I think it's awesome, but my husband's reaction was: "it's not Downton Abbey or anything."…read more LOL. It's still pretty cool. Parking is $3 and there's a lot of great trails. It's not Downton Abbey, but it's worth $3 and an hour of your time!!

This was the holiday activity I didn't know I needed…read more Yesterday the Norwood historical society was giving free tours of the historic Day House -beautifully decorated for the season. I noticed the sign for the museum for the first time this week and then a Facebook invite came up in my suggestions Even without the Christmas decor this is such a gorgeous and well maintained house museum. They are clearly very passionate about it. The home belonged to the artist F Holland Day and his family and it is beautiful... Truly the home of people who valued beauty. A member gave a really nice tour to a local family and I The members onsite were very welcoming and happy to share. Follow their Facebook page for future events, I guess. There aren't any regular tour hours but if you can catch them it is a lovely experience.

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!

This was a rather interesting find for me. I was in the area for donuts, but I stayed for the…read moreRosary Beads. I had done a search on Yelp for obscure things in the state of Massachusetts, and this came up. With only one Yelp review at the time, I was impressed that it even showed up on my search. Nonetheless, I was already in the area, so I figured I had to stop. The beads themselves are giant boulders chained together. If you go up the little hill by the prayer cave, you can see the "Rosary Beads" a little better from the vantage point (with the exception of some overgrown trees.) There is plenty of parking on-site, and the grounds appear to be taken care of. There is even a donation-based section where you can light a candle for someone. Even if you're not necessarily religious, it's worth the stop to walk the grounds and see what it's all about.

AN ABSOLUTELY MUST DO! A FREE EVENT & FREE PARKING! 5 STARS! The Largest Rosary Beads in the World…read moreare located in Holliston.MA about an hour or so drive from Boston. These are part of the Secret Hidden Gems of America that most people have never heard of & have never been to before. This place is so unique; there are some 23 beautiful peaceful acres to explore here in a nature setting . This place combines a bunch of different things together including religious artifacts, a President, the US Military, an Outdoor Walking Trail, a Church, a Pond & Gardens. Now If that's not the most unusual flavor profile you've ever heard of - I don't know what else is? If you drive by Our Lady of Fatima Church you would probably just think it's just another church & wouldn't pay it too much attention at all. That would be a Big Mistake. You can't see what's hidden behind the trees just driving by. First pull your vehicle into the Free Parking Lot. You can't bring food in here. There is a separate place right out in front next to the Free Parking area with Free Picnic Tables so you can eat there. There is a modern church with lots of 60'sish architectural detail including a unique shaped building with skinny stained glass windows. There is also a gift store that you should check out as well. Then you will start your walking journey on the road with The Blessings of Peace to You sign. Travel past The Way of the Cross, the lighted candle stations, Mary & the Children of Fatima scene etc. Then you will see The Largest Rosary Beads in the World measuring a whopping 950 feet long. That's not a typo - 950 feet long. They are made out of giant boulder rocks that were taken from building the I-495 highway. The granite boulders are joined together by giant thick steel chain links that are painted sky blue. It was commissioned by missionary Reverend Oddo Galeazzi in the 1950's. Walk all around the Rosary Beads along the path & you will see different sizes & shapes of the round rocks. There are prayers & dedication plaques on the rocks too. Then follow the rocks all around the road you will see a large green grass field. In the center of the field is yet another Mary & the Children of Fatima statue scene. Then proceed back around to the beginning & follow the chain that goes up the hill. On the side of the hill you will see a staircase; ascend the stairs. You will see several statues as well as a Giant cross of Jesus. Turn & you will see the blue chain link that is attached to a Large blue anchor. A sign is posted saying this is Dedicated to the 35th President of the United States - John F. Kennedy by the US Navy. Most religious statues or artifacts produce a solemn & introspective feeling in people. These Rosary Beads produce quite a different feeling. When people see these Giant Rosary beads & walk along the trail their eyes lights up & a big Smile appears on their faces. It's pretty Cool! Imagine- they made Giant Rosary Beads out of Giant Boulders with Chains. From the hill, you can view the Rosary Beads from a whole different perspective & get a panoramic view of the whole property. There's a lot of exploring to do here so be sure to check out the whole place inside & outside. This is a place of worship & reflection & meditating so be respectful. There is no Fee but it costs a fortune to maintain this place. Please make a donation in the offering box in the front. People who like religious places will love it here. Also people who aren't necessarily religious but just like offbeat, quirky, unique & unusual spots will also find this place quite Amazing. WHAT A GREAT PLACE & IT'S ALL FREE! 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!

