Chandler Hovey Park at the northern tip of Marblehead Neck

Marblehead Light in Chandler Hovey Park

Marblehead Neck is a peninsula on the east side of Marblehead Harbor in Essex County, Massachusetts. The “Neck” has various sites of interest including Castle Rock Park and the Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary. Chandler Hovey Park—a multi-use park around a historic lighttower—is situated at its northern tip, offering vistas of the harbor and the shorelines of Beverly and Manchester-By-The-Sea [1-3].

Chandler Hovey, a resident of the Town of Marblehead, purchased this marvelous spot in the late 1940s from the U.S. government and donated it to the town. In addition to the spectacular views, its main attraction is the Marblehead Lighthouse.

According to the onsite plaque, the story of Marblehead Light (Latitude 42 Degrees 30' 20"N, Longitude 70 Degrees 50' 03"W) goes back to the year 1835, when the first light was established and lit. The present pyramidal-skeleton lighttower was erected in 1895 and lit in 1896. From then until the light automation, various operational changes happened:

• 1910 Light changed to fixed red
• 1922 Light electrified
• 1938 Light changed to green
• 1941 Light extinguished during World War II
• 1947 Land transferred by Federal Government to Town, through a generous donation  by Chandler Hovey
• 1959 Keepers quarters razed
• 1960 Light automated
  

In 1987, Marblehead Light was listed in the National Register of Historic Places [4].

Relax your head and neck from looking up the lighttower and enjoy the views north and northeast. You may spot various rocks and rock islands, especially during low tide. The Marblehead Channel, Eagle Island Channel and Salem Channel allow navigation between islands and between Massachusetts Bay and Salem Sound. On a clear day, the coastline stretching from Beverly to Gloucester can be recognized at the horizon. 

View of Beverly and Manchester-By-The-Sea coastline

Getting there

The park is located at the end of Follett Street, off Ocean Avenue, at the northern tip of Marblehead Neck. Follow the direction to Castle Rock Park and continue north. 

If you want to skip Castle Rock or get there on your return drive, follow Ocean Avenue across the sandbar and then turn left and use Harbor Avenue, as a shortcut. Harbor Avenue meets Ocean Avenue again after about one mile.

Mapcarta: https://mapcarta.com/22211106.

References and more to explore

[1] Parks. Town of Marblehead - Massachusetts. Website: https://www.marblehead.org/about-marblehead/pages/parks.

[2] Marblehead Light. Maritime History of Massachusetts. Website: https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/maritime/mbl.htm.

[3] Chandler Hovey Park and Marblehead Light Tower. Essex National Heritage Area. Website: https://essexheritage.org/attractions/chandler-hovey-park-and-marblehead-light-tower.

[4] Marblehead Light. National Register Information System ID: 87001479. National Park Service. Website: https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/87001479.

Castle Rock Park on Marblehead Neck

Castle Rock Park, Marblehead Neck, Massachusetts

Castle Rock offers spectacular views of Massachusetts Bay. A very short trail off Ocean Avenue on Marblehead Neck leads to the rock. Once named Great Head, it was renamed Castle Rock for the castle-like Carcassonne mansion next to it.

At Castle Rock Park you are invited to carefully explore the cliffs, rock terraces and tide pools. In the past, Castle Rock was a strategic lookout point. Depending on weather and tides, this is a magnificent place to walk or climb rough rocks, watch breakers, feel the ocean spray and browse the waves of the South Essex Ocean Sanctuary.

Beach rocks, miniature coves and tide pools at Castle Rock

Make it a stop

Visitors of the Marblehead Neck peninsula often include Castle Rock as a sight-seeing stop. It is located half-way between the Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary and Marblehead Light in Chandler Hovey Park at Marblehead's northern tip. After visiting the wildlife sanctuary, drive back on Risley Road and turn left at its junction with Ocean Ave. After about a quarter-mile, find parking on the right near the Castle Rock trail sign.

Paved path at the entrance of Castle Rock Park

References and more to explore

[1] Castle Rock Park. Essex National Heritage Area. Website: https://essexheritage.org/attractions/castle-rock-park. 

[2] Parks. Town of Marblehead - Massachusetts. Website: https://www.marblehead.org/about-marblehead/pages/parks.

[3] Castle Rock & Castle Rock Lane. Marblehead Conservancy Inc. Website: https://marbleheadconservancy.org/explore/secret-passageways/castle-rock-castle-rock-lane/.

Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary

Audubon Pond

The  Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary is a small open space surrounded by grandeur neighborhoods on a peninsula extending into Massachusetts Bay. Locals call this peninsula simply the “Neck.” It is connected to mainland Marblehead by a sandbar, on which a road and walkway has been built.

Audubon Trail

The sanctuary at the center of the southern half of the Neck is visited by various species of migratory songbirds—and humans eager to watch the avian visitors. The sanctuary's network of walking paths include Audubon Trail, Warbler Trail, Middle Trail, Boardwalk Trail, Thrasher Trail and the Vireo Loop. Although the trails barely add up to a total length of a mile, the diverse set of dense woods, small hills, rocks, swamps and the highlight—Audubon Pond—combines to the impression of being in a wildlife area larger than it actually is. Like in the wetlands alongside the Marblehead Rail Trail, unfurled Eastern Skunk Cabbage with its fresh, green, veined leaves are found in the sanctuary swamps in spring. 

