website or make an appointment to meet with some of the extraordinary staff, hear the stories, support the cause.

AN ABSOLUTELY MUST DO! THE HILLTOP 67 FOOT NEON CACTUS SIGN HAS BEEN RESTORED TO IT'S FORMER GLORY…read moreDAYS & LIGHTS UP RT. 1 WITH ITS ORIGINAL GREEN BRILLIANCE ONCE AGAIN. IT IS BEAUTIFUL & CONTINUES TO SHINE WITH ITS VINTAGE 60's VIBE THAT LOOKS LIKE IT IS STRAIGHT OUT OF VINTAGE LAS VEGAS. This is a Perfect Example of what a Great Restoration project looks like with Adaptive Use for a new purpose & generation. It is impressive during the day but WOWS you at night! You have to see it from afar & then stop & see it up close especially at night. It's FREE! It is located right outside the 110 Grill in Saugus. When people think of Boston they always think of the Citgo Sign at Fenway Park, but there are other very notable signs & one of them is the Hilltop Cactus Sign. First of all it is MASSIVE towering at 67 foot tall. The Hilltop Steak House was a very famous restaurant on Rt1 in Saugus from back in the 60's. People would see that Giant Cactus Sign & it would beckon them to stop in to get a bite to eat. Customers would wait in long lines near the cows for their room & number to be called over the loudspeaker like #92 Kansas City. Then you would go into the restaurant to your designated room & seat & table. The restaurant was HUGE! The Hilltop was one of the busiest restaurants in all of America at its peak serving 20,000 patrons each week. At its pinnacle it served more than 2 million people. This lasted for decades. Delicious Huge Portions of Food for a Good Price. They were known for their Steaks & Prime Rib. Finally the quality of the food went down hill & in 2013 they closed. The Hilltop still has a warm fuzzy soft spot for many people today. In 1966, Frank Giuffrida the owner hired Mack Advertising Inc., to create a new sign for the Hilltop restaurant. Many designs were considered until they decided upon the Giant Cactus. The 67-foot sign contains nearly a half mile of neon tubing. Woahhh! The Barlow Sign Comoany in Hudson New Hampshire meticulously restored this Vintage Jolly Green Giant of a Cactus. Where the restaurant once stood is a mixed use space of residential housing of 280 apartments & retail & restaurants. Instead of knocking down the sign & putting it in some landfill; now it serves a useful purpose for lighting up the city & as a sign for the new community & businesses while still holding on to it's glorious past history. WHAT A BRILLIANT RESTORATION! You have to stop on by. And for those famous cows they have also been rescued. See my review of The Hilltop Steak House Cows located not too far from here in Lynnfield MA. 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!

Like a moth to a flame, you're drawn to me with tender chains,…read moreYou wrap me up so tight, and hold me all the night, Indian summer, I remember you, Indian summer, do you think of me too? (Sheryl Crow) Route 2A in Shirley Massachusetts is also known as Great Road. Of all the great sights you may encounter on Great Road, you will be hard pressed to find one as great as this bare-chested Mohawk Indian statue. He's about 25-feet tall and stands majestically with his right arm raised high in a greeting. Research told me that over the years, he originally stood guard over a wild animal park and later over a nightclub, before his current tour of duty in front of an auto dealership. I read that years ago, the local high school pulled off an epic senior prank by stealing one of the Indian's arms! Made me wonder exactly how they detached that big giant arm in the first place? Did they hack it off with an axe? Did they take a chainsaw to him? Or did they just use brute strength and tug "one, two, three, pull!". Anyway, this is a very cool sight, but the condition of the old warrior is in decline. It looks like he has a skin condition, with all kinds of peeling and cracking and staining all over his body (especially his chest and left shoulder). I sure hope our Indian friend has a benefactor out there somewhere, because he definitely is somebody in need of a friend to restore him to his former glory.

Driving along Route 2A in Shirley you come upon a huge bare chested Indian statue. It's supposed to…read morebe a Mohawk Indian. It stands in front of Mohawk Motors on the spot of the now defunct Mohawk Bar. I'm sure it is not politically correct to have an Indian Statue. Which is probably why this poor fellow is falling into disrepair. And it probably isn't politically correct for me to rate this statue. But this is roadside kitsch at its finest. If anything it is a reminder of how times have changed and you shouldn't build an Indian statue for the purpose of selling booze at your bar. I'd love to see this guy restored.