BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from Boston Public Library http://www.archive.org/details/inventoryplanforOOmass y -o -Pk ' BOSTON RCDLVLl-OrMCia AUTllOrttTY .^1v PUBLIC f OUTDOOR RECREATION BOSTON PUBLIC ^fflRARY The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Natural Resources M THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS Foster Furcolo, Governor AN INVENTORY AND PLAN FOR DEVELOPMENT of the NATURAL RESOURCES OF MASSACHUSETTS Part II PUBLIC OUTDOOR RECREATION 1957 DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES Thomas A. Fulham, Chairman Richard Borden Robert P. Holdsworth Donald B. Miller Robert Livermore, Jr. Francis W. Sargent, Commissioner Raymond J. Kenney, Director, Division of Forests and Parks EDWARDS, KELCEY AND BECK Consultants BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS fl/ /J^MMii^'e^::mc^, :::^ffd^^S' June 10, 1957 To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives in General Court A-ssembled: Chapter 471 of the Acts of 1955 titled "An Act Relating to the Fur- ther Development of the Public Forests, Parks and Other Lands of the Commonwealth" directs the Department of Natural Resources to make an inventory and long-range planfor the development of the natural resources of Massachusetts. The Department, through its Division of Forests and Parks, was authorized bythe Act to make an inventory of the forests and other natural resources in possession of the Commonwealth, whether forested or not, the species, age, rate of increase and present volume of timber, the area of unused land found in possession or control of any board, officer or in- stitution of the Commonwealth. The inventory is also to include the edu- cational, recreational, watershed protective or other civic purposes for which such areas or water included therein are now used. Upon receipt of such inventory the Department is instructed by the Act to prepare a long-range plan, having as its objectives: (1) Maximum return from merchantable timber, (2) Adequate watershed protection, ground water supplies and flood control, (3) To develop and maintain. . . . for the recreation of the people. . . .the enjoyment of undisturbed natural surroundings. The Act further required that the Department "shall study the use and further development of all public forests and lands. . . .the acquisition of additional areas to make existing properties more service- able to the public. . . ." The final report was called for on or before the first Wednesday in December 1956. To carry out the provisions of the Act the sum of $20,000 was ap- propriated. The firm of Edwards, Kelcey and Beck, Consulting Engineers of Boston, was engaged as consultants. It was apparent at the outset that the inventory, study and long- range plan called for by the Act could not possibly be accomplished in the time allowed nor within the funds appropriated. Therefore, it was de- cided that the inventory would be progressed as far as possible and that a preliminary study be made of all of the factors to determine the proper procedure to bring the overall program to a suitable conclusion. (2) In their preliminary report designated as Part I, dated June 15, 1956 the consultants summarized in considerable detail the State's natural resources under headings of Land and Its Uses, Forests, Water Resources, Ocean Beaches, Inland Beaches, Minerals and Wildlife. The preliminary report treated the related resources under Recreation in the State Parks and Forests, Historic and Scenic Attractions and Tourist Routes and Travel. It pointed out the need for development and management of the natural resources and the economic importance of the vacation-travel business. Based upon the findings of the preliminary report, the consultants recommended that the time for the filing of the final report be extended to December 1957 and that the sum of $300,000 be appropriated for the pur- pose of completing the study and preparation of the long-range plan. Chapter 591 of the Acts of 1956 amended the previous Act by ex- tending the time for completion to the first Wednesday in December 1957. An appropriation of $50,000 was provided. The firm of Edwards, Kelcey and Beck was engaged to continue the work. Since these funds were not sufficient to conaplete the study of all the resources as directed by Chapter 471, Arthur T. Lyman, the then Commissioner, made the decision to concentrate on a program of acqui- sition and development of state forests and parks for the purpose of pub- lic outdoor recreation. In my opinion, the findings of the attached report fully confirm the wisdom of this decision. Under the terms of their con- tract the consultants have presented a report titled "Part II, Public Out- door Recreation". It was preceded by an interim report dated January 27, 1957, which called particular attention to the desirability of immediate acquisition of certain areas as state parks or forests. The "Part iT' re- port with the interim report as an appendix is hereby submitted in ac- cordance with the provisions of Chapters 471 and 591. Our public recreation facilities in Massachusetts fall pitifully short of meeting the demands. If they are inadequate today, how grossly de- ficient will they be five, ten or twenty years from now unless we do some- thing about it? With an increasing population, better working conditions, greater income, more leisure time, a greater urge for outdoor life, the demands upon our facilities are due to increase by leaps and bounds. It is estimated that to meet the public recreation demand of 1977, present capacities will have to be increased four-fold. We are greatly in need of a comprehensive, well-coordinated master plan of natural resource development. First emphasis should be placed upon the recreation phase because of the present critical shortages and the anticipated demands of the future. As pointed out by the interim report and further confirmed by the Part II report, there is grave danger that many ideal sites for recreation areas will be sold for commercial or private development. This is a trend which has been going on for more than a generation. The warnings of those most faniiliar with the situation have for the most part gone unheeded. The longer we delay, the scarcer will become the available sites and the more prohibitive the prices. The report recognizes the seriousness of the problem and recom- mends a system of priorities of acquisition to assure that a proper number of sites will be acquired at the earliest possible moment. Our acquisition procedures could be greatly accelerated if the recommendation contained (3) in the report, to grant the Department the right to take property by eminent domain for park purposes, is adopted. The four-fold growth of our capacities over a twenty-year period should not be a "straight line" process. Because of the present deficien- cies every possible effort should be made to accelerate our development program so it will equal the demands within the next five years. The so-called Vacation-Travel business is now ranked as our third most important industry in Massachusetts. It is estimated that nearly three million vacationers spend more than $400 million here each year. No effort should be spared to preserve and increase this mighty important source of income to the Commonwealth and its people. Upon good conservation practices will depend the enjoyment of the natural resources by the users of our State facilities. The impoundment of streams at strategic locations could create small lakes or ponds where needed for recreation purposes. In the interest of conservation the recommendation that all areas developed shall be kept practically in their natural state will be adhered to rigidly. There need be no fear on the part of any person or community that the establishment by the State of a public recreation facility will lead to a "honky-tonk" development. The exact opposite will be the policy of this Department. It is hoped that local communities will assist the Department by giving assurance that areas contiguous to well-conducted state reserva- tions will, through proper zoning or other regulations, be maintained at a high level of social and other uses. There is evidence that cooperative local participation in the public outdoor recreation field could be mutually beneficial to the State and the communities. To accomplish the recommended program of acquisition and de- velopment will cost a lot of money. One hundred million dollars for a twenty-year program, may, at first glance, seem a staggering sum. But when we weigh the costs versus the benefits the scales tip abruptly to the benefits side. Can the health, happiness and well being of Massachusetts' citizens and the millions of vacationers from other states and countries during the next twenty years be measured in dollars and cents? Can a price tag be placed upon the value of the natural resources that will be conserved? Financed by bond issues as needed throughout the twenty-year period, with a gross amortization period of thirty years, the program would hot place an unreasonable burden upon the State's finances at any time. Efficient management would guarantee that income from the use of the facilities would offset, to a considerable degree, the operational and maintenance costs. In this day, when the need for true economy in government is so vital, it is well to review carefully every proposal which tends to make more demands upon the tax dollar. By certain standards, as pointed out in the report, Massachusetts can better afford to make expenditures for recreation facilities than some of her sister states. We are building a magnificent system of highways which not only attracts the visitors from other states, but also encourages our own citizens to travel within the State. Unless we keep abreast of the trend of the times, our visitors and our own citizens will use our highways simply as cross- state routes to (4) other states where better facilities are provided. So the question "Can we afford to start this program?" should be amended to read ' Can we afford NOT to start it?" Recreationwise, Massachusetts has everything! The vacationist, the traveler, the camper, the sportsman, the day-tripper, the beach goer, the picnicker, the nature lover- -each can find what he seeks: from the Berkshires to Cape Cod; spectacular mountains, rolling hills, majestic rivers, surging streams, broad valleys, deep gorges, stately forests, serene countryside, fertile farms, green pastures, quaint towns, improved highways, country lanes, industrial centers, sprawling cities, picturesque vistas, placid lakes and ponds, safe harbors, white sand beaches, as well as rugged and rocky coastline, unspoiled sand dunes, abundance of fish, game and wildlife, together with countless points of scenic, historic and cultural interest. Most aptly this Commonwealth has been called the "Cross Section of America." Drafts of the following proposed legislation to carry the recom- mendations of the report into effect appear in an appendix: 1. An ACT Relative to the Acquisition of Lands for State Parks and Forests. 2. An ACT Providing for the Development of State Parks, State Forests and Recreation Areas by the Department of Natural Resources. 3. An ACT Extending the Time Within Which the Department of Natural Resources Shall File Its Report on Forests and Other Natural Resources of the Commonwealth. These recommendations constitute a pattern for the acquisition of public lands and their protection and development for the enjoyment and use by the public in the foreseeable future. The Board of Natural Resources and the Commissioner are in full agreement that a comprehensive program should be initiated immediately with these recommendations as a general basis. Respectfully -submitted. Francis W. Sargent Commissioner of Natural Resources OKAN a. EDWARDS OUV HCLCeV LAWRCNCe T. secN WILLIAM L.HANAVAM GOHSULTANTS THOMAS BUCKCeV LAOia H. C9ANYI E D W A RDS, KeLCEY AND BeCK CONSULTINGENGINEERS 470 ATLANTIC AVENUE • BOSTON lO, MASS. TCLEPHONC LIBCRTV 8 - -4876 ASSOCMTCe WILL H. SMITH tiOSCPH W. LAVIN H.JACK LCONARD OOROON L.KIRJASSOrr OeOROe H. LCLANO June 7, 1957 Mr. Francis W. Sargent, Ccmmissioner Massachusetts Department of Natural Resources 15 Ashburton Place Boston, Massachusetts Dear Commissioner Sargent: In accordance with our agreement of November 5, 1956, we are pleased to submit our report on an Inventory and Plan For Development of the Natural Resources of Massachusetts, Part 11, Public Outdoor Recre- ation, We have investigated the present status of recreational facilities administered by various departments, boards and commissions of the Commonwealth. In addition, extensive factual information was gathered and analyzed. Field reconnaissance was conducted throughout the state to ascertain existing conditions. This report presents our findings, together with pertinent maps, tables and charts, ar\d our recommendations for a program of acquisition and development for park, forest and ocean beach lands. We have appreciated the opportunity to undertake these studies, and are grateful for the cordial cooperation and valuable assistance of the Department, its staff and the officials of other public and private agencies. Very truly yox^rs, EDWARDS, KELCEY and BECK GUY KELCEY Partner GK/ks a WILLIAM STREET NEWARK a, NEW JCRBEV EBO PARK AVENUE NEW VORH 17, N. Y. cables: LATCCKS, NEW YORK ISOS WALNUT BTRKET PHILADELPHIA a. PA. CONTENTS I Scope and Purpose . , n Conclusions and Hecommendatlons eeeeea9*««ae98Q S • A • 9 « • Oflceeeeooee^eoove oeaeaeeceetOQso s«*e9oeos4e*ov ooeeoe«eeooeee9oe ni Summary rv Introduction . V Historical . , , VI Inventory VII Analysis ..,.,,. Vm Development of Program . IX Effectuation of Program . X Legislation . XI Acknowledgments ...... eaeeeee*e oeoeeeostoG eeo«o*9ee«c ooeoaoeeo e a • • 6 • 0 e fi e 9 0 • 0 0 e e « • c 0 0 « 0 9 e 1 3 5 11 19 23 31 53 73 83 85 APPENDICES A. Order of Priority of Acquisition and Development 87 B. Detailed Descriptions of Areas Proposed for Acquisition and Development , 103 C. Inventory of Public Lands of Conservation and Recreation Significance , . . 151 D. Existing and Proposed Flood Control Projects with Recreation Potential , , , 161 E. Interim Report 165 F. Drafts of Suggested Legislation , 179 ILLUSTRATIONS 1. Regional Areas in Massachusetts (Dept. of Commerce) . 25 2. Capacities and Facilities in State Parks, Forests and Reservations 26 3. Existing Recreation Facilities 27 4. Partial Inventory - Points of Historic and Cultural Interest in Massachusetts . 29 5. U. S. Population Age Groups 31 6. U. S. Population Characteristics , 32 7. Population Densities of Urbanized Areas in Northeastern United States ... 33 8. Fifty Million Persons Within One Days Drive of Massachusetts 34 9. Gross National Product 35 10. Personal Consumption Expenditures 36 11. Index of Per Capita Disposable Income and Consumer Prices 37 12. Average Work Week . 38 13. U. S. Auto Registration and Visitors to National Parks 39 14. Massachusetts Auto Registration , 40 15. Expenditures for Recreation 41 16. Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Licenses in Massachusetts 42 17. Personal Income and Capital Expenditures for State Parks 46 18. Recreation Preferences (State Park Visitors- U. S.) 48 19. Recreation Preferences (Mass. Vacation Travelers) 49 20. Municipal Fresh Water Beaches and Population 50 21. Partial Inventory - Municipal Ocean Beaches 51 22. A Basic Design of a State Park 61 23. Proposed Design for Park Structures 64 24. Estimated Cost of Acquisition and Development Program 66 25. Breakdown of Estim.ated Costs 67 26. Suggested Planning and Administrative Districts 68 27. Index of Land Valuations 73 28. Distribution of Existing and Proposed Recreation Facilities 78 28a. Capacityof Recreation Areas in Relation to Driving Time From. Urban Areas . 78 28b. Capacity of Recreation Areas by Regions 78 29. Suggested Financing Plans 80 Master Plan (Inside Back Cover) SCOPE AND PURPOSE A clear and complete understanding of the SCOPE of this report depends on the realization that it.ia only one integral part of the compre- henjSivjBjjivestigationof the natural resources of the Commonwealth author- ized by Chapter 471 of the Acts of 1955. That act calls for the preparation of along range plan by the Department of Natural Resources for the appro- priate use and development of the natural resources for the benefit of the tJommonweaith and its people. Part I, a generalized report on the natural resources as a whole, was submitted in June, 1956. This report, Part II, treats the recreation-vacation travel phase of the^jjroblem^ the future development of state parks, forests and beaches ^jid their inter-relation with the other resources of the State. The PURPOSE of the report is:- To determine the outdoor recreation needs of the people of Massa- chusetts and its visitors from other states. To ascertain the adequacy of existing public recreation facilities to meet the needs. To investigate and analyze the possibilities of expanding and im- proving existing public recreation areas. To establish the availability of areas suitable for acquisition for state park or beach development. Todefine the proper use and development of such areas, based upon suitability, location, accessibility and integral relation to the total program. To ascertain the probable cost of a recommended program. To consider the relationship between outdoor recreation and the vacation-travel industry and the important economic impact of the latter. To recognize the distinction between public and private outdoor recreation, also their interrelationship. To give to the Department of Natural Resources a properly docu- mented long range plan as a guide to the future planning of the recreation phase of natural resources conservation and development. To recommend in detail a course of action, by which the recom- mended program can be effectuated. ■1- CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Conclusions The public outdoor recreation facilities of Massachusetts are in- adequate to meet the needs of today. If they are inadequate today, they will be grossly deficient to meet the needs of the future. The present inadequacy is the result of a combination of factors, such as increased population, more leisure time, more money to spend, better highways, better transportation, better health, longer life span and a greater urge for enjoyment of outdoor recreation. Future demand for public outdoor recreation opportunities will be affected by these same factors. .' The funds that vacation travelers import into the Commonwealth contribute substantially to its economy. It is estimated conservatively that out-of-state visitors spend about $250 million here annually. Twenty-five million of this represents net profit to the people and the State receives another five million in taxes. The potential increase in this business war- rants vigorous promotional activity. The opening of the Massachusetts turnpike and other highway improvements in this and neighboring states make such activity particularly opportune at this time. Massachusetts needs a comprehensive, long-range program to pro- vide ample and adequate facilities for outdoor recreation. Of primary importance in this program is the need for acquiring additional areas to supplement the scope of present facilities. Suitable sites for public recreation are rapidly disappearing due to the continued increase in private and commercial developm.ent. Unless immediate steps are taken to acquire areas for recreation purposes it will be too late. Besides providing recreational areas, the acquisition of property will facilitate conservation of the State's natural resources, which includes preservation of the natural beauty of the m.any outstanding examples of un- spoiled scenic landscapes. The responsibility for the provision of recreational areas does not rest solely upon the State. There is opportunity for cooperative local par- ticipation. Further coordinated planning and clarification of the various levels of responsibility are essential to provide the most suitable arrange- ment of facilities which would yield maximum benefits to the people of the Commonwealth. The effectuation of a program of acquisition and development could be expedited by the adoption of a system of priorities based upon needs and availability of land and funds. This report carries the solution of the recreation problem through the inventory, guide plan and priority definition stage. There is still need for immediate initiation of preliminary surveys, site planning and detailed cost estimates. -3- To attempt to pay for the program, estimated to cost about $100 million, out of current income would result in unreasonable demands upon the State's finances. Spreading the cost throughout a thirty-year period will ease the burden. Other phases of the inventory and long-range plan authorized by Chapter 471 of the Acts of 1955 still remain to be accomplished to com- plete the whole program of natural resources development, of which rec- reation is only one of the component parts. Without the final determination of all of the components the whole cannot function properly. Recommendations It is recommended: That a long-range comprehensive, well coordinated twenty-year program of acquisition and development of recreation areas be instituted at once. That the major part of the program be accomplished during the first five years. That existing areas be developed to their fullest efficient capacities. That, based upon priorities suggested, the necessary lands be ac- quired. That the right of the Department of Natural Resources to take prop- erty by eminent domain for park purposes be defined. That, insofar as practicable, all areas acquired and/or developed shall be preserved in their natural state. That the desirability of protective zoning, local or regional, as re- lated to recreational areas be considered. That the cost of the program, estimated to be about $100 million, be met by the sale of long-term, bonds of the Commonwealth That, if possible, the facilities developed be self-supporting. That the responsibilities of other agencies, county, municipal and quasi-public be considered with a view toward cooperative action in the recreation field. That particular attention be directed toward the preparation of preliminary surveys, site plans and cost estimates of the recomm.ended areas. That the inventory and long-range plan of natural resources devel- opment authorized by Chapter 471 of the Acts of 1955 be continued and that the time for filing the final report thereunder be extended to the first Wednesday in December 1958 and That the sum of $250,000 be appropriated to carry out the provi- sions of Chapter 471. -4- SUMMARY Public Outdoor Recreation Facilities are Inadequate in Massachusetts Massachusetts is greatly in need of an aggressive, well-planned, well-coordinated