Benefit Street is a nice little walk and The Shunned House is a sweet little surprise. What I like…read moreabout The Shunned House is that you would have NO CLUE that this house was significant amongst the others in the surrounding areas. The armory down the street stands out a lot more than the lil house that HPLovecraft wrote about. Still it's a great side trip that will only take seconds out of your day if you are in or around the colleges in the area. This is obviously a residence and they have since named the house after someone but you can see the wall that used to be used as the front of the house and the descriptions stand strong in Lovecraft's writing. No big deal but I liked being there and seeing it.

I was going to write about this curiousity, but I realized I couldn't do any better than what…read morebrought me in the first place: "The house was--and for that matter still is--of a kind to attract the attention of the curious. Originally a farm or semi-farm building, it followed the average New England colonial lines of the middle eighteenth century--the prosperous peaked-roof sort, with two stories and dormerless attic, and with the Georgian doorway and interior panelling dictated by the progress of taste at that time. It faced south, with one gable end buried to the lower windows in the eastward rising hill, and the other exposed to the foundations toward the street. Its construction, over a century and a half ago, had followed the grading and straightening of the road in that especial vicinity; for Benefit Street--at first called Back Street--was laid out as a lane winding amongst the graveyards of the first settlers, and straightened only when the removal of the bodies to the North Burial Ground made it decently possible to cut through the old family plots. "At the start, the western wall had lain some twenty feet up a precipitous lawn from the roadway; but a widening of the street at about the time of the Revolution sheared off most of the intervening space, exposing the foundations so that a brick basement wall had to be made, giving the deep cellar a street frontage with door and two windows above ground, close to the new line of public travel. When the sidewalk was laid out a century ago the last of the intervening space was removed; and Poe in his walks must have seen only a sheer ascent of dull grey brick flush with the sidewalk and surmounted at a height of ten feet by the antique shingled bulk of the house proper. "The farm-like grounds extended back very deeply up the hill, almost to Wheaton Street. The space south of the house, abutting on Benefit Street, was of course greatly above the existing sidewalk level, forming a terrace bounded by a high bank wall of damp, mossy stone pierced by a steep flight of narrow steps which led inward between canyon-like surfaces to the upper region of mangy lawn, rheumy brick walls, and neglected gardens whose dismantled cement urns, rusted kettles fallen from tripods of knotty sticks, and similar paraphernalia set off the weather-beaten front door with its broken fanlight, rotting Ionic pilasters, and wormy triangular pediment. "What I heard in my youth about the shunned house was merely that people died there in alarmingly great numbers. That, I was told, was why the original owners had moved out some twenty years after building the place. It was plainly unhealthy, perhaps because of the dampness and fungous growth in the cellar, the general sickish smell, the draughts of the hallways, or the quality of the well and pump water. These things were bad enough, and these were all that gained belief among the persons whom I knew. Only the notebooks of my antiquarian uncle, Dr. Elihu Whipple, revealed to me at length the darker, vaguer surmises which formed an undercurrent of folklore among old-time servants and humble folk; surmises which never travelled far, and which were largely forgotten when Providence grew to be a metropolis with a shifting modern population." H.P. Lovecraft, The Shunned House Be mindful that this is a private residence. Please be respectful.