Eastern Skunk Cabbage

At the main entrance, a kiosk introduces the sanctuary as follows:

This 16-acre wildlife sanctuary may be small in size, but its location provides important feeding and resting habitats for migratory songbirds. Jutting out from the mainland, Marblehead Neck may be the first land encountered by tired and hungry birds crossing open ocean. When the winds are favorable, migrating birds pass through, finding insects to eat in the woodlands, utilizing the wetlands or pond for drinking and bathing, and finding safe resting places in the brushy tangles. More than 250 bird species have been recorded here over the years, including many colorful wood warblers. Most of the birds that visit here spend their winter in the tropics of Central and South America. They pass the “Neck” on their way to and from areas further north.

Bird-watching trails around Audubon Pond

Getting There

From Devereux Beach, follow Ocean Ave over the sandbar-turned-causeway. On the Neck, continue on Ocean Ave for about half a mile. Turn left on Risley Road. Find parking after 500 ft at the end of Risley Road.

Entrance of the Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary at the end of Risley Road

“Hodgkinson Fund” plaque at a rock near Audubon Pond

 

Further reading and more to explore

[1]  Mass Audobon: Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary. Marblehead Conservancy Inc.Website: https://marbleheadconservancy.org/explore/massachusetts-audubon-sanctuary/.

[2] Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary. Essex National Heritage Area. Website: https://essexheritage.org/attractions/marblehead-neck-wildlife-sanctuary.

[3] Recent Bird Sightings at Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary. WaxwingEco Tourism. Website: https://waxwingeco.com/birding-hotspot.php?id=L594125.

Milton Landing Riverwalk: where the fresh water of the Neponset River meets the tide water

A scenic place south of the Neponset River Gorge: the beginning of the Neponset Estuary at Milton Landing (at low tide in early April 2021)

 

Zooming into the area surrounding the Milton station of the Mattapan Trolley line, the Google map shows the Neponset Riverwalk: a green dashed line from the Milton Yacht Club to the trolley-line bridge. You wouldn't call this short riverwalk a trail—it's a luxuriously designed viewing platform. 

Seal seen from the riverwalk

The Neponset Riverwalk at Milton Landing is located where the geologically interesting Neponset River Gorge ends and the Neponset Estuary begins. Seals are visiting this place, where they can feel safe from being attacked by a shark.

In addition to its geological and ecological significance, Milton Landing was—the name already hints at this—a transfer point for resources and industrial goods.

Milton Landing: riverwalk and condominium complex

An informative panel at the end of Wharf Street summarizes the industrial history of Milton Landing: 

It is difficult to overstate the historical significance and unique character of the Milton Landing area. The falls on the Neponset River at Lower Mills were the site of Native American activity. In 1634 Israel Stoughton built a water-powered grist mill and bridge at Unity quisset, the place were the fresh water meets the tide water of the Neponset estuary. Continued industrial development included a gun powder mill and fulling mill with residential and farming properties on both sides of the river. In the 1760's, the chocolate industries came into the area, with later wool and paper mills. Before 1770 the town landing moved from Gullivers Creek to its current location at Wharf Street.

A grist wheel for grinding cacao beans is on display in the courtyard of the nearby building of the historic Walter Baker Chocolate Factory.  Like the factory complex, the former police station on Wharf Street, gives us an impression of the brick-building architecture of the time:

Daniel Vose built shipping warehouses on the waterfront and shipped goods inland to the towns. The first police station, built in the early to mid-nineteenth century was located in the brick building, now occupied by the Milton Yacht Club.

Milton Landing's marine commerce took a turn in the 20th century and a slow transformation towards residential and recreational use was happening. The panel text continues:

Boat building continued at Gullivers Creek and commercial activity centered at the Town Wharf. The extension of railroads lead to a decline of marine commerce, but lumber was transported by boat on the Town Landing in the early part of the 20th century and coal to Godfrey Wharf (now the location of the Residences at Milton Landing) as late as 1960. With the decline in commercial use came an increase in recreational boat use. In 1902, Milton Boat Club was established and later became Milton Yacht Club. The boat launch ramp was restored by the WPA (Work Progress Administration) in the 1930's. Wooden boats built by their owners after World War II are still being restored. The long history of fishing in the Neponset River continues. The river also provides access to fishing in Boston Harbor. The old Lower Mills buildings are on the state and national registers of historic places.

Milton Yacht Club

 

Getting there

Trolley station map cutout

The Milton Landing site is a two minute walk off the hiking and bicycling trail through the Neponset River Greenway (line of green dots in the trolley station map). At the Milton Trolley station you can pass the trolley tracks and walk across the farmer's market lot to get to the Milton Yacht Club at he end of Wharf Street—the Milton Land site. The Milton Riverwalk is not indicated in the trolley station map. Note that the map at the trolley station points South on top!

Further reading and more to explore

Revealing the Neponset: Milton Landing/Neponset River Estuary. URL: https://miltonneponset.wordpress.com/a-milton-landing-neponset-river-estuary/. 

The Neponset River: A History. URL: http://www.masspaths.net/dmink/bike/bikeways/neponset/nephist.htm.

Neponset River Greenway - Massachusetts. URL:https://www.traillink.com/trail/neponset-river-greenway/.

Magnificent Massachusetts. URL: https://www.pinterest.com/axeleratio/magnificient-massachusetts/.