program to bring public outdoor recreation facilities into balance with the present and future demand. Analysis of the factors affecting future prospects discloses no evi- dence that rising demand will level off in the foreseeable future. The im- pact of the prospective increase of population together with the other in- fluencing factors, points to the conclusion that total demand will double during the next 20 years. If Massachusetts had adequate accommodations now, there would be need for a program under which they would be doubled by 1977. They are not adequate at present. To be adequate in 1977, the capacity of the accommodations for public outdoor recreation in the parks, forests and reservations will have to be four times the present capacity in addition to a substantial increase in public ocean beaches. This is a matter of grave social and economic importance to the Commonwealth. Time is short. Exploitation of remaining suitable sites for private use is proceeding at an alarming rate. Frontage on water, fresh and salt, is the most desirable feature of areas serving recreational needs. Areas with good water frontages are already critically scarce. Only slightly less scarce are areas which possess any recreation potential whatever. A perceptible shortage of opportunities for public outdoor rec- reation will tend to increase dissatisfaction with Massachusetts as a place to live and work. It will also have adverse effects on the Commonwealth's extremely lucrative vacation travel business --profitable now and poten- tially much more so. The social and economic circumstances surrounding life in the United States have changed greatly during the last 50 years. This change is still going on. Despite a rapid increase in population, standards of liv- ing have skyrocketed. Urban population has, since 1880, increased by more than 500 percent. Rural population has grown only about 70 percent. There is only about one-eighth of an acre per resident in the urbanized areas. Nearly half of the people in the Nation live on less than one-half of one percent of the land. This severely-crowded half of the population needs and demands opportunity for temporary escape. Automobiles and modern highway sys- tems make escape possible. At every opportunity, people head for the open spaces- -the mountains, the lakes, the woods and the seashore. People also have more money to spend on outdoor recreation than they used to have. Despite taxes and inflation, paying for the necessities takes less out of their disposable incomes than it ever has before. Where- as consumer prices have just about doubled since 1939, per capita dispos- able personal income has more than trebled. The man who earned $40.00 a week in 1939 earns $125.00 a week now--after taxes. If the bare essen- tials cost him $35.00 a week in 1939, they cost him a little less than $70.00 a week now. Much more money goes into anaenities today than was the case 20 years ago. Public outdoor recreation is one of those amenities. The work week has shortened. Workers arrive on the job later and leave earlier than they did. They have longer vacations and paid vacations are rapidly becoming standard. People are living longer and enjoying bet- ter health in their later years. The ease and speed of travel have brought a condition under which the unit of measure of travel is tirae--not distance. The number of auto- mobiles in the Nation is 100 times as great as it was in 1910, Highway sys- tems have correspondingly increased carrying capacities. The sharp rise in the number of visitors to national and state parks illustrates how the demand for public outdoor recreation facilities has grown. The number of visitors to the national parks was 3.25 million in 1930. In 1955, it was 50 million. Between 1941 and 1955, the annual at- tendance at the state parks increased from 97 million to 183 million. Rec- creation centers in the Massachusetts state parks and forests have felt a similarly heightening pressure. Recreation is Indispensable People will not, by and large, continue to stay in environments which offer unduly limited opportunities for recreation- -the pleasurable and con- structive use of leisure time. They are no longer obliged to expend all their energies in an effort merely to stay alive. The economic strain has diminished greatly in the last 100 years--in the last 50 years. The demand for recreational facilities, particularly for outdoor recreation, has out- grown the capacity and abilities of private property and enterprise. The Twentieth Century has witnessed the evolution of a strong demand for op- portunities for outdoor recreation on lands owned and administered by the towns, the cities, the counties, the states and the Nation. The phenomenal nationwide growth of state park systenas is an answer to this demand. Massachusetts is only one of the states which have built up extensive and highly developed state park systems during the past 20 to 50 years. Because of its many miles of ocean frontage, the Commonwealth has a special opportunity to provide superior recreational facilities on oceanbeaches. There is a natural affinity between recreation and beaches. People want to get near and into the water. This combination~of circum- stances places the Commonwealth's public beach program at an extremely high level of importance. What Massachusetts Has There are 21 state parks, eight state reservations and 105 state forests with an aggregate area of nearly 190,000 acres in Massachusetts. In addition to the beaches operated by the Metropolitan District Commis- sion, there are five state beaches. Three are now in operation. Work on the other two is progressing rapidly. Two of the state parks have salt water frontage and are being prepared for public beach use. Of major importance to the Commonwealth is its attraction to sightseers. They come primarily to see the historic sites and places which have acquired widespread fame for other reasons. The interest of these people however is not confined exclusively to sightseeing. They also want to swim, fish, picnic, sail or otherwise enjoy themselves while they -6- are vacationing in the State; Massachusetts has an opportunity to capitalize heavily on this combination of reasons why people like to come here. They are not likely to make repeat visits merely to see Paul Revere' s house or the Minute Man a second time. They will be more apt to come again if they had a good time at the beach, or a lake shore, or in some other pleasing recreational environment. The Need for More and Better Accommodations for Recreationists It is clearly apparent that Massachusetts needs an energetic pro- gram directed toward provision of ample and adequate facilities for public outdoor recreation--ample in number and size and adequate in character. The state government should immediately authorize the Department of Natural Resources to proceed with a long-range program of expansion and improvement of the outdoor recreational facilities available to the public. The details of this program appear elsewhere in this report.' In essence, it will involve the expansion and improvement of recreation areas on the parks, forests and beaches already in possession of the Common- wealth and under the administration of the responsible State agencies. It will also consist of the acquisition and subsequent development of a con- siderable number of additional areas which are endowed with natural or potential characteristics complying with essential standards. The Acute Need for Immediate Action Certain areas have been designated as "critical". This does not m.ean that the situation with respect to other areas is not critical. The speed with which still unspoiled and undeveloped areas, capable of meeting the public need, are being developed and spoiled by subdividers and other private developers, is truly alarming. The term "critical" is used in rela- tive sense. Some areas are under such threat of becoming permanently unavailable as to make their situation highly critical. Where this condition exists, we recommend acquisition with the least possible delay- -within not more than a few weeks or, at the most, months. There is also an acute need for further expansion and improvement, with the minimum of delay, of a number of outdoor recreation centers al- ready established in the state parks and forests and on the beaches. Intol- erable overcrowding is chronic on some of these areas. More facilities for camping, picnicking, swimming, boating, fishing, hunting, and other recreational activity are needed. The work is progressing but not rapidly enough or on a sufficiently large scale. The Necessity for a Plan of Action The recommended action program should be based on and should follow a carefully prepared and properly coordinated plan which should embrace both long-range and immediate action. There is acute need for the preparation and adoption of such a plan in a manner that will insure a sufficiency of outdoor recreation facilities and that will also best advance the vacation travel industry in Massachusetts. There is also need for an expanded program of public information and education. Thus, the citizens of Massachusetts may derive the fullest possible enjoyment and benefit -7- from all available forms of outdoor recreational activity. Of major im- portance is a program to publicize the State's attraction to sightseers and vacationists from outside the State. The potential increase in expenditures by such visitors is of major economic importance to the Massachusetts community. Scheduling The deficiency of public accommodations for outdoor recreationists is substantial; Ideally, it should be eliminated at once. This is not prac- tical. Alternatively, adoption of a program whereby the deficiency would be wiped out 20 years from now could be considered. Such a program is unrealistic for two reasons. Though diminishing, the deficiency would per- sist throughout the period. More importantly, such a leisurely approach to the acquisition of needed areas would result in their becoraing unavail- able. The suggested compromise is a program under which the facilities catch up with the demand in five years- -between the beginning of 1958 and the end of 1962. To achieve this objective, it is possible to conceive a program of development which accomplishes one -fifth of the needed work each year. Acquisition of needed additional lands is, however, another story. This part of the program should be completed as rapidly as possible without regard to the purely present need. Great harm to the long-range program can easily result from failure to make control of these lands def- initely secure. The Objective The ultimate objective of the proposed program is a condition under which the accommodations for public outdoor recreation, having been brought into balance with the demand by 1962, will still be adequate to the demand in 1977 --twenty years from now. The accommodations will be deemed adequate if they meet the statewide need and, also, if they are distributed geographically in accordance with the distribution of the population, with particular reference to the heavily-populated urbanized areas. Statewide field surveys clearly demonstrate the feasibility of the proposal that, by 1977, the capacity of the accommodations in the state park (and state forest) system be four times their present capacity. The facilities in parks and forests now owned can be expanded. Other proper- ties, complying with essential standards, can be acquired if action is not too long delayed. The ocean beaches have for many years provided recreational op- portunities for the people who live in Massachusetts and who come to the State from elsewhere. Because of their proximity to the most heavily- populated portion of the State, the dem.and on them has been, and continues to be, heavy. As a result, they have been developed to a point at which the aggregate capacity of all the state -operated beaches is eight times that of the parks, forests and reservations. Beaches administered by the Metro- politan District Commission account for about 80 percent of this capacity. Prospective future demand reflects the need to increase the capacity of the ocean beaches, other than those administered by the Metropolitan District Commission, by approximately 75 percent during the next 20 years. -8- It is possible now to accommodate about 35,000 people comfortably at one time in the state parks, forests and reservations outside the juris- diction of the Metropolitan District Commission. It is proposed that this capacity be increased to between 140,000 and 150,000 by 1977. The ocean beaches, other than those administered by the Metro- politan District Commission, are able to accommodate about 85,000 people at the present time. This study shows that, by 1977, the capacity of these beaches should also be increased to provide accommodations for between 140,000 and 150,000 people. Financing The suggested program does not propose the provision of unneeded luxuries for the people. Neither does it propose expenditures which merely exhaust the financial resources of the State. What it proposes is the wise use of capital for the creation of new wealth- -wealth which will be reflected in an improved economic status for the Commonwealth and its people and which will be returned to the Commonwealth many fold in the future. The investment of capital, in the proper ratio, to increase the fu- ture income from vacation travel is clearly desirable. Other states are working hard to take this business away. Not so clear, but of equal im- portance, is the wisdom of investment to improve living conditions in Mass- achusetts. To the extent that this is done, a larger number of productive workers will resist the lure of other places where they might find better living and outdoor recreational facilities. Moreover, fewer citizens of Massachusetts will be inclined to export funds as vacation travelers in other states. A properly conceived and executed program will minimize this tendency. Svifficient funds should be provided to make the fulfillment of the suggested program possible. Because of the econom.ic importance of the whole complex of the natural resources of Massachusetts, continuation of the study authorized by Chapter 471 of the Acts of 1955 is urgent. The Act calls for a comprehensive master plan for the development and manage- ment of the State's natural resources. The preparation of such a plan will require several years of still -uncompleted work. Adequate prosecution of this study will require the earmarking and periodic disbursement of a total of $250,000. INTRODUCTION For many years the American people, if they thought about it at all, regarded the abundance of our natural resources as inexhaustible. There appeared to be no need for conservation or even of prudence in their use. The result was wasteful and even reckless exploitation of these assets which are so vital to our welfare. The people of Massachusetts have been no exception. Directly or indirectly, the livelihood of the great majority is based on a manufacturing economy which places little dependence on the natural resources of the State. Their thinking has naturally been directed mainly toward the need to keep the manufacturing aspect of the Commonwealth's economy in a state of healthy growth. The last 50 years have shown unmistakable evidence, however, of a widespread and increasing awareness that the Nation can no longer afford to neglect its natural resources. The citizens of Massachusetts have dis- played a similar awareness and legislation enacted by the General Court in recent years is evidence of realization that past policies and action pro- grams have been inadequate to the need. Chapter 631 of the Acts of 1953 established the Department of Nat- ural Resources as the state agency authorized todirect the Commonwealth's activities in the field of natural resources. Chapter 471 of the Acts of 1955 directed this Department to take inventory of the natural resources in the possession or under the control of any board, office or institution of the Commonwealth and to prepare a long-range plan for their appro- priate use and development. Chapter 591 of the Acts of 1956 authorized continuation of this project for another year through 1957. THE NATURAL RESOURCES What are the natural resources of Massachusetts and how important are they? Chapter 631 defines them as: "Ocean, shellfish and inland fish- eries; wild birds, including song and insectivorous birds; wild mammals and game; sea and fresh water fish of every description; forests and all uncultivated flora, together with public shade and ornamental trees and shrubs; lakes, ponds and streams, coastal, underground and surface wa- ters; minerals and natural deposits." Soil is not specifically mentioned but can be assumed as included among the natural deposits. Land For practical purposes of inventory and planning, the land itself is a vital natural resource. Land is living space, the space occupied by our cities and towns, our manufacturing establishments and other sources of employment, our highways and other means of transportation, our farms and forests, our beaches and our world-famous historic sites. The more than five million acres of land in Massachusetts support a scenic backdrop equal, in its inherent character, to any in the Nation. When, in 1840, less than 750,000 people lived in Massachusetts there were seven acres of land per person. There is now one acre per person. Moreover, casual attitudes toward the land have created a condi- -11- tion under which nearly half the area of the state makes little or no contri- bution to its economy or its general welfare. Effective land-use planning is essential if the Commonwealth is to escape chaotic and damaging mis- use of the land even in the near future. Massachusetts can no longer af- ford indiscriminate and wasteful use of its land resource. Water The establishment, by Chapter 620 of the Acts of 1956, of a Massa- chusetts Division of Water Resources demonstrates recognition of surface, coastal and underground water as one of the State's vital natural re- sources. Recent developments in Washington disclose a growing national awareness that the problems of the water resource embrace m.uch m.ore than irrigation and flood control. Current federal reports point out in- consistencies in relation to water resources in legislation and in the poli- cies of various federal agencies. Much progress has been made toward a coordinated and cooperative approach to solution of national water prob- lems. It may be true, as is popularly believed, that Massachusetts has ample water for present and future needs but, because the Commonwealth must be sure of an adequate supply, it is imperative that coordinated anal- ysis and planning be undertaken promptly. The Division of Water Resources, a separate entity within the Department of Natural Resources, will be re- sponsible for the implementation of such a program. The water supply problem embraces such contributory aspects as flood control, watershed protection, water storage, rivers and harbors, wetlands, water power, pollution control and the administration of Great Ponds. There is need for continued study to complete the inventory and plan for conservation and development of the State's water resources. Forests To understand the importance of the forests as a natural resource, one must look at New England as a whole. Its forests contribute heavily to the economic and social welfare of the region. They add to the pleasing aspect of the landscape, provide a favorable habitat for wildlife, have a purifying effect on the water supply, retard soil erosion and narrow the range between maximum and minimum flows in our rivers and streams. Forest-based industries stand third in New England and fourth in Massachusetts among the m.ajor manufacturing groups in terms of numbers employed, total payroll and value of products shipped. Pulp and paper manufacture leads in importance. The value of paper and allied products, shipped annually by New England m.ills, is more than one billion dollars; lumber and wood furniture account for most of another $500 million value of shipments from forest industries. Paper and paper products manufacture is also the most important wood-using industry in Massachusetts. Its mills consume 350,000 tons of new wood pulp per year, practically all of which comes from sources out- side the State. This is not because the forests of Massachusetts are not inherently capable of producing large quantities of pulpwood - it is be- cause past mistreatnaent has brought them to low levels of productivity. Excessive and unwise cutting, fire, insects and tree diseases have caused severe depletion of the resource. Until good, modern forestry methods -12- are more generally applied, depletion of the forest resource will continue. Massachusetts needs a sound forestry program to reverse this trend. The state program should envisage a time when the forests will bring hundreds of m.illions of dollars of additional income to the people. Good management of the forest resource will bring other and even greater economic and social benefits and values. It will reduce the flood hazard. It will increase and improve the supply of water for domestic and industrial use. It will conserve the soil. It will improve the wildlife hab- itat. It will preserve the state's scenic attractions to the residents and to visiting vacationists. The area of forest land in Massachusetts has increased steadily for many years and continues to increase as agricultural use of the land declines. Present evidence indicates that more than half of the land area of the state will be available for forestry for as many years as it is pos- sible to foresee. The future prospects for forestry present Massachusetts with opportunities which it must grasp. The need to formulate a realistic forestry program as a phase of this general natural resources planning project, is inescapable. Beaches Ocean and inland beaches present invaluable recreational opportuni- ties to the people of Massachusetts and have far-reaching effects on the social health and welfare of the community. The popular appeal of ocean beaches has been so great that only a small portion of their total length remains available for unrestricted public use. Acquisition for private and otherwise restrictive development are proceeding rapidly and impose still further limitations on the use of these beaches by the people as a whole. Unless something is done promptly to protect the. public interest through acquisition by the State of as yet undeveloped ocean beaches, the opportunity will be permanently lost. The situation with respect to inland beaches is, on the whole, even more critical than in the case of the ocean beaches. Time is shortening rapidly and there is great need for early action - otherwise the State naay well face an insoluble problem in