Good. Had a good time looking at the old buildings and seeing the tools that they used.read more

Ready for an adventure kiddies? Then come to Fall River and see the aging ruins of the Old Fall…read moreRiver Ice House. But please, be discreet. Signs around the entryway state that fishing, boating, swimming and camping are strictly prohibited. But ever since I was a child I always wondered what the old Medieval looking ruin had to offer the not so faint of heart. Now as an adult literalist, I interpret the absence of a no trespassing order as something akin to an invitation. One side of the structure can be seen on the right while driving north on Route 24 coming from 195. Take exit 5 and follow Eastern Avenue then take a left onto New Boston Road. At the end, turn left onto Willow Street which turns into Ruth Street (over the freeway) and then Meridian Street (in a very short distance). Park on Hannah Street or Bergeron Street and then walk back toward whence you drove and go around the left of the fence across the road. What awaits you on the other side is a lonesome path long neglected over time. Weeds and trees flourish between cracks in the crumbling asphalt. Once past the noise from the street, an eerie quiet sets in. A short walk will lead you to the northern shores of the pond. Continue along and watch for the ruins on the right. Inside you will find excellent photo opportunities and a remarkable example of structural decay and a forest gradually reclaiming lost ground. Vines ensnare the surrounding trees and creep alongside the walls of the massive building. The colossal inner chambers are full of trees and enormous stones that have given way to time. Interesting exterior brickwork nestled among stones can be seen as one moves along the southern edge of the building closer to the shore. One wall bears the scar of what may have been a large lightning strike. Most of the walls have soaring vacancies in the stonework that may have once held windows or doors. Sadly, there is some graffiti, but it's a minor distraction in such an exciting place. After you've had your fill of the ruins, continue along the path and feel the eyes of the forest upon you. Low walls of stone accompany you throughout most of your journey and it would be difficult to get lost. Bear left when the path splits about a half mile after you've gone over the causeway (it can be difficult to discern) and you will eventually return to Meridian Street. Do NOT forget your camera!

We stopped in to visit John Adam's home after he became the second US President. The home had been…read morein the Adams family for several generations before being turned over the National Park Service. They provide an excellent tour but you must get your ticket at the visitor's center.

Our flight to Tampa was canceled Tuesday night. By the time we knew we'd be here to sightsee, tours…read morewere sold out. Instead we toured the grounds on our own! I think a tour would have been better - 5 stars - but on our own we saw a lot, and with the walking tour on the National Parks app, we learned a lot about our surroundings. That made this 5 stars. Next time we come, we'll book the tour and use our National Parks Pass to save money.

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.]

A unique piece of local history! This tower structure dates to the early 19th century and is…read morebelieved to have been used as a well that collected rainwater to use in the mansion that it was attached too. The tower was moved and restored at its current location after the original building it was part of burnt down in the 1980s. The small central district of Millville is listed on the historical register with the tower as the artifact.

most certainly -the- most unsettling cemetery i've ever been to. every so often footsteps would…read moreinterrupt the dead silence, only for no one to be around. unfortunately (or fortunately), the ghost of freddy fingernail failed to show.

A very very creepy…read moreplace There are lots of haunted and creepy places in Rhode Island. It's well known to paranormal investigators because of all the weird, old and bizarre houses, woods and of course graveyards. Of all the spooky places in the state perhaps the old Elder Ballou Cemetery has the reputation as being the creepiest of the creepy. All kinds of strange things have occurred and still occur here. Or so people say. The most consistent story is seeing some old fellow dressed in a grey suit walking around. He never says anything, just sort of appears and disappears and it seems like he is looking for something. Other people hear moans and cries of pains or see vague apparitions and faces appearing out of nowhere. Even people driving by of the road have stopped because they hear strange noises coming from the graveyard. What makes this place rather unique is that people see and hear things in the daylight and not just the dark of night. I have to admit I am quite skeptical of such things but this is definitely a really, really creepy place. It's sort of on a small rolling hill so it is hard to see and it has a nice variety of the morose and lugubrious gravestones, some worn virtually away while other old ones look almost brand new. Perhaps the creepiest thing are the "holding tombs". You just don't see them around anymore. These were crypts where the dead bodies were kept until the families could find the money, space or time to give the deceased a proper burial. Many now had bars in front of them. Not sure if there are to keep people out of keep something else in. No, I didn't see any ghosts or really see anything out of the ordinary except for a really creepy, old cemetery. The mosquitoes were really bad but I suspect they were real ones and not zombie mosquitoes. I remain extremely skeptical of ghosts and their kin but this is a very cool and historic place. One that is exceptional creepy and weird at the best of times and a place I would rather not be in the dark of night.