its responsibility to insure that facilities will be adequate to the public's needs. Subsequent text in this report will deal with the ocean and inland beach problem in detail. Minerals Massachusetts is one of the poorer states as far as metallic min- eral deposits are concerned although, because of its glacial history, stone, sand, gravel and certain useful clays are relatively abundant. For scien- tific determination of the relation of the State's mineral resources to new industrial processes, geologic research should be expanded and a prospec- tus of the types and locations of mineral elements likely to come into com- m.ercial use should be drawn up. The Department of Natural Resources should administer this program with other agencies concerned on a co- operative basis. Soil is the basic resource of the more than four million acres of agricultural and forest land in the state. Soil conservation is an indis- pensable feature of any program dealing with the natural resources of the nation, a state or a minor civil division. It calls for a continuing program of investigation and planning at the state level in Massachusetts. -13- Fish and Wildlife The marine fisheries resource accounts for, in Massachusetts, an annual catch of more than 500 million pounds of seafood valued, at dock- side, at $40 million. This is 70 percent of all seafood landed at New Eng- land ports. Involving the use of 3,000 or more boats and providing em- ployment for 25,000 persons, the Massachusetts fisheries industry has an annual estim.ated final value of $160 million. Both inland and ocean waters provide increasingly popular sports fishing. It is estimated that salt water fishing alone attracts 100,000 an- glers who spend $18 million annually. There is growing interest in hunting and fishing in Massachusetts. Sportsmen spend nearly $75 million a year in the State in addition to pay- ment for hunting and fishing licenses. Wisely coordinated land use man- agement will allot wildlife areas in proportion to the mounting demand for good hunting and fishing. Much more study is needed to provide a basis for incorporation of a fish and wildlife program into an overall plan for the prudent management of the State's natural resources. Inter- relationship The natural resources discussed above are an integral part of the environment of the nearly five million people of the Commonwealth, More- over, the various natural resources are in themselves closely inter-re- lated. It is possible to inventory and appraise them and to devise a sound plan for their coordinated development only by dealing with them as a single functioning entity. Modern natural resource m.anagement is based on realization that appraising the value of these resources, in terms of any single use or benefit, is impossible. The multiplicity of purposes of the forests, for example, has already been mentioned. The multiple use aspect of the water resource is immediately apparent. Water is an in- dispensable household commodity. Without process water, many manu- facturing industries could not operate. Water is power. It is also the habitat of fish and other aquatic life which meet the food and recreational needs of the people. Study of the natural resources of the Comm.onwealth must consider their relationship to New England as a whole. It must also consider their relationship to such man-made resources as transportation systems and historic relics. Massachusetts is particularly rich in the latter. Massa- chusetts is also rich in scenic values. In a negative sense, scenic values are man-made because of the ease with which they can be damaged. Ad- vertising signs, uncontrolled commercial development, rural slums, dumps and slashed or burned forest lands are examples of human activity ad- verse to scenic effects. In contrast, it is possible to enhance resource values by installing improved outdoor recreation facilities in state parks, state forests and on other public lands. Planning for a coordinated pro- gram of public recreation on state lands is an indispensable element of any approach to comprehensive development of the natural resources of the Commonwealth. THE RELATED RESOURCES Transportation The railroads, the airlines and particularly the highway system bear an intimate relationship with the natural resources of the Common- -14- wealth by making them more readily accessible. In planning for long- range natural resource management, full consideration of transportation facilities is of paramount importance. New, high-speed highways bring natural areas which have hitherto been relatively inaccessible within easy reach of increasing numbers of people. Responsibility for coordinated protection of these areas against misuse and provision for transportation and other facilities to insure maxi- mum enjoyment by the public falls' logically on the state government. Conversely, the majority of tourists, whether from within or with- out the state, will miss the pleasure of some of the state's most attractive features if they travel only on the major or secondary highways. As a re- sult of recognition of this truth, recent state legislation has authorized the establishment of a system of tourists routes to be carefully designed to meet the special needs of the vacationists, recreationists and sightseers. These routes will provide for leisurely travel by people more interested in the wayside attractions than in arriving at their destinations in a hurry. Historic Sites Time has endowed m.any towns, buildings, monuments and other historic memorabilia in Massachusetts with values comparable with those of the true natural resources. The attraction they exert runs so closely parallel that attention to them is inescapable in any planning program such as that contemplated here. Outdoor Recreation There is nationwide realization of the public's need for outdoor recreation. For many years, private properties met this need fully on a paid for or free-use basis. However, this condition no longer exists. As the population has increased and people have more leisure, longer vacations and more money to spend on recreation, the demand for publicly-owned recreation facilities has surged upward. Installation and maintenance of permanent improvements to increase recreational oppor- tunities in national and state parks, forests and other public properties have become common practices. Massachusetts has built up a state park and state forest system but it has done far less to develop public recreation facilities on these lands than have, as a whole, the other states in the nation. The Common- wealth's public facilities for outdoor recreation are clearly inadequate for present needs. Prospective future needs make a stepped-up program of acquisition of additional lands and further development of public recrea- tional facilities imperative. State Responsibilities Thus, Massachusetts faces an immediate crisis in its responsibility to provide its citizens and its vacationing visitors with adequate oppor- tunities for public outdoor recreation. In realization of this now obvious fact, the first definitive phase of the State's comprehensive study of its natural resources is devoted to public recreation. This report presents the results of that study in detail. -15- THE PRELIMINARY REPORT Compliance with the provisions of Chapter 471 of the Acts of 1955 took the form, initially, of the preparation of a preliminary report which was completed in June, 1956. That report includes an inventory of the natural and related resources of the Commonwealth and a general apprais- al of their social and economic importance. The above discussion of these resources is based largely on the results of that appraisal. It became clearly apparent, even in the early stages of preparation of the preliminary report, that several years of work would be required for the preparation of a sufficiently thorough and comprehensive master plan for long-range management of all of the natural resources of the Comnaonwealth. The many complexities of the component details must be clarified. Specific needs must be determined and the basis for a detailed action program provided. Planning for the development of each separate resource must be done with careful attention to the needs of, and effects on, the other resources. The result must be a completely coordinated program. To accomplish these purposes, the preliminary report recommends continuation and expansion of the natural resources study. It envisages the need, during the period of years covered by the study, of appropria- tions for the purpose totalling at least $300,000. Selection of First Definitive Phase Chapter 591 of the Acts of 1956 authorized continuation of the study through the calendar year 1957. Other legislation enacted by the General Court made an appropriation of $50,000 available for this purpose. The Department of Natural Resources had, on the basis of its ex- perience, already come to the conclusion that, when legislative authoriza- tion for continuation of the study was granted, the first definitive phase should concern itself with public outdoor recreation and vacation travel. The results of the preliminary study confirm.ed the wisdom of this con- clusion. The recreation and vacation phases of natural resource manage- ment are particularly vulnerable to irrevocable loss unless vigorous steps are taken to retrieve lost ground which has resulted from the rapidly- changing economic and social structure of the State. Subsequent sections of this report will present the detailed justification of this observation to- gether with suggestions for corrective action, INTERIM REPORT One conspicuous aspect of the changed and changing economic and social scene as it affects public recreation is the rapidity with which de- sirable beach, mountain and lakeside areas are being denied to public use by acquisition and development for private occupancy and com.mercial pur- poses. If opportunity for use by the public is to be kept in balance with the need shown by the preliminary report, equally rapid acquisition by the State is urgent. Field work done as a part of this study disclosed a number of spe- cific areas suitable for recreation and vacation use, the immediate status -16- of which was highly critical. These properties were either on the market or private developers had designs on them. There was real danger that they might no longer be available for acquisition by the State at the time of completion of this report. To cope with this danger, to the extent possible, a special interim report was submitted to the Commissioner of Natural Resources on January 24, 1957. This interim report gave information on 15 areas in the Berkshire Hills and Cape Cod regions which were recommended as particularly suit- able for incorporation into the system of state parks and forests. It also recommended immediate attention to these areas to remove the possibility, to the maximum practical extent, that early private development or pur- chase by others might interfere with their acquisition by the State. The interim report also supplied information on seven additional areas which would comprise a part of the long-range program of acquisi- tion and development. Although acquisition of these areas is not im- m.ediately urgent, they were mentioned because of their influence on the development of the more urgently-needed areas and on the consolidation and general improvement of the whole state park-state forest system. The interim report includes comment on the existing legal status of land acquisition by the Department of Natural Resources. It makes sug- gestions for amendments which would remove obstacles which appear, in view of the existing emergency, to impose excessive restrictions on ac- quisition by the Department. Appendix E includes a copy of this interim report. •17- HISTORICAL Origin and Early Development of Outdoor Recreation Generally frowned upon in early colonial days as a waste of time, outdoor recreation as we know it today was largely confined to hunting and fishing. These activities were favored, however, more as means of pro- viding food than as pleasurable pursuits. In more recent years there has been a progressive easing of eco- nomic pressure upon increasing numbers of people. Changing conditions have developed a growing understanding that recreation should not only be condoned but that it is indispensable to maintenance of the essential m.ental and physical health of our people. Recreation has been defined as the pleasurable and constructive use of leisure time and a necessary relaxa- tion and release from strain. Use of Private Properties Progressively and in response to popular demands, privately-owned summer resort hotels and other recreational enterprises in the mountains and on the lakes and seashore catered to vacationists. The railroads, the local steamship lines and, later, the trolley lines provided resorts designed for popular one-day outings, thus increasing passenger revenues during the summer months. Hunters, fishermen, picnickers, mountain climbers, hikers and campers roamed the countryside without, except in relatively few cases, having to care about whose land they were on. The- use of private land for these 'purposes, with or without the consent of the owner and quite gener- ally without any financial consideration, was a common, taken for granted privilege. Private enterprise still provides a large aggregate of the facilities that cater to people who seek outdoor recreation for vacations and one- day outings; Numerous resort hotels still do business. There are guest houses, motels and other privately-operated accommodations. It is still possible for people to enter upon many private properties to hunt, fish, picnic, hike, ski or otherwise participate in outdoor activities without fear of incurring the owners active disfavor. Private Properties No Longer Suffice As the population, money for the purpose, leisure time and the use of private passenger automobiles have increased, a revolutionary change has taken place in the general pattern of outdoor recreation. Hunting lands, fishing waters, inland swimming beaches and other privately-owned proper- ties have, to a significant extent, been closed to all except the owners, their friends and m.embers of clubs or associations. In many cases, cities and towns, by one means or another, restrict the use of ocean and inland beaches to residents. There is a growing tendency for towns to prohibit hunting to all except landowners on their own properties. The common practice of subdividing land adjacent to ocean and inland beaches results in loss of their use by the public. "No trespassing" signs and wire fences have become increasingly common features of roadside picnic spots. The -19- attractiveness of those areas still open is usually ruined by the litter left by previous picnickers. Origin and Growth of State Park Systems Fortunately, this changing pattern has neither gone wholly unrecog- nized nor been entirely neglected. The idea of public ownership for the preservation of scenic and historic treasures or other natural phenomena, or m.erely to provide the public with open space originated many years ago. Some public properties, which have great potential recreation values, such as the public rights to the 'VUreat Ponds" and the Province Lands on Cape Cod, date from the earliest history of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Boston Common, perhaps the earliest example of action by a municipality was definitely made a park in 1646. It continued, however, to serve as a community cow pasture until 1830. The original plans of many other cities included specific provision for public parks. The earliest example of the reservation of a large state park for recreation was in the Yosemite Valley of California which was given to the State, together with the Mariposa Grove, by act of Congress in 1865. California returned this area to the Federal Government for incorporation into the present Yosemite National Park 40 years later. Although the last half of the 19th Century witnessed the establish- m.ent of numerous state parks in various parts of the Nation, chiefly, though not entirely on sites possessing historic significance, the extensive de- velopment of state park systems primarily for public recreation purposes did not get under way actively until after 1900. Progress in this direction was given strong impetus mainly by two influencing factors: the develop- ment of the program of conservation of natural resources and the invention and rapid spread of use of the automobile. This means of personal trans- portation has made recreation travel so convenient that it has multiplied demands for more outdoor facilities and other recreational attractions. The demand for places in which to picnic and camp has particularly in- creased. Highway and park developments went together and, in the ma- jority of states, this association is recognized as an important feature in the extension of both. There was early recognition by national, state and local supporters of outdoor recreation, that while large numbers of people have the time and the means to make trips of several weeks duration to the national parks or forests, millions more require opportunities near at hand for week-end or holiday use. They seek refreshment of body and spirit in woods and moun- tains and on the lakes and streams within a few hours of their homes. Far- sighted planners, both public officials and private citizens, saw that state parks and forests, intermediate between purely local and national pre- serves, were urgently needed for the health, welfare and happiness of the public. Their influence in state governments and, in many cases, their generous financial support have speeded developments to a point where state parks and forests now afford one of the most significant advances in our history. These resources are achieving our national objective of giv- ing everyone an opportunity for "the pursuit of happiness". In 1921, when the National Conference on State Parks was organized, there were state parks in only 19 states, and no well-developed system.s. By 1946, only 25 years later, there were 1198 state parks totalling 4,600,000 acres in 47 states. During the next four years, the number of parks in- -20- creased 44 percent to 1725 although the acreage increased only to 4,660,000. Between 1950 and 1954, the number of areas jumped another 18 percent to 2030 and the total acreage rose nine percent to 5,100,000 acres. Oregon had the largest number of parks with 156, covering 55,000 acres, a little more than one percent of the total national area. California was second in number of parks with 143 and also second in aggregate area with 560,000 acres - more than ten percent of the total national area. New York was third in number of parks with 127 but first in area with more than 2,600,000 acres - m.orethan half of the total area of all the state parks in the Nation. Origin and Growth of the State Park System in Massachusetts While the reservation of the 'ttreat Ponds" and the Province Lands for public use dates from the earliest days of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the first agency established to acquire lands for the definite purpose of conservation of scenery and for outdoor recreation was the Trustees of Public Reservations, now known as Trustees of Reservations. A private, non-profit organization authorized by the General Court in 1891. The Metropolitan Park Commission was established a year later. The Mount Greylock Reservation, created in 1898, was the first area to be set aside for recreational purposes. A special commission separate from the Trustees of Reservations was, however, established to adnainister it. By 1928 there were seven such special commissions, each administering a single reservation. The aggregate area of these reserva- tions was nearly 13,000 acres. In 1922, the number of comm.ission-ad- ministered reservations was increased to eight by the creation of the Walden Pond Reservation of 150 acres with its own separate comm.ission. By 1926, the Trustees of Reservations had acquired seven proper- ties totalling 546 acres. It now holds 28 areas with an aggregate of more than 4200 acres. These are widely distributed over the State. The Appalachian Mountain Club held in trust for the public, during a period in the early nineteen hundreds, three small areas totalling a little less than 70 acres. These areas were transferred to the Department of Conservation in 1934. Although they serve similar purposes, the reservations mentioned above do not have the official status of state parks. There were, in 1936, two officially designated state parks in Massachusetts with an aggregate area of less than 2400 acres. The Comm.onwealth now owns 21 state parks covering a little naore than 8100 acres. These parks, administered by the Department of Natural Resources, provide the people, particularly though not solely those who live nearby, with opportunities for outdoor recrea- tion and the enjoyment of special scenic values or other unusual attrac- tions. They are also popular attractions for people coming from other regions and have favorable effects on the State's income from vacation travel business. Massachusetts differs from most of the other States in the extent to which it has given encouragement to the use of the State forests for rec- reational purposes. Comparison of the state park system of Massachu- setts with those of other States does not, in itself, present a true picture of the relative status of Massachusetts with respect to organized public outdoor recreation. Subsequent sections of this report present detailed information on the development of the state forests for recreational pur- poses. -21- Ocean Beaches During the past thirty years or more, attention has been called re- peatedly to the rapidly diminishing shoreline of Massachusetts. Diminish- ing not physically in length and breadth, but diminishing in its ability to pro- vide the people with adequate, publicly owned, publicly used ocean beaches. Every official agency, commission and individual studying the problem during the past quarter-century or more has reaffirmed the warning that a comprehensive, well planned and coordinated program of ocean beach ac- quisition and development must be instituted before private exploitation pro- gresses to a point where such action will be virtually impossible. Public demand for access to salt water is bound to sky-rocket with the opening of the Massachusetts Turnpike and the completion of other projected super- highways including the connecting spur from the New York Thruway. Our coastline will then lie within a day's drive of 50 million people. As far back as 1924, a joint special comm^ission called attention to the need for ocean beach planning and acquisition. It expressed the opinion, however, that the State should not acquire or develop beach reservations unless the towns failed to do so. As an incentive to town participation, legislation was passed in 1926 (Sec. 23A, B, and C. of Chap. 45 G.L.) pro- viding for county assistance to coastal towns in the development of beach projects. The failure of the towns to take advantage of the statute has brought about repeated proposals throughout the years in favor of State beaches. One such, in 1929 proposed the development as state reserva- tions of Duxbury and Salisbury Beaches. Two years later Salisbury was acquired by the Department of Conservation. In 1936, the State Planning Board, recognizing the seriousness of the situation reported that "State owned beach reservations are necessary and should be acquired as rapidly as possible to escape the steadily rising land costs". It recommended a long-range program of acquisition and de- velopment of nine sites, including the ones which now, at long last, are being developed. The same board acting jointly with the National Park Service repeated the same recommendations in a "Park, Parkway and Rec- reation Area" study in 1941. The fears of the earlier students of the problem have been largely confirmed. Sites that could have been obtained at remarkably low prices 15 or 20 years ago have been built up to prohibitive values, making ac- quisition impracticable. In fact private development has already progressed to such a degree that the only shore areas now available are either too dif- ficult of access or undesirable for summer resident use. Massachusetts is not alone in this respect. The National Park Service in its 1955 report, "Our Vanishing Shoreline" covering the entire Atlantic and Gulf coast re- fers to its 1935 report which recommended the acquisition of 12 major strips. In 1955, only one still remained available. Shore areas, which could have been bought in 1935 for $9,000 per mile would have cost $110,000 per mile in 1955. The Department of the Interior concluded after this two-year study that, already, 83 percent of the Atlantic and Gulf Coast was developed, had been acquired for development or was in the process of being developed by private interests. The report also stresses the importance of the outer beach of Cape Cod as a possibility for a national seashore and discusses several of the Massachusetts sites which have been considered in recent years as good State beach possibilities. These are virtually the same as those proposed in the recent report on "Master Plan of Ocean Beaches" which resulted from a study by the Massachusetts Department of Commerce. -22- INVENTORY The laws of the Commonwealth clearly recognize the need and pro- priety of public outdoor recreation. This need is generally recognized among other states and the installation and maintenance of permanent im- provements for the enhancement of recreational opportunities is comm.on practice. Such improvements include parking spaces, recreation buildings, cabins, shelters, restaurants, tent and trailer sites, picnic sites with fire- places and tables, lakeside docks, roads, bridle, ski and hiking trails, comfort stations, bathhouses and other features which add to the conven- ience and enjoyment of the visiting public. In some cases provisions are made for the renting of tents, cabins, boats, canoes, outboard motors, fish- ing tackle and other equipm.ent commonly used in connection with outdoor recreational activities. In attempting to present an overall picture of the present situation with respect to outdoor recreational needs, it appears logical to include consideration of facilities provided at all levels of government. Almost any land that has not been abused by improper or unwise use is suitable for some kind of recreation and in recent years almost every agency that possesses land has, to some extent, entered the recreational field. All of these agencies contribute to the recreational resources of Massachusetts and thus must be considered. An inventory of public outdoor recreation facilities has meaning only when it is made within its proper frame of reference. The frame of reference with which we are concerned is the social and economic status of the people of Massachusetts and the State's physical attributes - its rela- tive desirability as a place to live and work. Among those attributes are climate, topography, scenic attractions and, in fact, all elements contribut- ingto such desirability in comparison to otherplaces to which people might go to live. Massachusetts citizens are fortunate in this respect. They de- rive greater benefit from the natural amenities than do the residents of many of the states. Regardless of the extent to which we take these amen- ities for granted, their importance as forces sustaining the general wel- fare is incalculable. They add substantially to the prospect of the future social and economic success of the Commonwealtho Economic Factors What are the existing economic factors affecting the frame of ref- erence of public outdoor recreation facilities in the Commonwealth? The population of Massachusetts is not increasing as rapidly, for obvious rea- sons, as that of the United States as a whole. Our State already ranks third in the Nation in terms of density of population with about one person per acre - 600 per square mile. The ten urbanized areas within the State had a total population of 3.4 million in 1950. This is 72 percent of the total for the State. In the urbanized areas there were slightly less than 5,000 in- habitants per square mile - about eight per acre. By contrast there are, in the rest of the State, 3.6 acres per inhabitant. Massachusetts people are, on the average, better off than those of the Nation as a whole. In 1954, their per capita personal income was $1,922. For the Nation as a whole it was $1,770. Massachusetts stood thirteenth among the states in this respect. The total valuation of all lands and build- ings in the State in 1950, for property tax purposes, was $6.3 billion, or $1,340 per capita. -23- When the 1950 census was taken, there were 1.8 million employed persons in Massachusetts, 50 percent of the number 14 years old and over. This percentage is the same as for the whole United States. In 1954, the sales of the 53,000 retail establishments in Massa- chusetts totalled $5.5 billion, 31 percent more than total sales of $4.2 billion in 1948. The rise in consumer prices accounts for only about one- third of this increase. The balance is in the greater volume of business done. Vacation Travel There is a shortage of precise information on vacation travel in Massachusetts. The American Automobile Association estimates that 72 million people in the Nation took at least one vacation trip in 1955. The average vacation trip party includes three persons and extends over a two to three-week period. Eighty-five percent travelled by automobile a total distance of 11.5 billion miles and spent $11.2 billion, $156 per person. The Crowell-CoUier Publishing Company estimates that ten per- cent of the Nation's vacation travelers came to New England in 1955. From this estimate and the results of other studies, it is possible to conclude that New England entertains between 6.5 and 7.2 million vacation travelers in an average current year. The Crowell-Collier survey indicates, how- ever, a downward trend in the number coming to New England. They say that the percentage dropped from 14 in 1948 to 10 in 1955. New Englanders and people living in the Middle Atlantic States account for, in about equal proportions, more than 80 percent of vacation travelers in New England. The Curtis Publishing Company has estimated that 3.7 percent of the Nation's vacation travelers come to Massachusetts. This is 2.7 mil- lion, nearly 40 percent of the New England total. If each visitor spends $156, the total expenditure for vacation travel in the State is $421 million per year. It has been stated that entertaining and supplying vacation trav- elers is the Commonwealth's third most important economic activity. A part of this expenditure is, of course, made by people who live in Massachusetts. If the proportion of residents to outsiders is the same in Massachusetts as it is in New England, Massachusetts residents ac- count for about $170 m.illion, leaving $251 raillion as the amount of money imported into the State per year by the vacation travelers. There is general agreement among the experts on vacation travel that adequate advertising and promotional activity could result in a doubling of the volume of vacation travel business in New England and Massachu- setts. Others sound a note of caution, pointing out that promotion and the provision of adequate facilities go hand-in-hand. Unless the vacationists find really good places to stay without undue difficulty, promotional cam- paigns can have serious adverse repercussions. Existing Recreational Areas There is no uniformly accepted classification of state park and re- lated areas. Most of the states, however, use a number of classifications based upon consideration of general character, use, established custom and statutory provision. These vary from state to state, with some 60 odd ■24- For the purpose of evaluation in this inventory, state park and re- lated areas are grouped into three classifications: 1. State parks and forests (including inland beaches) 2. Salt water beaches 3. Scenic, historical, educational and geological sites The basic inventory data essential to analysis of the present and future recreational needs of the State also include statistics showing the existing situation with respect to fresh water and salt water beach facilities provided by the municipalities. The increasing number of bills filed with the Massachusetts Legislature each yeai is evidence that more and more cities and towns are looking to the State to provide recreational facilities. It is also necessary to consider the adequacy of facilities to the needs of the vacation travelers. The available data were largely arranged by regions as defined by the Division of Planning of the Massachusetts Department of Commerce (Figure 1, below). These regions, which closely approxinaate the sug- gested planning and administrative districts recommended in the Pre- liminary Report, are as follows: 1. Berkshire Region 2. Connecticut Valley Region 3. Worcester County Region 4. Merrimack Region 5. Massachusetts Bay and Environs 6. Bristol - Plymouth Region 7. Cape Cod Region Figure I REGIONAL AREAS IN MASSACHUSETTS Source : Massochusefts Deportment of Commerce ■25- The following sections show the nature and extent of facilities cur- rently provided for use by the public: State Forests and Parks Massachusetts has 21 state parks, eight state reservations and 105 state forests with a combined total area of more than 188,000 acres. A complete list of these state forests, parks and reservations appears in the Inventory of Public Lands of Conservation and Public Recreation Signifi- cance in Appendix C. Permanent improved facilities for various forms of outdoor recreation have been installed on many of these. Figure 2, below shows the present existing capacity of facilities in the state forests, parks and reservations which are currently being used for recreation. FIGURE 2 CAPACITIES AND FACILITIES IN STATE PARKS, FORESTS AND RESERVATIONS* Capacity Vumber REGION Bathing No. of People Bathhouse No. of People Parking No. of Cars Picnic Tables Fire- places Tent Sites Cabins Trailer Sites 1. Berkshire 2,450 900 910 654 440 197 7 - 2. Connecticut Valley 1,550 2,000 1,131 652 472 20 - - 3. Worcester County 3,750 3,250 1,750 1,113 573 146 4 12 4. Merrinnack 1,500 2,000 470 195 205 39 - - 5, Mass. Bay and Environs 1,700 940 520 219 147 - - - 6. Bristol - Plymouth 5,500 6,000 1,786 225 170 260 17 10 7. Cape Cod and Islands 300 400 750 317 313 300 - 20 Totals 16,750 15,490 7,317 3,375 2,320 962 28 42 ^Capacity is the number of people (or cars) that can be comfortably accommodated at one time. Note: Parks administered by the M.D.C. and salt water beaches not included. Figure 3, page 27 shows, by regions, the types of recreation available at the 50 state parks, forests and reservations which now provide recrea- tional facilities. To obtain the information presented in Figure 2, questionnaires were sent out to the supervisors of the recreation areas throughout the state. It is believed that the tabulation presents a fairly accurate picture of the situation with the exception of the facilities for boating. Although boating is permitted on many of the water bodies very little is provided in the way of improved facilities. More than 1,500 boat permits were issued in 1956 at Ashland, Cochituate, Hopkinton and Whitehall State Parks in spite of the limited facilities. Ocean Beaches At present there are, in addition to the beaches under the Metro- politan District Commission, three State Beaches in operation, one at Salis- bury, one at Provincetown and a small one at Eastham, known as First Encounter Beach (where the Pilgrims encountered their first Indians after putting into Provincetown Harbor). Only at the first two are there any State operated facilities. 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CO 0 t- cc < UJ CO U: to CO _I _I _l -J UJ CD CL 2 < 0 uJ CO 2 2 3 0 2 1- co < UJ u: CO _i < a: 1- < X 0 2 u: CO n _i UJ u_ to H l- Q- UJ CO Q _) UJ U- co Q 2 < CO u: CO >- 0 > < CO u: CO cc 0 CO Q 2 5 u: CO H 2 CC UJ CQ 0 1- CJ 0 u: to Q 2 < _J _l 0 0 13 LU CC to UJ CC to u. < 0 _I cc < C3 3 to 2 CO UJ cc CO 2 0 1- h-' 2 to 2 0 CO 2 in 0 0:: L> 2 X 0 CL- CO CC UJ 2 2 g^ 2 UJ _l _) < X CL UJ CO 0 ~3 u: to t3 2 > CC UJ uJ to UJ 0 < tE 1- 2 3 0 2 uJ to 0 _) UJ U- 2 tr ID UJ CO Q tc 0 U- Q 2 < _J CD 1 CC UJ 1- to UJ X 0 UJ tA) UJ _l _l > 2 < CC cn U: to cc <£ C3 0 5: fO z 0 CD LU £C to LlI CC H to 2 CO < X 0 > IE g CD CE 3 CL t/i UJ CC \- to H 1- UJ to 3 X 0 1 H 2 d: to 2 0 H- 2 :«: CL 0 X CL to _J -J < X UJ H X n ^ O) M 0) « IT 0 0) 0 « t/) 0 CO CO II UJ a- (C u: H «5 CO u: a: to 10 Beaches, has parking space for 3700 cars, a large pavilion and bath house facilities, Provincetown has a bath house and parking for 670 cars. Two other facilities are now being constructed by the Division, one at Horse- neckinthe Town of Westport. Three miles long, this beach will have park- ing space for 9000 cars, an outdoor pool, pavilion, bath house and several play areas. At Scusset, in the town of Bourne, at the easterly end of the Cape Cod Canal there is being developed a beach 3000 feet long with a bath house, pavilion, bait house, fishing piers and parking for 1500 cars. Construction is now under way by the Department of Natural Re- sources atDemarest Lloyd Memorial State Park at South Dartmouth. This area will include a beach 4000 feet long with parking for 700 cars, a pavil- ion type bath house, small boat landing and picnic areas. At Truro, the Department has started construction on the newly acquired Pilgrim Spring State Park. Crane's Beach in Ipswich, although operated by the Trustees of Reservations, is open to the public and has been considered in this inven- tory. With four and one-half miles of beach, picnic facilities and hiking and nature trails, this reservation can accommodate about 10,000 persons. What then is the capacity of our present state beach system? The above mentioned, including those under construction have a capacity of 85,000 persons. The M.D.C. beaches are assumed to have a present day capacity of 300,000 - a total of 385,000. Cultural Resources Recreation has been defined in part as the pleasurable and con- structive use of leisure time. Going sightseeing is a universal method of utilizing spare time. The sights that people go to see cover a wide variety from shipyards and steel mills to glass flowers and formal gardens. The attraction maybe Niagara Falls or Plymouth Rock, Pike's Peak or Faneuil Hall, a famous art museum or the dinosaur tracks. Sightseeing covers every known human interest, educational, historic, scientific, social, eco- nomic and many others. This phase of the study of the natural resources of Massachusetts is concerned with points of interest to sightseers in two ways. Of direct concern is the responsibility of the Department of Natural Resources for the preservation and protection of historic sites and points of special scenic, scientific or educational significance that fall under its own juris- diction. The establishment of state parks and reservations for this pur- pose is common practice in most of the states. The Standish Monument and Dighton Rock are examples of reservations and parks now under the administration of the Department which have historic or scientific interest. The Trustees of Reservations have for many years worked on a program directed toward the preservation and protection of areas of his- toric, scientific, scenic or other special significance at the state level. The 28 reservations under their jurisdiction include the William Cullen Bryant homestead in Cummington, the dinosaur foot prints in Holyoke and the Old Manse in Concord. The cities and towns, numerous historical societies and other organizations, public, quasi-public and private, own or administer a large number of buildings and areas of historic or other cultural significance. ■28- FIGURE 4 PARTIAL INVENTORY POINTS OF HISTORIC AND CULTURAL INTEREST IN MASSACHUSETTS 9. Middlesex 10. Nantucket 11. Norfolk 12. Plymouth 13. Suffolk No. of County Buildings 1. Barnstable 18 2. Berkshire 22 3. Bristol 23 4. Dukes 1 5. Essex 133 6. Franklin 11 7. Hampden 16 8. Hampshire 12 14. Worcester TOTAL ,80 16 28 40 71 18 489 Miscellaneous Sites Site of Landing of Pilgrims Site of First Wireless Station Hoosac Tunnel Mohawk Trail Route Saugus Ironworks Restoration Rope Walk Derby Wharf (Natural maritime historic site) Deerfield Restoration Deerfield Academy Springfield Arsenal Smith and Mount Holyoke Colleges, University of Massachusetts Dinosaur Tracks Quabbin Reservoir Concord-Lexington Battleground Sites Harvard College Mt. Auburn Cemetery Walden Pond Granite Railway Site Antique Automobile Museum Plymouth Rock (National Shrine) Burial Hill First Thanksgiving Site Boston Tea Party (Griffins Wharf) Boston Common Bunker Hill Dorchester Heights U.S.N. Shipyard (Charlestown) U.S.S. Constitution (Old Ironsides) Granary, Copps Hill, Eliot, burial grounds Purgatory Chasm Sturbridge Village Harvard Forest ■29- This study is also concerned with a somewhat less direct but no less important aspect of sightseeing. This is the interdependence of nat- ural and cultural resources. Planning for public outdoor recreation, for the residents of the State and the vacation travelers, is strongly affected and influenced by the cultural resources. Figure 19, page 49, indicates that the primary purpose of 80 per- cent of the vacation travelers who come to Massachusetts is to visit his- toric sites. As would be expected, however, the chart also shows that this is not their only purpose. Nearly half of them are interested in swimming and 60 percent want to fish, camp out, go boating, hiking or horseback rid- ing. Thus, few, if any, of the vacation travelers come to Massachusetts for the purpose of gratifying a single desire. While they are here seeing historic sites and other points of interest, they like also to enjoy the fea- tures of outdoor recreation. Planners for outdoor recreation in Massachusetts are fully aware of the interrelationship between what is termed ordinary recreation and the special recreation that people derive from sightseeing. Massachusetts has unusual, attractions for the sightseers. Fortunately, it also has natural resources vital to the other types of outdoor recreation. This discussion of the cultural resources is included' here because, in part, such resources have, and will continue to have, direct bearing on the ownership and administration of state parks and other reservations. Even more important, leaving them out of account would make the evolu- tion of a properly balanced public outdoor recreation program, for the State impossible. The state parks and forests, the reservations, the ocean beaches, the Bay Circuit, the Great Ponds and the tourist routes, together with all the other recreational appurtenances, state, municipal and private, affect the impression people will gain of the State. If Massachusetts hopes to con- tinue to get its fair share of the vacation travel business, it must, to the fullest extent possible, achieve and maintain effective coordination of all of its niany and varied attractions. Because a complete inventory of the cultural resources of Massa- chusetts is not a function of this study, such an inventory has not been at- tempted. Figure 4, page 29, is a partial list of some of the more out- standing points of interest. ■30- ANALYSIS The social and economic lives of the American people are under- going profound modification. Two of the major factors influencing this modification are the increase in the population and the rising standard of living. Figure 5, below, shows that the population of the Nation in 1955 was more than 165 million, more than three times the population in 1880. It also shows that, between 1930 and 1955, the population increased by nearly 35 percent. Population Trends Nearly half of the people live on less than one-half of one percent of the land. The fact that the total area per inhabitant in the Nation, land and water, has fallen from about 38 acres in 1880 to less than 12 acres today is of only secondary significance. The space is much less evenly divided now than it was formerly. Whereas in 1880, the portion of the population classified by the Census Bureau as "urban" consisted of only 14 million people, 28 percent of the total, the urban population of 89 million in 1950 comprised 59 percent.* During this 70 year period the urban popu- lation increased by nearly 540 percent while the rural population increased by only 72 percent. See Figure 6, page 32. Figure 5 US. POPULATION AGE GROUPS 200 150 100 65 and Over 20-64 5-19 Under 5 1880 1900 1920 Source-' U.S. Bureau of the Census 1940 1955 1975 * The Bureau of the Census distinguished between "urban" population and the population of "urban- ized areas". Urbanized areas comprise the larger cities and their suburbs. Some of the urban population lives in the smaller cities and in towns. -31- In the 12,733 square miles covered by the larger cities and their suburbs in the Nation there were, in 1950, more than 69 million residents - nearly 46 percent of the entire population. There were, on the average, 5438 residents per square mile - 8.5 per acre. This puts each resident on a little less than 0.12 acres - an area 72 feet square. On the other hand, there were still 23 acres per inhabitant in the rest of the Nation. Figure 7, page 33, shows population densities in some of the urbanized areas in the Northeast. Of the 50 million persons who live within one day's travel of Massachusetts, 29 million live in urbanized areas (see Figure 8, page 34). It is not difficult to understand why dwellers in the cities have an urge to get off their little 72-foot squares and go to places where they can stretch their limbs- -where they can hunt, fish, swim, camp out, hike, ski and otherwise enjoy themselves in the appealing wide open spaces where there are lakes, streams, mountains, meadows and woods. Figure 6 U.S. POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS 1880 -1950 a. O tu a o 175 150 125 100 75 50 25 1880 1900 1920 1940 1950 Source : US. Bureau of the Census ■32- The Rising Standard of Living That the people are doing this is common knowledge. A glance at the economic indicators of modern American life brings understanding of the rising standard of living of which the growth of outdoor recreation is a part. Figure 9, page 35, shows how the gross national product, the total value of all goods produced and services rendered in the United States, has risen and promises to continue to rise, regardless of the shrinking purchasing power of the dollar. Between 1930 and 1955, the per capita share of the gross national product rose from about$1310to nearly$2270. Thisis an increase of 73 percent. During the same period, total expenditures for personal consumption by all the people in the Nation rose from $71 billion to $254 billion, as Fig- ure 10, page 36, shows. The increase in the population accounts for only $25billion of this rise of $183 billion. The other $158 billion is the greater amount of money people have available for spending. Figure 7 POPULATION DENSITIES OF URBANIZED AREAS IN NORTHEASTERN U.S. 1950 Urbanized A^^ea Albany-Troy Baltimore Boston Bridgeport Buffalo Hartford New York, & N. E. New Jersey Philadelphia Pittsburgh Springfield-Holyoke Washington, D.C. Worcester Population Land Area In Sq. Miles Population Per Sq. Mile 291,897 54.5 5,356 1,161,852 151.8 7,654 2,233,448 344.8 6,478 237,435 42.6 5,574 798,043 101.0 7,901 300,788 52.9 5,686 12,296,117 1,253.4 9,810 2,922,470 311.6 9,379 1,532,953 253.6 6,045 356,908 167.3 2,133 1,287,333 178.4 7,216 219,330 43.6 5,031 -33- Figure 8 50 MILLION PERSONS Within One Day's Drive of Massachusetts 29 MILLION LIVE IN THE URBANIZED AREAS Figure 9 GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT $ Billions (1953 Dollars) 700 - 600- 500- 400 - 300 200 - 100 Source: Joint Committee on the Economic Report, U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Planning Association, President's Materials Policy Commission If the cost of living had gone up proportionately, the people would be no better off than they were formerly, Hov/ever, Figure 11, page 37, shows that this has not been the case. Since 1939, the cost of living has only slightly less than doubled. Per capita disposable income (what is left after taxes) has, however, a little more than trebled. People are, in other words, more than half again as well off, on the average, as they were in 1939. The bare necessities take a considerably smaller share of their available funds. They have more to spend on cultural and pleasurable pur- suits. More Leisure Time - Greater Mobility In 1890 the average wage earner in the Nation worked some 60 hours a week. After eating, sleeping, commuting and attending to other daily needs, he had perhaps ten to fifteen hours a week for leisure. By 1955, with an average work week of about 40 hours and fewer household chores, 35 to 50 hours were available. The decline in the work week has been fairlv steady, averaging about three hours per decade. It results from increased industrial productivity per man-hour, which has been going up at the rate of two to three percent per year. How the average v/ork week is declining is shown in Figure 12, page 38. -35- Increased leisure for the wage-earner has been accompanied by an easier life for his wife. Innovations in household appliances which reduce physical and time consuming effort, and developments in food marketing, which reduce the preparation of meals from hours to a few minutes, have proceeded at a rapid pace since the nineties. Coupled with the shorter work week is a trend toward moi-e paid vacations and holidays. Since the beginning of World War 11 average paid vacations have increased from one to two weeks per year and paid holidays are spreading to larger segments of the workingforce. Ninety-five percent of all labor-management agreements signed in 1955 provided for paid va- cations - half of them up to three weeks or more. In 1900, the average American could expect to live to the age of 47. Today his life expectancy is 69 years. This achievement of 50 years of progress in medical science and public health has great meaning in terms of recreation. Figure 5, page 31, showsthat in 1880, two million people-- four percent of the population of the United States, were more than 64 years of age. By 1950, these senior citizens numbered twelve million- -eight percent of the population. This growing segment of the public is quite gen- erally eligible for old-age insurance, retirement at the age of 65 and has the benefit of improved medical services. It has time and money to spend Figure 10 PERSONAL CONSUMPTION EXPENDITURES United States 1330-1975 $ Billions (Current Dollars) 500 ] 400 ~ 300- 200- 100- O o 1 o o ID ro mm m km pii mm mm mm km 1965 O 6 in m m \:m m pi! t>:-:v:vH mm mm pm km mm mm 1930 1935 1940 19 45 1950 1955 1975 SouRCEiUS. DepT. OF Commerce- Office of Business Economics. Forecasts FOR 1965 AND 1975 Br Edwards, Keucey and Beck. -36- and represents an entirely new clientele for recreation services whose needs must be considered in park and recreation planning. An element of great influence upon leisure -time activities is the increased ease and speed of travel. Time has now replaced distance as a factor in considering a trip for pleasure. A family of 1895, bound for a day's outing, or going on vacation, depended on a steam train, a trolley car, a steamboat or a horse and car- riage. Figure 13, page 39, shows the 10,000 percent increase in private passenger automobiles in the Nation since 1910. During the last 20 years, the number has increased by more than 120 percent. Figure 14, page 40, shows that during this same period automobiles in Massachusetts increased in only a little less than the same proportion. There is at present slightly less thanonepassenger automobile to every three people, both in the Nation and in Massachusetts. The automobile is today the principal means of transportation topark and recreation areas. Figure 13, page 39, showshow closely parallel the increase in automobile registrations and the increase in the number of visitors to the national parks have run during the last decade. Figure I I INDEX OF PER CAPITA DISPOSABLE PERSONAL INCOME AND CONSUMER PRICES 1939-1956 1939=100% 400 z 111 o o: UJ a. 100 0 1939 1945 1951 1956 Source- U.S. Depl. of Commerce - Office of Business Economics .Bureau of Lobor Statistics ■37- The automobile has changed the pattern of family recreation. The motorized family of 1957 is a highly mobile, far- ranging group to which distance is no drawback. This is an inevitable fact of life with which the planners of public recreation facilities have to cope. The increased use of automobiles has brought about tremendous improvements to, and expansion of the highway systems of the Nation and the Commonwealth. Driving times have been reduced to at least half of what they were 25 years ago. At that time, little was left of a day after a tiring drive from New York to Boston. The opening of the Massachusetts Turnpike will bring Buffalo to within the same driving time as New York was in those days, and the -trip will be less fatiguing. A number of recent studies arrive at similar conclusions indicating the extent to which automobiles have replaced mass transportation as means of going on vacations. The American people are using the railroads, the airlines, buses and other common carriers for only 15 percent of their vacation travel. They make 85 percent of their trips in their automobiles. They travel an average distance of nearly 2200 miles, 800 miles more than they travelled in 1948. More people have more leisure time, more money to spend on rec- reation and vacations, a greater urge to get into the open where they can breath more freely than they can in their citified environments and, par- ticularly, they have their own means of getting away, even far away. They look increasingly on recreation and vacation facilities as normal require- ments. Figure 12 AVERAGE WORK WEEK U.S.A. MANUFACTURING WORKERS 1890 60 ^ HRS. ^ V.^ V 'w J ^ 5 ■? 60 55 ■) 50 ^^^" 45 9 40 actual hpurssii;is«:i:ililisiiii ^^^^ 19 — ? 19 20 1954 HRS. ■38- Where They Go - How Much They Spend Since 1930, annual expenditure for recreation by the American people has remained consistently at close to five percent of their total ex- penditure for personal consumption. While total expenditures for personal consumption grew from $71 billion in 1930 to $254billion in 1955, expendi- tures for recreation maintained the same pace and grew from $3.6 billion as shown on Figure 10, page 36, and Figure 15, page 41. In each case, ex- penditures in 1955 were nearly four times as great as they were in 1930. Reference to the records of The National Park Service discloses even more impressive evidence of the growth of the recreation-mindedness of the people, particularly as it affects the outdoors. In 1930, the total number of visitors to the national parks was 3.25 million. In 1955 it was 50 million-- 15 times as many. The U.S. Forest Service reports that the yearly number of recreation visitors to the National Forests was nearly seven times as greatin 1955 as it was inl930--up to 45.7 million from 6.9 million. Figure 13 U.S. AUTOMOBILE REGISTRATION AND VISITORS TO NATIONAL PARKS — 1910 -1352 950 1955 SouRCEi Automobile Manufacturers Association, National Park Service. ■39- Between 1941 and 1955, the total attendance per year at all the state parks in the Nation grew from 97 million to 183 million--a little less than twice as many. The number of visitors using overnight accommodations in the state parks was, however, four times as great in 1955 as it was in 1941, having increased from 2.9 million to eleven million. The number of camper days on tent and trailer sites was nearly five times as great. Although attendance at public recreation centers in the Massachu- setts state parks and state forests had already reached a high level in 1948, it had increased still further by nearly 25 percent by 1954. The number of people using overnight facilities increased, however, much more strikingly. It was more than three times as great in 1954 as it was in 1948. Continuously greater numbers of people are going fishing and hunt- ing in Massachusetts. Figure 16, page 42, shows that between 1936 and 1956, the number of licenses issued more than doubled. This is in spite of a gradual reduction in the area open to the public for hunting and the grow- ing tendency for good fishing places to be taken over by private groups or otherwise removed from use by the public at large. The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Game estimates that these hunters and fisher- men spent $74,000,000 in the State in 1951. Future Prospects How do future prospects affect the planning of the public agencies responsible for providing outdoor recreation facilities? Will the dem^and continue to grow or can they anticipate a gradual levelling off? Analysis of the factors affecting future growth discloses no evidence that the begin- ning of the levelling-off period is yet in sight. Figure 5, page 31, shows that the Bureau of the Census estimates that in 1975, the population of the Nation will be at least 207 million, 42 million more than in 1955 and that there will be 20.5 million people over 64 years old in contrast to the 14 Figure 14 MASSACHUSETTS AUTOMOBILE REGISTRATION 1936-1956 ,300,000. / , ICO,000_ ^ ^ 900,000. ^ / 700,000. __^ -^N^ 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 Source: Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vetiicles -40- million in this age group in 1955. The upward trend in both respects will be more rapid than it was during the past 20 years. The experts also tell us that the trend toward still greater urbanization will continue. They foresee no letup in the tendency for the population to become more and more concentrated in expanding urbanized areas and their fringes as in- dustrial activity continues to be the dominant factor in the national econo- my. Figure 9, page 35, shows that the Gross National Product is ex- pected to rise more rapidly during the 1955-1975 period than it did between 1935 and 1955. The per capita share is expected to increase from $2270 in 1955 to $3060 in 1975--35 percent. These are adjusted figures making allowance for changes in the purchasing power of the dollar. Figure 10, page 36, presents a forecast of what the American people will spend for all types of personal consumption during the 20 years fol- lowing 1955. These figures are not adjusted for inflationary tendencies. Consumer expenditures are expected to continue to increase at the 1935 to 1955 rate of slightly less than ten billion dollars per year. Figure 15 EXPENDITURES FOR RECREATION Uniied Sfafes 1950-1975 $ Billions (Current Dollars) 25- 20- 15 - 10 - 5H :•:•:•: iiiiiiijiii: ;>!;*>;';• 88^8^^ OREGON ;:: i-i':-;-;'!* -•••^■•:-:-: >mm^ f^m^ TENNESSEE r I:P|i|i^ :::::::i:i:i m%$mk WASHINGTON :•:•:•:•:•:• im^m& m^m. OKLAHOMA I:': ■::::•::::•: im^mm m MICHIGAN "^^^^^^^ m^8^ MAINE '*'l'''''l ^^m^^ m WEST VIRGINIA ':-\-:-\- ^!^m^ X MASSACHUSETTS ::•:::: \mm^ mmi _ 30 20 10 Cents Average Annual Capital Expenditure (Per Capita) 1000 Do 1 1 ars 2000 Average Annual Personal Income (Per Capita) Source- U.S. Department of Commerce-Office of Business Economics , National Conference on Slate ParWi -46- Deficiencies vary, as has been said, both with respect to specific locations and recreational activities. Figures 18 and 19, pages 48 and 49, show the preferences of state park visitors nationwide and vacation travelers to Massachusetts for various forms of activities. The over- whelming desire of vacationists coming to Massachusetts is to visit his- toric sites. Otherwise, swimming is the preferred activity by a wide mar- gin in both groups. There can be little question but that the provision of swimming facilities should be given a high priority in the Department's ex- pansion program, whether it involves development of already-owned prop- erties or acquisition of additional ones. Recognizing this affinity between recreation and water, many of the cities and towns own and operate muni- cipal fresh water beaches. Figure 20, page 50, shows, however, that such beaches are adequate to the needs of only about one-fifth of the population. While ready access to salt water beaches partly compensates for this lack, particularly on the Cape and the islands, the shortage is so great in the western regions that two-thirds of the people have no readily available municipal beaches. Other activities deserving particular attention are fishing, picnick- ing and camping. These activities do not stand . entirely by themselves, obviously, as compartmentized choices. An individual who wants to swim may also want to camp, fish or participate in other of the outdoor activities. Whatever the order of their choice may be, the fact is inescapable that rec- reation and water go hand and hand in the minds of most of the people. The more inland and ocean beaches and the more pleasing lakesides, the more people who will find the satisfactions they are seeking. Their enjoyment of the scenery, the mountains and the forests is blunted, in large measure, unless they can spend at least part of their vacation or outing time in or near the water. The most critical aspect of the Department's acquisition and development program is made even more critical by the extent to which private development has already preempted desirable water frontages in all parts of the State. This is the heart of the problem that faces planners for public outdoor recreation in Massachusetts. The Special Case of the Ocean Beaches Ocean beaches may be classified under five categories: - 1. Federal- -Of national interest and too large and too expensive for state or local management. 2. State--Deemed necessaryto meetthe demands of large numbers of people but too large and expensive for local community operation. 3. State-Municipal--Operated by a city or town but upon which the general public demand is beyond the community's capabilities. 4. Municipal--Primarily of local importance and of a size which permits operation by a city or town. 5. Private-Public--Operated by a non-profit organization for gen- eral public use. The movement for acquisition of land for State ocean beaches has never met with the popular approval of the townspeople and summer prop- -47- erty owners of the coastal communities. Local reluctance and even out- right opposition has resulted partly from a desire to preserve a degree of exclusiveness and partly from the fear that the State's establishment of a public beach would lead to a "honky-tonk!' type of development. Formerly there may have been some foundation for this attitude. The only early examples of state beaches were those of the Revere or Nantasket type where commercialized recreational facilities were predominant. Then, more re- cently, Salisbury Beach, which the Department of Conservation had visual- ized as a well planned, dignified beach reservation suffered through many years of inferior development and operation because of lack of funds. It was not until 1953 that an adequate appropriation permitted the Division of Beaches of the Department of Public Works to develop a facility of re- spectable scope and appearance. Salisbury Beach, and the several other state beaches now under de- velopment, should convince townspeople everywhere that the State's par- ticipation in an ocean beach program will not have a detrimental effect upon the communities. Existing legislation should, and in effect does, provide that no state beach shall include any facilities other than those essential to the quiet enjoyment of the area by the people and that, insofar as practicable, the site shall remain in its natural state. But this should work both ways! If the State invests large amounts of the people's money in public beach developments designed to enhance and Figure 18 RECREATION PREFERENCES State Park Visitors in the U.S. v.v .•.•.■;•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.^•.•.■.•.•.• SWIMMIMfi SPORTS- fiAMFS • 2 1 % FISHING 20% PICNICKING 19% CAMPING 16% HIKING 15% •:•:•:•:•:■:■^:•:•:•:^ 4% BOATING HORSEBACK RIDING 5% 47% Source; A Study of fhe Park and Recreation Problem of the by Ttie Notional Park Servlce-1941 United States -48- improve the general area, that investment should be protected bymunicipal zoning action to prevent improper development in the neighborhood of a beach reservation. This might even be carried further in the case of res- ervations close to town borders where protective zoning action by the con- taining town might be nullified by lack of such action by the adjoining com- munity. Regional zoning would be the answer to this problem. There is evidence now that the former suspicion and lack of local enthusiasm for a state beach program has diminished to a considerable extent. A recent survey of the Pljmiouth, Cape Cod, Buzzards Bay region revealed that practically every town has established beaches for the use of the general public. In addition, many have extensive improvements either under way or in the planning stage. Twenty- six of the towns- have 147 beaches with parking space for 15,000 cars and swimming for 60,000 per- sons. Some 30 of the locations are small town landings, which, though not providing ample parking areas, do permit access to the beaches. Figure 21, page 51, shows the number and capacity of these beaches. Covering 60 percent of the coastal towns outside the Metropolitan Parks District, this survey reveals convincingly that community participation can plan an important role in the ocean beach program. The present state beach system including Crane's Beach but not in- cluding that of the Metropolitan District Commission, has a capacity of 85,000 persons. The additional provision, by the towns in the Cape Cod- Buzzards Bay region, for 60,000 bathers contributes materially to solution Figure 19 RECREATION PREFERENCES Massachusetts Vacation Travelers HISTORIC PI ArFS .qWIMMINfi v; ;I ;; ;I : I; I; t;^;!;!; I ;-:';•;-: I;' ;-;';-;•;■ 45% PDATIIMr, ::;::::;:;::::;: 17% HIKINfi iiiii:;:;::::::: |6% FISHING ;:::::::;::;:::: le % CAMPING lil 6% ii;:: 5% HORSEBACK RIDING Source: Massachusetts Vacation Survey" by Massachusetts Development and Industriol Commission- 1949 ■49- Figure 20 MUNICIPAL FRESH WATER BEACHES AND POPULATION (Available Beaches Expressed as % of Population) REGION I. BERKSHIRE POP. 132,966 2. CONN, VALLEY POP 508,312 wmmi"''' 3. WORCESTER COUNTY POP 584,545 4. MERRIMACK POP 369,992 63% 5. MASS. BAY a ENVIRONS POP 2,606.202 6. BRISTOL - PLYMOUTH POP 432,645 A I N 13% '$^888o888888^^^^^^^^^^^^^!>^ S'VJ'IK'BKu'p^ 43% 7. CAPE a ISLANDS POP. 55,992 A I :■■■:■:]:[ 12% N mmmmmmfmmmm^ b7% MASSACHUSETTS TOTAL PERCENT OF POPULATION 42% 37% I 50 I 75 100 [:;:;:;:;:;[ A- Beaches Adequate to Need I - Beaches Available but Inadequate B2H3 N-No Beaches Source ■ Massachusetts Department of Commerce of the overall public beach problem. We may be approaching the day when cooperative action between the State, the counties and the municipalities will work to the mutual advantage of all. Under present Massachusetts law state beaches outside of the Met- ropolitan District Commission are the responsibility of the Division of Beaches of the Public Works Department. Since the original purpose of Chapter 471 was to study all resources owned by the Commonwealth, re- gardless of Department responsibility, this report considers the Com- monwealth's overall needs rather than the relative merits of the assign- ment of administrative responsibility among the various executive de- partments and agencies. Figure 21 PARTIAL INVENTORY MUNICIPALLY OPERATED OCEAN BEACHES Open to General Public Capacity Parking No. of Town Numbe r of Public Beaches Number No. of Cars Persons Sandwich 3 3 150 600 Barnstable 10 6 1,800 7,200 Yarmouth 8 8 1,200 4,800 Dennis 11 11 1,600 6,400 Brewster 8 8 350 1,410 Orleans 16 - Incl. 10 T.L. 16 700 2,800 Eastham 13 - Incl. 3 T.L. 13 900 3,600 Wellfleet 8 8 1,200 4,800 Truro 10 - Incl. 3 T.L. 10 600 2,400 Provincetown 8 - Small T.L. 8 0 0 Chatham 2 2 550 2,200 Harwich 6 6 300 1,400 Mashpee 1 - Privately Owned 1 300 1,200 Falmouth 8 6 850 3,400 Bourne 6 6 600 2,400 Wareham 4 - 1 Private Operator 2 600 2,400 Marion 5 3 350 1,400 Mattapoisett 1 1 50 200 Fairhaven 1 - West Island 1 300 1,200 New Bedford 2 2 1,000 4,000 Dartmouth 2 - 1 Private Operator 2 600 2,400 Westport 2 - 1 T.L. 2 20 80 Fall River 0 0 0 Swansea 2 - 1 Private Operator 20 80 Somerset 3 - T.L. 20 80 Plymouth 7 147 500 14,560 2,000 125 58,450 T.L. = Town Landing ■51- DEVELOPMENT OF PROGRAM Previous sections of this report emphasize the immediate need for a stepped -up program to expand and improve the opportunity for public outdoor recreation on the state parks, forests and beaches. There is need also to provide for further expansion and development through acquisition of additional areas. Under the following program, facilities will be brought up to the level of demand in five years- -by 1962. This program will result in (1) improvement and expansion of existing recreation centers to provide addi- tional capacity and greater efficiency of operation and maintainance (2) acquisition and development of new areas to eliminate present deficiencies and accommodate future demand as it develops. The further acquisition of lands suitable for state park purposes is indispensable to adequate pro- vision for public outdoor recreation. This program of acquisition is made even more imperative by the rapidity with which still-unspoiled areas are being converted to other uses. There is acute need of undelayed procure- ment of such areas even though their development may be deferred. Postponement of acquisition of these areas will only add to the De- partment's difficulties. Numerous suitable areas are obtainable now. Shortly, this will not be the case. The acquisition program should give consideration to areas with outstanding historic, scenic or scientific interest, the preservation of which will enhance the enjoyment and appreciation of present and future genera- tions. Early acquisition will safeguard areas of this type, as well as other of the State's natural recreational resources, particularly along water frontages, against development by private and commercial interests. Essential Principles The overall development of the program must be advanced in a manner consistent with acceptable principles of land use, taking into con- sideration such factors as relationship toother areas, character of terrain, distance from urban centers, means of transportation, coordination with other programs, multiple use and other related factors. In developing the recommended program the following policy prin- ciples were used as guide.,3 and should be followed in putting it into effect: 1, The recreation resources of the. State's forests, parks and other public lands should be available for public use and enjoyment to the maxi- mum extent consistent with the overall management of these lands for the greatest public good. To carry out this policy, cooperative action will be required between all state, federal, local, public and semi-public agencies concerned with any phase of natural resources, conservation or recreation. 2. Public recreation areas and facilities should be developed and maintained in sufficient number to accommodate public use in compliance with established standards of safety and sanitation and without overcrowd- ing. Existing areas and facilities should be improved and expanded wherever this is feasible and provision should be made for more econom- ical operation and maintenance. -53- 3. General public recreation values, such as hunting, fishing, hik- ing, riding and enjoyment of scenery should be recognized in all resource management and necessary steps should be taken to develop and enhance such opportunities for recreation wherever it is in the public interest to do so. Recreation areas should be protected and preserved as nearly as possible in their natural condition. They should be large enough to retain a wild or primitive character, 4. Public recreation facilities should be appropriate to the area and to the general environment. For example, each park presents its own individual planning problem. A plan satisfactory for one park is not likely to be usable on another. Certain standard facilities, however, are required in every park. Besides the essential facilities, there are numerous others the installation of which will depend upon the need, the characteristics of the area and the cost. In general, facilities for camping, picnicking, swim- ming, boating, fishing and hiking should be provided. 5. Special services and facilities such as tents, cabins, hot showers, clothes checking at bathhouses, boat and canoe rentals, stables, snack bars, restaurants, lodges, ski tows, bicycle trails and even golf courses should be considered in locations where there is a demand or need for them and where they are appropriate to satisfactory use and enjoyment by the public. Service to the public is the sole purpose for which facilities are provided and operated. This can best be accomplished by insuring satisfactory, courteous service and neat and sanitary facilities in return for a reasonable fee. Correlation with Other Programs Current and proposed programs of other agencies touching upon conservation, natural resources, recreation and vacation travel have ina- portant bearing on activities of the Department of Natural Resources. Preparation of this report included a study of these other programs for determination of their effects on and relationships with overall planning for public recreation. Close cooperation and full exchange of information between all interested agencies will be essential to effective overall plan- ning, with elimination of waste and duplication of effort. Cooperative planning and administration should be based on recognition of the assigned responsibilities of the following departments, agencies and organizations: 1. The Department of Commerce The official role of this Department is sponsorship of a superior economic and social climate in Massachusetts. Its activities include com- prehensive technical research, coordinated planning and related develop- ment and promotion. All phases of its work are directed toward assurance of maximum economic and social benefits for the people who live and work in the Commonwealth. The State's natural scenic beauty and recreational resources stand high among the attractions this Department features in its vacation travel promotion literature. Am.ong its research projects in the recreation and vacation travel field is a recent study of the ocean beaches. Our study made extensive use of the findings in this Department's "OCEAN BEACHES - A Massachusetts Master Plan" report of 1954. -54- Acts, 1956. — Chaps. 630, 631. 565 of any action taken by the appointing authority under this paragraph shall be forwarded forthwith to the director of civil service. Section 3. Section two of this act shall take effect in cities only upon its acceptance by the mayor and city coun- cil, and in towns upon its acceptance by the board of select- men. Approved August 8, 1966. An Act kequiring certain decisions of the appellate tax board concerning real estate taxes to state the value of land and buildings separately. Be it enacted, etc., as follows: Section 13 of chapter 58A of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out the first sentence, as appearing in section 7 of chapter 321 of the acts of 1933, and inserting in place thereof the following sentence: — ^ The board shall make a decision in each case heard by it and may make findings of fact and report thereon in writing; provided, that every decision granting an abatement without findings of fact and report which relates to a tax on land with one or more buildings shall state separately the value of the land and of each building. Approved August 8, 1956. Chap.6Z0 y An Act providing for the establishment and DEVELOf^- (7/ia?J.631 MENT OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY CIRCUIT. Be it enacted, etc., as follows: Section 1. The Massachusetts Bay Circuit is hereby es- tabUshed as a system of privately and publicly owned open spaces, including parks, forests, reservoirs, wild Ufe preserves, scenic and historic sites and other properties or reservations, surrounding Metropolitan Boston, located in the cities and towns of Newbury, Rowley, Ipswich, Essex, Hamilton, Wenham, Topsfield, Boxford, Middleton, North Reading, North Andover, Andover, Wilmington, Tewksbury, Lowell, Chelmsford, Billerica, Carlisle, Bedford, Concord, Lincoln, Sudbury, Wayland, Framingham, Natick, Ashland, Hollis- ton, Sherborn, Medfield, Milhs, Norfolk, Walpole, Wren- tham, Foxborough, Sharon, Easton, Stoughton, Brockton, West Bridgewater, Abington, Whitman, East Bridgewater, Bridgewater, Hanson, Hahfax, Pembroke, Plympton, King- ston, Duxbury and Marshfield, as shown by the shaded area in Exhibil A of the report of a joint board for the study of The Bay Circuit contained in House Document, No. 2608 of nineteen hundred and fifty-six^ In order to preserve said open spaces and make tbem available for the use, enjoy- ment, exercise and recreation of all the people of the com- monwealth and visitors thereto, said spaces, scenic and his- toric sites, and reservations shall be connected by a tourist route to be known as The Bay Circuit, to be estabUshed and 566 Acts, 1956. — Chap. 631. designated by the department of public works in accord- ance with the provisions of chapter one hundred and ten of the resolves of nineteen hundred and fifty-five. Section 2. The commissioner of natural resources, here- inafter caEed the commissioner, is hereby authorized and directed to initiate, forward and administer the develop- ment of The Bay Circuit as hereinafter provided and for such purposes may expend such sums as may be appropri- ated or received as gifts therefor. Section 3. The commissioner shall prepare such project area plans for sections of The Bay Circuit as he may deem advisable and shall designate thereon those areas which he proposes be acquired by the commonwealth or any po- litical subdivision thereof and those areas which he recom- mends should be subject to a restrictive agreement, easement or other control in order to preserve scenic or historic features thereof. Said plans shall indicate the general character of use and development proposed for major portions of said project area. The commissioner, after public hearing in a city or town within that portion of The Bay Circuit which will be affected thereby and with the approval of the board of natural resources and approval in a town by vote of the selectmen and in a city by vote of the city council, subject to the provisions of its charter, may acquire by eminent do- main on behalf of the commonwealth such property or such interest in property as may be required for the purposes of this act. The commissioner may by negotiation and agree- ment acquire such rights as he may deem necessary for the purposes hereof in property within The Bay Circuit and may enter into contracts and leases therefor on behalf of the commonwealth. Section 4. Any department of the commonwealth and i any pohtical subdivision thereof may by agreement with the commissioner and with the approval of the governor and council transfer to the department of natural resources the care and control of any lands and rights or easements therein owned or controlled by it within The Bay Circuit upon such terms and for such period of time as may be agreed upon; or may enter into an agreement with the commissioner for joint care or preservation of such lands. The commissioner may, upon request, and upon such terms as may be agreed upon, and with the approval of the governor and council transfer to any city or town within The Bay Circuit the care and control of any land or property of the department. Section 5. The commissioner shall make a survey of all lands held by the commonwealth or by any pohtical sub- division thereof and located within the area designated in section one as the Massachusetts Bay Circuit. Thereafter he shall designate any property so held that may be neces- sary or useful to accomplish the purposes of this act, and shall notify the agency of the commonwealth or the political subdivision concerned. Such agency or pohtical subdivision shall not sell or lease any such designated property until the Acts, 1956. — Chap. 631. 567 expiration of one year after it has notified the commissioner of natural resources of its intention to sell or lease such property. Section 6. Said commissioner is hereby authorized and empowered, with the approval of the governor and council, to receive and hold in trust for and on behalf of the com- ; monwealth and for the purposes of this act any grant or devise of land. Said commissioner may, in like manner, receive and hold in trust for like purposes any gift or bequest of money or other personal property. Said moneys and property shall be known as The Bay Circuit Trust Fund, and shall be managed and expended under the direction of said commissioner. Section 7. Said commissioner may acquire, maintain and care for historic buildings, monuments or sites in The Bay Circuit, and may erect and maintain such other structures as may be necessary for the proper administration of lands under its control or for the convenience of the public. Section 8. Said commissioner may accept any deed to the commonwealth containing reservation of easements, rights of way and life estates and estates for years; may execute leases or permits in, upon, under, and over any por- tion of the lands now or hereafter acquired by the common- wealth within The Bay Circuit, including rights to hunting; may grant easements for public utilities, including gas meters, electricity and water or other activities over such lands with conditions fully safe-guarding the public interest in the scenic and historic features of the area; all for such consideration or rents and upon such terms, restrictions, provisions or agreements as said commissioner after con- sultation with the board of natural resources may deem best; provided, that no such lease or permit shall be entered into for payment of less per year than the amount of the average annual real estate tax levied on the property concerned during the five years immediately preceding the date when the property is acquired for public use, and that from the annual receipts from any such lease a sum in the amount of such real estate tax shall be paid annually by the treasurer of the commonwealth to the city or town in which the prop- erty is located to help compensate such city or town for the loss of taxes occasioned by the taking or acquisition of such property, and provided, further, that no such lease shall be for a period longer than the life of the donor of the property involved, or, in the case of other persons for a period longer than ten years. Section 9. In designing, constructing or reconstructing roads within The Bay Circuit, the department of public works shall, so far as possible, preserve and enhance the scenic features of the area. Approved August 8, 1956. 568 Acts, 1956. — Chaps. 632, 633. Chap. 632 An Act eelative to certain fees and chakges of rbg- ISTEKS OF probate AND INSOLVENCY. Be it enacted, etc., as follows: Section 1. Section 40 of chapter 262 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out the eighth para- graph, as amended by chapter 744 of the acts of 1955, and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph : — For the petition or apphcation for allowance of an ac- count where the gross value accounted for in Schedule A of said account is one thousand dollars or less, no fee ; where the said gross value is more than one thousand dollars but less than ten thousand dollars, five dollars a year, provided the fee shall not exceed ten dollars, regardless of the time covered by the account; where the said gross value is ten thousand dollars or more, five dollars for each year or major fraction thereof covered by such account. Section 2. Said section 40 of said chapter 262 is hereby further amended by striking out the eleventh paragraph, as appearing in chapter 418 of the acts of 1955. Approved August 8, 1956. Chap. 633 An Act providing for ward representation in the city council of the city of quincy. Be it enacted, etc., as follows: Section 1. The city council of the city of Quincy shall be composed of nine members of whom one shall be elected by and from the quaUfied voters of each ward and three by and from the quahfied voters of the whole city. Said councillors shall be elected at the first municipal election following the acceptance of this act, and shall serve for two years from the first Monday in January following their election and until their successors are elected and qualified. Section 2. Section fifty of chapter forty-three of the General Laws relating to plan A in so far as it is inconsistent with the provisions of this act shall not apply to the city of Quincy. Section 3. Notwithstanding the provisions of section thirteen of chapter forty-three of the General Laws, this act shall be submitted to the voters of the city of Quincy at the next municipal election and shall take effect upon its acceptance by a majority of the voters voting thereon. This act shall be submitted in the form of the following question which shall be placed upon the official ballot to- be used at said election: — "Shall an act passed by the General Court in the year nineteen hundred and fifty- six, providing for ward representation in the city council of the city of Quincy be accepted?" YES NO Approved August 8, 1956. 2. The Department of Public Works This Department, through its Division of Waterways, Beaches and Highways is directly involved in conservation, recreation and vacation travel activities. The Division of Waterways has recently been authorized to make surveys for the purpose of identifying the Great Ponds and insur- ing that the legally prescribed public access will be provided. Of great importance will be the splendid ocean beaches completed or under constructionby the Division of Public Beaches. The highway sys- tem being developed by the Department will make these beaches and the other recreation areas proposed by this report more accessible to the people. 3. The Metropolitan District Commission , In the areas close to the Metropolitan Parks District, it is essential that close inter-agency contact be maintained to avoid duplication or over- lapping of effort to provide proper distribution of recreational facilities for the densely populated Metropolitan Boston Area. Close collaboration will also assure that full advantage is taken of all the recreational pos- sibilities of the water supply lands and reservoirs outside the Metropolitan Parks District, 4. The Bay Circuit Joint Board This board was organized to preserve a green belt around metro- politan Boston at a radius of approximately twenty miles. Acquisition by the Department of Natural Resources of areas recommended in this re- port, which lie within the Bay Circuit, would make a substantial contribu- tion to the effectuation of the Bay Circuit program. 5. The Tourist Routes Joint Board The Departments of Commerce, Public Works and Natural Re- sources, acting as a joint board, have been authorized to select and estab- lish a system of tourist routes throughout the State. These routes will utilize roads of low traffic density for the purpose of providing access to areas of historic, scenic, geographic and recreational interest. The pro- posed land acquisition program of the Department of Natural Resources will have profound effects on future planning of the tourist route system. 6. Municipalities City and town recreation areas differ from state parks in that usu- ally they are intended to supply local needs only. Many municipalities own lands adaptable to recreational purposes on a larger than local scale, yet not of state park caliber. The Department of Natural Resources might well act in an advisory capacity to the municipalities, and possibly provide financial aid for expansion and improvement of these areas. As supple- ments to the state park system, they would ease pressures on the state parks, particularly in the vicinity of the heavier concentrations of popula- tion. The need is most acute in these congested areas and such coopera- tion would go far to insure preservation of needed open space for recrea- tional use by future generations. Another aspect of state -municipal cooperation which is of mutual advantage, is the disposition of former water supply reservoirs no longer -55- used for this purpose. In the past, financial necessity has forced numerous towns to increase their tax bases by permitting the subdivision of land ad- jacent to reservoirs no longer used for water supply. In the event that more of these water supply reservoirs are no longer needed, full consid- eration should be given to their recreation potentials-. Where good poten- tials exist, acquisition by the State will be advisable to forestall diversion to uses of less public value. There is growing acceptance of the idea that some types of recrea- tional use are not incompatible with the simultaneous use of an area for domestic water supply purposes. This raises the question of the extent to which cooperation between the Department of Natural Resources and vari- ous water departments, boards and com.missions could result in increased public benefits from water-supply reservoirs, natural and naan-made, and the lands surrounding them. If such areas can be safely used for limited recreational purposes, making them available for such use is desirable. Our recommendation that the State acquire lands surrounding some of the reservoirs and other domestic water impoundments is based on: a. Awareness of the need to make multi-purpose use, to the extent possible, of all water bodies in the State. b. Uncertainty that otherwise these water bodies will receive ade- quate protection against development and use contrary to the general public interest. To the extent that the State acquires and administers lands sur- rounding the natural and man-made reservoirs, assurance willbe had that they will yield maximum possible public benefits. 7. The Trustees of Reservations The Trustees of Reservations are concerned primarily with the preservation of areas of outstanding scenic, historic or other cultural in- terest, rather than provision for the more active forms of recreation. The Trustees are highly qualified to administer areas of this kind. At present, this organization owns and maintains 28 areas in the State. Since 1891, the Trustees have turned eighteen large reservations over to the Commonwealth and other agencies for state park, wildlife sanc- tuary and other natural resource purposes. There is every reason to be- lieve that the Trustees will continue to render a highly important service in the general field of natural resources. Limited financial resources frequently prevent full development of their plans. Cranes Beach in Ipswich serves as a specific example of cases in which direct financial aid from the State would enable the Trustees to provide still greater public benefits. 8. The Fish and Wildlife Service Within the United States Department of the Interior, this agency is concerned with the conservation of fish and wildlife. It administers the Parker River Wildlife Refuge in Newbury, the Monomy Wildlife Refuge in Chatham and Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Concord. Pres- ently negotiations are being conducted by the Department of Natural Re- sources for use, in cooperation with the Fish and Wildlife Service, ol a portion of Plum Island as a salt water beach in such a way that it will not -56- interfere with the wildlife aspect of that area. This is a fine example of inter-agency cooperation for public benefit. 9. The United States Forest Service Concerned with the conservation, protection and wise use of the country's forest resources in the public interest, this agency is respon- sible for the administration of the Hopkins Memorial Experimental Forest in the northwestern part of Massachusetts. The recreation possibilities of this area should be investigated, with special reference to its potentials for hunting, fishing, hiking and picnicking. 10. The National Park Service Within its policy of preservation of areas of national significance, the National Park Service is engaged in study of the possibility of estab- lishing a national park to include the Great Beach of outer Cape Cod, an area of spectacular scenery, sand dunes, extensive forests, and fine sandy beaches. Other areas in Massachusetts administered by this service are the Salem Maritime Historic Site and the Adams National Historic Site. 11. The Corps of Engineers There is reason to believe that close cooperation with this agency in planning for flood control dams will result in the creation of additional areas with recreation possibilities. It is the policy of the Corps of En- gineers to provide recreation facilities, when possible, in connection with flood control projects. Appendix D lists seven flood control projects which possess potentialities for recreation. 12. Historical Societies Some of the local historical societies in Massachusetts are mem- bers of the Bay State Historical League and the Society for the Preserva- tion of New England Antiquities. These organizations are making strenuous efforts to acquire, restore and maintain historic properties. The public value of historic sites is great. The preservation and protection of these natural resources might in some cases, be better as- sured by including them in state park properties. There is an oDvious need for state and federal assistance in the preservation of the more valu- able historic sites. 13. Adjoining States Interstate cooperation is often a necessity for effective management of the natural resources. Flood control studies by the Corps of Engineers and the New England -New York Inter- Agency Committee illustrate this interstate aspect. The possibilities of the creation of bi- state and tri-state parks should receive serious consideration. Joint action by Massachusetts and Rhode Island would, for example, greatly increase the value of Wallam Lake which adjoins the Douglas State Forest and extends into Rhode Island. In the southwestern part of Massachusetts, Mount Everett State Reservation- and Bash Bish State Park in Massachusetts, Taconic State -57- Park in New York and Mount Riga State Park in Connecticut could be united as a single park under a tri- state authority. In the northwestern corner of the State, consideration of another large tri- state area should be looked into for its possibilities for joint endeavor by Massachusetts, Vermont and New York, Area Selection In selecting the proposed park sites, consideration was given to both conspicuous scenic aspects and recreation value. Scenic value is rare natural beauty which is sufficiently distinctive by itself to attract people from different parts of the State and Nation. Recreational value de- pends upon the influence of the topography, vegetation, streams, lakes and ocean on the things people like to do out-of-doors. Recreation possibilities are affected by accessibility and proximity to population centers. While secondary roads will provide the only direct access to many areas, their selection necessarily depends heavily on the existing and proposed major highway system. Areas proposed mainly for active types of recreation should be relatively easy to reach. The selection of an area for any type of recreational use must be determined by a logical relating of needs, on the one hand, and cost on the other. In the case of an area selected because it possesses exceptional inspirational qualities "need" is the great imponderable. Whether or not acquisition is justified depends upon accurate appraisal of an area's whole social value which is not necessarily directly related to the number of people who visit it. The field reconnaissance was done with all the foregoing principles and considerations in mind together with a visualization of the principal elements of the ultimate design and the formulation of a rough estimate of what the cost might be. Survey teams, working in liaison with representatives of the De- partment, examined all the Department's existing recreation areas to de- termine their adaptability to improvement and expansion. Questionnaires were sent out to supervisors of recreation areas throughout the State re- questing information on the nature and extent of existing facilities, capacity, attendance, estimates of requirements to meet current demands and pos- sibilities for future expansion and improvements. In many instances the survey teams naet in the field with supervisors and district foresters and investigated and discussed these possibilities with them. Other loca^ tions were examined or reconnoitered to ascertain their potentials. Con- ferences and meetings were held with many organizations concerned with natural resources, conservation, recreation and vacation travel and their ideas and recommendations were recorded for future evaluation. Many individuals, thoroughly familiar with local conditions, cooperated by in- forming the survey teams of little known areas they should consider. One of the most important considerations affecting decisions on area selection is the opportunity to create needed bodies of water by arti- ficial impoundment. Advance planning will be essential to determination of all the characteristics of the lowland basins where impoundment ap- pears feasible before active development is undertaken. It is important to ascertain, if possible, on the basis of accurate flow records, that the supply of water will be ample to provide for the proposed or desired de- velopment. Where a dam is to be built for impoundment of a new lake, -58- there must be assurance that there will be no overflow on or damage to private property, or to proposed developments along its shores within the park, during periods of high water. If the lake is to be used for fishing it is important to know in advance how good a fishing lake it will be. Abundant and safe drinking water and adequate sewage disposal are so basically necessary that specific planning for the development of any area should be deferred until they are definitely assured. The key to success in selection and utilization of any area lies in comprehensive ad- vance planning which observes basic policies and safeguards natural or historic features. Good advance planning will also minimize the cost of operation, maintenance and protection. Like any plan based upon predic- tions which cannot be exact, development plans must be flexible and sub- ject to modification as experience or changed conditions may indicate. The prospective cost of operation and maintenance is a factor inevitably affecting the selection and development of any recreation area. Area Designation The term "area designation" relates to the allocation of the various sections of a park, forest, reservation or beach to the various recreation pursuits, single or in combination, for which people will visit it. The sys- tem as a whole serves a variety of purposes for which special provision is essential. By far the greater portion of the total area of a park or forest is ordinarilv used onlv by hunters hikers, climbers, skiers, nature lovers and similar recreationists. Some of the other public uses of state parks and forests are more or less mutually exclusive. Outboard boating, swim- ming and fishing are examples of incompatible recreational activities. To a lesser extent, but doubtless still important, camping and picnicking do not go well together. Campers, who engage space by the week, do not ex- pect to be overrun by picnickers who come for the day. Swimmers should not have to be on the alert for outboards. High-speed boating can be det- rimental to the enjoyment of lake fishing. Nevertheless, all of these activities, and many others, have legit- imate places in the overall recreational scheme. There is need of facilities for each of them in the system as a whole even though few, if any, individ- ual parks or forests will be able to offer everything. Variety of usability is related to topography, vegetation, subsurface conditions, water supply, accessibility and other natural or man-made conditions. The purpose for which most people visit state parks or forests are best served by setting aside parts of them, usually relatively small parts, for intensive use. Frontages on water, where swimming is permitted, automatically involve concentrated use. Other activities such as camping and picnicking also involve concentrated land use. Without concentration it is impossible to provide adequate services and safeguards --safeguards to the users as well as to the property itself--at reasonable cost. It must be possible to provide adequate sanitation, water and other features es- sential to health, comfort and enjoyment. The area must also lend itself to effective operation and maintenance without excessive cost. The purposes of areas devoted to concentrated use are better served if they are subdivided in such a way that unrelated activities are segre- gated. The enjoyment of camping is enhanced if the camping area is rea- sonably distant, for exanaple, from the day-use area, even more so if there is an intervening buffer area. This is also true of individual tent sites -59- with relation to each other. The ideal is a compromise between privacy and essential economy in the use of the land and the provision of services. To the extent possible, it is desirable that individual tent sites be screened from each other by shrubs or low-limbed trees. A degree of seclusion is also desirable in trailer parks and should be provided as far as is prac- ticable. The term, "scenic saturation" is commonly used to express the limit beyond which the use of an area should not go; that is, the maximum num- ber of people to be allowed in the area at any one time. Control can be ef- fected in two ways- -by limiting the number of parking spaces and by keep- ing the number of entrances at the minimum, preferably to one. This device simplifies the job of checking visitors in and out and the collecting of 'fees. It also helps to keep the cost of operation low. Some areas which possess special scenic or other natural features will serve recreational purposes better if access to them is not too easy. Making it necessary to walk some distance to them will tend to protect them from use beyond the point of scenic saturation as well as to increase their value to the people who are willing to make the effort. Escape from congestion is a major purpose of visitors to public outdoor recreation centers. It is highly desirable that these centers avoid the appearance of overcrowding, now and in the future. Whether an area lends itself readily to future expansion is an important consideration af- fecting decisions on area designation. Adherence to sound principles of area designation will result in important benefits both to the public and the administrators of state parks, forests, reservations and beaches. A well laid-out area will give the pub- lic a larger measure of what it seeks than one to which insufficient thought has been given. It will be easier and cheaper to equip, operate and main- tain. Many hazards to the State, such as undue deterioration of the site and damage by forest fires, will be reduced. There will be a correspond- ing reduction in hazards of life and limb to the visiting public. Effective area designation will bring added comforts, enjoyments and services to the public and savings to the State in costs of installation, operation and maintenance of recreational facilities. Figure 22, page 61, presented to illustrate the principle involved in area designation, shows how a somewhat typical recreation area might be laid out. Since, of course, no two areas are ever alike, this illustration necessarily exhibits a single case. Appendix A and Appendix B show the results, in detail, of applica- tion of the above-stated principles governing area selection and area des- ignation. These appendices list and describe all the specific areas for which acquisition and development are recommended. Type and Extent of Facilities The following general principles affect the installation of recrea- tional facilities: 1. That the facility will not involve encroachment upon significant or rare scenic, historic, cultural or scientific aspects. -60- Ukl'^ L onjouf? I^JtRV^L 5' Qvc-Kni/^l-i-T d^t Me-A- [/tMi,n OP TMli ARE-A-PRim/irRILKTA,T&i tme- CHOICE- OC- RoAP ALIiiKJMeiOT, /VUD COliSCQUCUT'-tf rut LOC^7I0^4 OF- &E-5IP,ABL& TVWUG-R.TBJXIN^ AMP rtBlW Siyti, EWBOOVlMfi, SyRCAMS, PRollMI'I'V TO WAfWl.AlOO yeurcoVMlOOKi.-flLL WITHIMe-dOMOMlCAL iviVS-kCZ^ ARM^ AEt RCQUIOfD Pol! LAUUCHIKJ^ iiM ALL BoA'r& AWP ^lAHtUVtRINt TJJClIt RtSTK-XIVE- ^RA ILH i. AW AUCHORAtje- FOR. "mciC- Bohxa SHooLB B& A^AltAfcLE-. OPCU PLAV ARtAS Afee ^CSIIiG.I) FCATURW C-OK act'^^- RCCRP- -ATIOW AtiP r^QVl&C- AW AES"fH&-|K, aE-AiUBC- lU PA^'alVE- CE-CEe-Aj- lOM. iE^,iit4ftTI0M PEOM CoUCE-WYKftT^D PAV USt AE.E^AS 1^ AM IM- WSLTAur G0UilPe-RAT|OM.kl,E^A|IOW WfTUlU TME- Ox/E-RtildHT ARCA IS ALIO (It^ilRAeLE- TO P^oyipC- A COMUDUITV FE-E-Liwi, AHP W- ISPV JHE- i,RF-i,ABIOUi NAJURE- OF- MAN . 2. That development shall supplement rather than doittinate the natural features of the area. 3. That no undue difficulties of maintenance, protection or opera- tion will be introduced. Swimming - Swimming is one of the major desires of state park users. On well designed, maintained and supervised fresh and salt water beaches, swimming areas will be clearly indicated. Attractive bath houses, with enclosed toilet facilities should be provided to accommodate the de- signed capacity of the beach. Picnicking - Both individual and group picnic areas should be pro- vided with some form of central shelter. Group picnic sites should be close to heavily populated areas where their use will justify their existence. Boating - In most state parks a simple boat launching ramp and parking space for cars and trailers will suffice. For heavily populated re- gions, where the demand for boating and fishing is great, marinas should be provided at which boats and canoes can be rented. They should also provide docking and mooring spaces on a daily or term rental basis. There are numerous rivers and streams in Massachusetts, the boating and canoe- ing potentials of which will bear investigation. Camping - Tenting, both individual and group, should be provided in selected areas adaptable to this form of recreation. Group camps should be adapted to use for educational purposes, as well as to the needs of vari- ous types of youth organizations. There will be need for opportunities for truly primitive camping in some of the more remote areas. Provision of safe fireplaces is indis- pensable to this type of use. Whether shelters will be built depends on the prevailing special circumstances. Where they will supplement facilities provided by private enter- prise, rental cabins can contribute effectively to the attractiveness of a recreation area. Cabins should, in general, be of simple design combining the essentials of reasonably comfortable outdoor living with moderate cost of upkeep and services. Trailer sites should have provision for electricity and water. Cen- trally located toilet facilities can serve several trailers. In heavily utilized camping areas, centrally located combination showers, laundry and a recreation building should be provided. Because of the limited number of spaces available, many people are turned away from the camping areas every season. Until such time as the expanded program meets the demand more adequately, considera- tion should be given to a maximum rental period of one week instead of two as at present. The installation of bridle trails will be justified at some locations. Other states have, however, found that the operation of stables in connec- tion with recreation centers is impracticable. Open areas will provide opportunity for the playing of various games and for appreciation of the scenic and inspirational values of the -62- park. Scenic drives should take advantage of outstanding scenic vistas, which visitors might otherwise not see. They should, however, be omitted if they would conflict with the natural characteristics of the area. Fishing does not intrude on other recreational activities and should be permitted in all park areas. It should receive protection against inter- ference from outboard boating. Hunting should be allowed in the parks where it will not conflict with other forms of recreation. Coming as it does, in or after mid -autumn, the hunting season overlaps the other rec- reation seasons to a minor extent. Consideration might, however, be given to the prohibition of hunting in certain areas set aside for the observation of undisturbed wildlife. Providing facilities for skiing on state parks and reservations is standard practice throughout the Northeast. Where snow conditions, top- ography and accessibility are sufficiently favorable, the establishment of new ski areas, possibly with lifts or tows and other accommodations may be advisable. Golf continues to enjoy great popularity. Whether or not serious consideration of this sport is justified in connection with state park devel- opment is somewhat uncertain. There are public golf courses in some of the state parks in the Nation. Accurate appraisal of public demand will provide guidance to decisions with respect to this sport. Public outdoor recreation centers can be fully adequate to the need only when they include at least some of a variety of structural facilities. These include bathhouses, boathouses, launching ramps, docks, diving towers and floats, recreation buildings, picnic shelters, administration buildings and others. Some centers will have to have all of the various types of structures, possibly even two or more of some of them. Structures will best serve their purposes if they are simple in de- sign and harmonious with the environment. The use of native materials, to the extent practicable, favors a harmonious effect. Structures should be sturdily constructed and able to withstand careless use. Picnic tables, benches and fireplaces incur lower maintenance costs if they are heavily constructed. Cast concrete tables and benches are standard equipment in some state parks. Esthetic aspects are, in the minds of many people, better served by wooden tables and benches. Figure 23, page 64, shows suggestions for the architectural fea- tures of structures in the state park recreation centers. Other architec- tural forms will, of course, be equally acceptable "as long as they do not involve departure from basic principles. Estimates of Cost The results of this investigation and analysis of present and future demands on the State's outdoor recreation facilities, both by residents and vacation travelers, make it clearly apparent that the most acutely needed action is inamediate acquisition of additional lands adaptable to recreation purposes. There is special need for lake and ocean frontages near heavily populated areas. -63- : :' X .'^'^'% Figure 23 ^X^ 4> ^ Y!-¥^^^^.. _^ir>^^^ Mi ^. ,.,isji^-:<: ^lililliJiiU E-T-C-v/vyi a n p-R □ m p/vt^ t^ rn "t E-LE-vA-xi°n ^^,^m 1} yv 7 14- 14- D u ^ [^ E^LE-V^TlOn P-R.Pm i_/vv^ E— P L- /^ n V I E- vu Prdpd^^^? I/E-^I^ ■Fn ic AL^ PKt-Limin AP;v 6KL-JCH-&5 Park 6yu(.njRt^ mav ^e- ot nativ E-RIAL, RANPDM WltTU- ilJINi IH A HA' TRPATtt PINISH- OR ^MNTtl? W1T« MLO LE-WE-NT1>.4 NATURE-, ALL JTHIK-TUI^E- iBOULf 4IAVE- A WE aP9NC-ii Vt-J PROVIDE- PK07tC7lON P PC-ilRADUE tLE-MF-Myi.rnKTIONi Of- I HOuSe- (^OOE^ MAY »E- utP-T QPE-M FOR LI H\C SUt-LJt-R MAY 4IJV& MOVAILt LHHT' PAMtLi THAT UN 5t MST6NM MMPLV 5E iuvmifl coLUUkiS p ViSDVitf- PHafE-t7lO^ 5£-Ki&- OP PPIVACV WUtN VPilR^-p. PLAtlTINt iMOULP (OKlilJl OtHAtlVf h MATE-mAL,RE0UIRlN4 A MINIMUM DV UUti] i F-QUMt-ATlIlN^ AKl- RE •r-t to o ■«-> Cfl ^1 1—1 cd u Eh s Reference Number Name Location Region Town 23 Mount Grace S. F. 2 Warwick X 24 Mount Tom S. Res. 2 Holyoke X X X 25 October Mountain S. F. 1 Washington X X X X 26 Pittsfield S. F. 1 Hancock X X X 27 Sandisfield S. F. 1 New Marlborough X X X 28 Savoy S. F. 1 Savoy X X X X X X 29 Standish Mon. Res. 5 Dioxbury X 30 Tolland S. F. 2 Tolland X X X X 31 Otis S. F. 1 Sandisfield X X . X 32 Wahconah Falls S.P. 1 Dal ton X 33 W'alden Pond S.P. 5 Lincoln X X 34 Wendell S. F. 2 Wendell X X X X 35 Windsor S. F. 1 Windsor X X X 139 Willard Brook S. F. 3 Townsend X X X X X Prioril ty D-ll - Development on lands to be acq 4 uired and completed Tewksbury befc X re E X ecember 31, 1962. 36 Ames Pond X 37 Ashland S.P. 5 Ashland X X X 38 Bare Hill Pond 3 Harvard X X X X 39 Beaver Lake 2 Ware X X X X X 42 Bound Brook 5 Norwell X X 43 Brooks Pond 3 Oakham X X X X 44 Bradley W. Palmer S.P. 5 Topsfield X X X 47 Cheshire Reservoir 1 Cheshire X X X ■95- Priority D-II (Cont'd) Proposed Allocation of Major Facilities bo 3 1 +-> o bjj .3 A! o •r-t a u CO 0) CO u (U u H to B Reference Number Name Location Region Town 48 Cleveland Pond 5 Abington X X X 49 Cooley Lake 2 Granville X X X - 50 D. A. R. S. F. 2 Goshen X X X X 51 Dighton Rock S. P. 6 Berkley X X 52 Dinosaur Footprints 2 Holyoke 53 Farm Pond 5 Sherborn X X X 55 G-Bar-S Ranch 1 Great Barrington X X 56 Goose Pond 1 Tyringham X X X X X 57 Gore Pond 3 Charlton X X X 59 Halfway Pond 6 Plymouth X X X X 60 Harold Parker S. F. 4 N. Andover X X X X 61 Heald Pond 4 Pepperell X X X X 62 Holyoke Range 2 Amherst X 63 Indian Head River 5 Pembroke X X 67 Leach Pond 5 Easton X X X X 68 Leominster S. F. 3 Leominster X X X 70 Long Pond 6 Lakeville X X X 71 Magijolia Shore 5 Gloucester X 73 Moss Brook 2 Warwick X X X X X X 74 Moulton Pond 3 Rutland X X X 75 Mount Sugarloaf 2 Deerfield X 76 Mystic Lake 7 Barnstable X X X X X 78 Otter River S. F. 3 Winchendon X X X X 81 Rocky Pond 3 Boylston X X X X ■96- Hwiiiiimiiiiiiii Priority D-II (Cont'd) Proposed Allocation of Major Facilities bo S a en c •r-1 o fciO o •I-* o 03 a; •H +-> c CO 0) •r-4 U f— t •1-4 u Reference Number Name Region Location Town 82 Russell Pond 2 Russell X X X 84 Strawberry Point 5 Scituate X 85 Sudbury River 5 Wayland X 87 Wachusett Mt. S. Res. 3 Westminster X X X X 88 Walker Pond 3 Sturbridge X X X X X 89 Wallum Lake-Douglas S. F. 3 Douglas X X X X 90 Whitehall S. F. 3 Hopkinton X X X X X 91 Wright Ponds 3 Ashby X X X Prioril y D-HI - Development on lands to DC acqu 3 ired and completed Royalston Defoi X 'e Decern 3er ; 51, 1977. 138 Beaver Brook X 40 Beaver Pond 6 Bellingham X X X 41 Black Mountain 5 Marshfield X X 45 Bulkley Dunton 1 Becket X X X X X 46 Carding MUl Pond 5 Sudbury X X 92 Carter Pond 3 Petersham X 93 Chesterfield Gorge 2 Chesterfield X X 115 Connor Pond 3 Petersham X X 94 Crooked & Plainfield Ponds 2 Plainfield X X X 95 Crouch Pond 2 Colrain X 96 Crystal Lake 3 Douglas X X 116 Elders Pond 6 Lakeville X X X 118 Fitchburg Reservoir 4 Ashby X X X 54 Foxboro S. F. 5 Foxboro X X 97 French King Rock 2 Erving X I -97- Priority D-ni (Cont'd) Proposed Allocation of Ma or Facilities bo .3 m % O cq .3 u en c (U H to CO u u H 1 U Reference Number Name Location Region Town 119 Haggetts Pond 4 Andover X X X 58 Hairpin Turn 1 N. Adams X 120 Holyoke Range 2 Amherst X 64 Indian Hill 6 Plymouth X X X 98 Indian Pond 6 Kingston X X 65 J. A. Skinner S.P. 2 Hadley X 66 Lake Garfield 1 Monterey X X X 99 Lake Wampanoag 3 Ashburnham X X X 121 Locke Brook 4 Townsend X 69 Love well 3 Hubbardston X X X 100 Lower Spectacle Pond 1 Sandisfield X X X X 137 Martha's Vineyard S. F. 7 West Tisbury X X X 101 Mashpee River 7 Mashpee X 72 Milham Reservoir 3 Marlborough X X X 102 Mill Pond 1 Sheffield X X X X 122 Monroe -Mohawk -Savoy S. F. 1 Florida X 123 Mount Greylock 1 Adams X X 124 Mount Everett 1 Mt. Washington X X 125 Nagog Pond 4 Littleton X X X 103 Nashua River 4 Groton X 104 Nissitissit River 4 Pepperell X 77 Old Reservoir 3 Barre X X X X 79 Peaked Cliff 6 Plymouth X 80 Pelham Lake 2 Rowe X X X -98- Priority D-III (Cont'd) Proposed Allocation of Major Facilities 'bfl a B o W W) B a o •f-l M •l-l c w -H •rJ CO u d nJ u .3 Reference Number Name Region Location Town 105 Pierce Brook 3 W. Brookfield X X 127 Rocky Hm 3 Leominster X X 106 Rudd Pond 1 Be eke t X X X 128 Sandisfield S. F. ' 1 Sandisfield X 107 She o met Lake 2 Warwick X X X X 129 Silver Lake 6 Halifax X X X 108 Skyline Drive 1 Pittsfield X 130 South & Boot Ponds 6 Plymouth X X X X 83 Spectacle & Lawrence Ponds 7 Sandwich X X X X X 109 Squanacook River 4 Groton X 110 Steadman Pond 1 Monterey X X 111 Stuart Pond 3 Sterling X X X 131 Sudbury Reservoir 3 Southborough X X X 132 Taconic Range 1 Williamstown X 133 Upper Naukeug Lake 3 Ashburnham X X X 33 Walden Pond 5 Lincoln X X X 134 Wallis Reservoir 3 Douglas X X X 113 Westfield R. Goss Heights 2 Huntington X X 112 Westfield R. Upper Wilderness 2 Chesterfield 136 Wheeler Pond 2 Warwick X X X 45 Yokum Pond 1 Becket X X X -99- OCEAN BEACHES ACQUISITION Priority A-I - Recommended for acquisition before December 31, 1959. Reference Location Number Name Region Town 140 Duxbury 5 Duxbury 141 Humarock 5 Marshfield 142 Sandy Neck 7 Barnstable 143 Washburn Island 7 Falmouth 144 West Island 6 Fair haven Priority A-II - Recommended for acquisition before December 31, 1962. 145 Harding's 7 Chatham 146 Monomoy 7 Chatham 147 Plum Island 4 Newbury 148 Plymouth 6 Plymouth 149 Wingaersheek 5 Gloucester Priority A -III - Recommended for acquisition before December 31, 1977. 7 150 South Cape Mashpee DEVELOPMENT Existing ocean beaches or those currently under construction for which no development is planned under this program. 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 Crane's Memorial Demarest Lloyd Horseneck Martha's Vineyard Provincetown (Province Lands) Salisbury Scusset 5 Ipswich 6 Dartmouth 6 Westport 7 Oak Bluffs 7 Provincetown 4 Salisbury 7 Sandwich ■100- DEVELOPMENT (Cont'd) Priority D-I - Development of ocean beaches to be completed before December 31, 1960. Reference Nximber Name Location Region Town 140 143 Duxbury Washburn Island 5 7 Dioxbury Falmouth Priority D-iI - Development of ocean beaches to be completed before December 31, 1962. Sandy Neck Barnstable De III - Development of ocean beaches to be completed before Priority D -III - Developrr cember 31, 1977. 145 Harding ' s 141 Humarock 146 Monomoy 147 Plum Island 148 Plymouth 144 West Island 149 Wingaersheek 150 South Cape 7 Chatham 5 Marshfield 7 Chatham 4 Newbury 6 Plymouth 6 Fairhaven 5 Gloucester 7 Mashpee -101- APPENDIX B DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF AREAS PROPOSED FOR ACQUISITION AND DEVELOPMENT ■103- NAME: Ames Pond, Tewksbury NUMBER: 36 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 900 Surrounded with excellent stands of pine, hemlock and hardwood, this pond has superior state park potential. Ames Hill, rising over 200 feet to the southwest of the pond is another attraction. This critical area is exceptionally well suited to state park purposes due to its proximity to densely populated urbanized areas and should be acquired immediately for day use. A portion of this area bordering North Street is now in danger of being subdivided for housing. Another portion belongs to the Ames Pond Fish and Game Club. The boundary of this area should parallel North Street from Kendall Street, excluding the houselots, to the power line intersecting Andover Street. A parcel 1,000 feet wide should be taken north of Andover Street to protect the stream going into the pond. The line should then follow An- dover Road east to Brown Street and south along Brown Street to the Middle- sex County line. The area south of Kendall Street should then be acquired to extend as far east as Andover State Forest. NAME: Bare Hill Pond, Harvard NUMBER: 38 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 1376 With its rugged terrain and pine, hemlock and hardwood vegeta- tion, the region surrounding this pond has excellent possibilities for both day and overnight use. The park should extend from the northernmost portion of the pond to a point 1,000 feet west of Bolton Road, south from, this point and parallel to Bolton Road to the Bolton line, west along this line to Still River Road, north one-half mile and east to Bare Hill Pond. The recom.mended acqui- sition does not include the areas on the west side of the pond which has a heavy concentration of cottages. NAME: Bash Bish Falls State Forest, Mount Washington NUMBER: 10 PRIORITY: D-I \ No Acquisition The facilities at Bash Bish Falls can be expanded for additional picnicking in the area adjacent to Bash Bish Brook. Long-range plans should consider inclusion of this area in a tri-state park. •105- NAME: Beartown-Otis State Forest, Monterey NUMBER: 114 PRIORITIES: A-HI ACREAGE: 2,800 This long-range acquisition would join Mount Hunger, the proposed acquisition on Lake Garfield and Steadman Pond, Otis State Forest and the proposed acquisition on Lower Spectacle Pond to provide a major recrea- tion area with facilities for swimming, boating, picnicking, tenting and cabins. NAME: Beartown State Forest, Monterey NUMBER: 11 PRIORITY: D-I No Acquisition This area can provide for additional day and overnight use at Bene- dict Pond, with no additional acquisition of land, and would complement the facilities at East Mountain State Forest and Otis State Forest, NAME: Beaver Brook, Royalston NUMBER: 138 PRIORITIES: A-II and D-III ACREAGE: 915 A dam just east of Stone Road would impound 150 to 200 acres of water and acquisition is recommended to provide day-use facilities. The boundaries of this area should extend east from Stone Road to Beryl Hill and north from Winchendon Road to D eland Road. NAME: Beaver Lake, Ware NUMBER: 39 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 2,500 South of Quabbin Reservoir and with very little present develop- ment, this acquisition should provide day and overnight use with tent sites and cabins. This lake is half a mile south of Route 9 and less than five miles from the turnpike interchange at Route 32 in Palmer. This area should extend north from the southerly end of Beaver Lake to the Metropolitan District Commission property and east from Cofey Road to Brimstone Hill. This would include the watershed of the lake. ■106- NAME: Beaver Pond, Bellingham NUMBER: 40 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-III ACREAGE: 985 This pond, appears to be rather shallow but of sufficient depth for swimming. It also has good potential for day use and boating. The boundary of this area should extend from Farm Street to Grove Street and north from Hartford Avenue to Maple Street. NAME: Billerica State Forest, Billerica NUMBER: 1 PRIORITY: D-I No Acquisition This area has limited picnicking facilities at the present time with some possibilities for hiking. Expansion should keep pace with the de- mand as this new recreation area becomes more popular. NAME: Black Mountain, Marshfield NUMBER: 41 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-III ACREAGE: 1200 Located in a historical region adjacent to the ocean, including Gov- ernor Winslow's homestead and the site of Daniel Webster's house this area should be preserved intact to maintain its historic character. The pond west of Governor Winslow's home should be investigated to see if it is suitable for swimming. With Black Mountain for picnicking, the pond for swimming and the historic interest, this site is ideal for day use. This proposed park area should include a portion of Duxbury Marsh, land north of Careswell Street to Parsonage Street, east to Daniel Webster House and west to Enterprise Street. NAME: Bound Brook, Norwell NUMBER: 42 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 930 This is an interesting area both geologically and botanically. This area would fulfill not only the active day use recreation purpose in the vicinity of Bound Brook Pond but would also provide educational opportu- nities and passive enjoyment in the drumlin area. The area should be bounded by Mount Blue Street, Clapp Road, Sum- mer Street and Central Street. -107- NAME: Bradley W. Palmer State Park, Topsfield NUMBER: 44 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 625 Included in this park on the Ipswich River is a former estate with interesting trees and shrubs, picnic areas, bridle trails and lily ponds. The naansion is now occupied by the Civil Defense Administration. The Audobon Society's Ipswich River Sanctuary, of nearly 2,000 acres, adjacent to this park, presents a unique opportunity for canoeists to travel over four miles on the Ipswich River in unspoiled countryside through both the sanctuary and the park. The existing dam on the Ipswich River north of Winthrop Street pro- vides an area deep enough for swimming but the current makes this im- practical. Further investigation should be made in this area to determine the possibility of constructing an embankment and sluiceway adjacent to the south side of the river to provide a swimming area. This seems ex- tremely feasible and could be another excellent attraction in this park. Land should be purchased on both sides of Topsfield Road as far east as Winthrop Street to develop this project. Both group and individual picnick- ing and swimming could then be provided for on the south side of the river in this area. Activity in a gravel pit on the west side of Winthrop Street is spoiling an area adjacent to the park. Both sides of Winthrop Street are still attractive with the exception of this gravel pit and should be acquired as far west as the existing park boundary. This could then provide a camp- ing area very much needed to relieve the overcrowded condition in Harold Parker State Forest. The Ashbury Street area is in danger of being subdivided. The area west of Highland Street and north and east of Vineyard Hill should be ac- quired to extend the boundary of Bradley W. Palmer Park to the Ipswich River Sanctuary. This would assure the preservation of Ashbury Street as a scenic approach to the park. At the present time the park supervisor has no jurisdiction over a canoe rental, just outside the park lim.its. Since this private business is taking advantage of the park surroundings, the state should provide for this form of recreation on state park lands. By purchasing 40 acres of land on the Ipswich River west of the Ipswich River Sanctuary, adjacent to the High Valley Road, a canoe rental could be established, which would be the west- ern term.inal for a four mile canoe route. This route would follow the Ipswich River through the Ipswich River Sanctuary and Bradley W. Palmer State Park where the eastern terminus would be located. NAME: Brimfield State Forest, Brimfield NUMBER: 12 PRIORITIES: A-II and D~I ACREAGE: 450 Brimfield State Forest in Brimfield, three miles from Route 20, has been in operation for two seasons and provides swimming and picnick- ing at Dean Pond. This area can be expanded to provide overnight use with tents and trailer sites. ■108- Wales Brook is another area partially within the forest which could be developed for day use after repair of the dam. This brook has excellent trout fishing. There are two other locations on Wales Brook where dams could be constructed, to provide areas for additional day and overnight use. The boundaries of this area in the vicinity of Dean Pond, should ex- tend north from Munn Road along East Hill Road to South Nichols Mountain and east to the western boundary of the portion of Brim.field State Forest encompassing Dearth Hill. The eastern portion of Brimfield State Forest in the -vicinity of Wales Brook should be extended to the west to tie in with the major portion of the forest encompassing Dearth Hill. NAME: Brooks Pond, Oakham NUMBER: 43 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 1,000 Situated in Oakham and North Brookfield, this site has good terrain for day and overnight use facilities at the northern end. The southern por- tion is highly developed and thus not adaptable to state park purposes. The southern boundary should parallel North Brook to Oakham Road north along Oakham Road and North Brookfield Road to South Road, south on South Road and Parmenter Road to the intersection of Parmenter Road with Northwest Road and west to the pond. The three major western par- cels of Oakham State Forest should then be united with this taking on the north end of Brooks Pond. NAME: Bulkley Dunton, Becket NUMBER: 45 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-III ACREAGE: 1,062 This inactive reservoir should be combined with October Mountain State Forest to provide day-use facilities for swimming, picnicking and boating. The Division of Fish and Game is in the process of acquiring a right of way to this pond at the present tinae. This acquisition should include land west of Yokum Pond Road and south of County Road to October Mountain State Forest. NAME: Campbells Falls State Forest, New Marlborough NUMBER: 2 PRIORITY: D-I No Acquisition This scenic area has limited picnicking facilities. Some expansion is possible. Improvement of access and parking is recommended as well •109- as cooperation on a bi-state basis between Massachuwetts and Connecticut in administering this area. NAME: Carding Mill Pond, Sudbury NUMBER: 46 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-III ACREAGE: 3,150 The recommended area is adapted to swimming, picnicking, fishing, boating and golfing. Acquisition would also help to preserve an area of na- tional historic interest. This parcel should extend northerly from the Sudbury Reservoir lands to the U.S. Military Reservation in Maynard, in- cluding lands in the vicinity of the Wayside Inn, Carding Mill Pond, Hagers Pond and Stearns Mill Pond. NAME: Carter Pond, Petersham NUMBER: 92 PRIORITIES: A-II and D-III ACREAGE: 840 Situated in a very scenic area adjacent to the Harvard Forest, the pond itself is not deep enough for swimm.ing. However, picnicking, hiking and nature study have excellent potential here. The boundary of this area should extend west from Harvard Forest to the intersection of the power line with Glen Valley Road, southeast along the power line to Dana Road and northeast along Dana Road to Route 32 and 122 to the southern boundary of Harvard Forest. NAME: Cheshire Reservoir, Cheshire NUMBER: 47 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 2,240 The central reservoir is recomm.ended for acquisition and develop- ment. Since it appears to be rather shallow, further investigation will be needed for determining its potential for swimming. Picnicking, boating and hiking should be provided. This park should extend northwest from the central reservoir to Savage Hill and to the abandoned mine near Pettibone Brook. ■110- NAME: Chester-Blandford State Forest, Blandford NUMBER: 13 PRIORITY: D-I No Acquisition Additional swimming and picnicking facilities should be provided in the scenic Sanderson Brook Falls area. The existing pool is not suitable for swimming after the middle of July. NAME: Chesterfield Gorge, Chesterfield NUMBER: 93 PRIORITIES: A-II and D-III ACREAGE: 1,760 The Trustees of Reservations administer 52 acres of the Chester- field Gorge at the present time. The Westfield River south of the Trustees' property to the Knightville Dam is very scenic and undeveloped with many fine swimming and trout fishing holes. This area should be developed for picnicking, swimming and fishing. A primitive camping area would also be ideally located at the northern end of the Knightville flowage area. The flowage area could be used for hunting, fishing and hiking. Acquisition should extend roughly 2,000 feet on each side of the river to include the gorge. This would extend north from the flowage area to Partridge Road. NAME: Clarksburg State Park, Clarksburg NUMBER: 14 PRIORITY: D-I No Acquisition A newly established area with picnic facilities is located on Mauserts Pond. Bathing and overnight facilities should also be provided in this area. NAME: Cleveland Pond, Abington NUMBER: 48 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 2,050 This site, easily reached from the heavily populated Boston area, is within the Peregrine White Sanctuary and well wooded. Acquisition for development of day-use facilities is needed at this location. The eastern boundary of this proposed park should run north from Rockland Street along Hancock Street and Thicket Street to the Weymouth Town Forest and along the southwestern boundary of the Town Forest to Pond Street, The western boundary should border on North Quincy Street toils intersection with Chestnut Street from which point the north-western boundary would run to the intersection of Pond Street and the Town Forest. -Ill- NAME: Cochituate State Park, Natick NUMBER: 15 PRIORITY: D-I No Acquisition Located on Route 30, this park is heavily used for boating and pic- nicking. A narrow ribbon of park land surrounds this lake and there is limited room for expansion. The drop- off from the shoreline is too steep for swimming except in a few small areas. The boating facilities should be developed to peak capacity because of the great attraction of this lake to Massachusetts residents and out-of-state vacationers. The Massachu- setts Turnpike Authority borrow pit land between Lake Cochituate and the Turnpike should be acquired and replanted with trees to replace this former buffer area. Any other parcels of land that are available adjacent to this park should be acquired to protect this critical area. NAME: Connor Pond, Petersham NUMBER: 115 PRIORITIES: A-III and D-IU ACREAGE: 1,400 The existing dam is in need of repair and, since the 1953 tornado, sections of this area are nearly devoid of sizable trees. This land, the cost of which should be low, should be acquired for future development. The acquisition should include the watershed of this pond. This would be an excellent area for a demonstration conservation project with the ulti- mate objective of using it as a recreation area. NAME: Cooley Lake, Granville NUMBER: 49 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 215 Surrounded mostly by pasture land, orchards and wood lands, and relatively undeveloped, this lake has good potential for day use. Acquisition should include the land bounded by Cross Lane, Dickin- son Brook, Silver Street and Sodom Street. NAME: Crooked Pond and Plainfield Pond, Plainfield NUMBER: 94 PRIORITIES: A- II and D-III ACREAGE: 2,500 These ponds are undeveloped and suitable for both day use and camping. This area is considered one of the best in the state for both deer and small game. Acquisition should extend from Route 116 on the south to Savoy Road on the north and from the Berkshire County line easterly to Hallock- ville Road and Hawley State Forest. -112- NAME: Crouch Pond, Colrain NUMBER: 95 PRIORITIES: A-II and D-HI ACREAGE: 5,025 This pond is in a very wild area in the scenic Catamount Hills, and should be utilized for primitive camping, hiking, fishing and hunting. Acquisition should include the area east of Pocumtuck Mountain to Adamsville Road and Colrain Road and north of the Shelbourne town line to Heath Road. NAME: Crystal Lake, Douglas NUMBER: 96 PRIORITIES: A-II and D-II ACREAGE: 490 East of Douglas State Forest and with an excellent spruce swamp type of vegetation, the area lying west of this lake should be acquired for future day use. It should extend from Cedar Street to Douglas State Forest. Manchaug Pond should also be considered in the same priority of acquisition to provide boating facilities by extending the northern boundary of Douglas State Forest to the southern portion of this pond. NAME: D.A.R. State Forest, Goshen NUMBER: 50 PRIORITIES: A- 1 and D-II ACREAGE: 687 Expansion of swimming, picnicking and tenting facilities and new facilities for boating can be provided in this recreation area by acquiring the remainder of the undeveloped frontage on the Highland Lakes. Additional land should be purchased west of the lower lake to Cape Street. On the upper lake, the line should extend north to the Ashfield Town line and east from Cape Street to the forest boundary. NAME: Dighton Rock State Park, Berkley NUMBER: 51 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 315 This park should be expanded to take in Hospital Hill and to provide a buffer zone at the southerly end to protect it from the subdivisions being developed. The undesirable cottages in the existing park should be re- moved and the Rock made more accessible to visitors. An investigation is currently under way to determine how this can best be accomplished. Boating and picnicking facilities should also be provided. -113- The boundaries of this site should extend south from the creek north of Hospital Hill to a line one-half mile south of Old Ferry Road, and east from the Taunton River to Bayview Avenue. NAME: Dinosaur Footprints, Holyoke NUMBER: 52 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 32 Administered by the Trustees of Reservations this historic and geologic attraction is extremely difficult to reach because of a serious traf- fic condition on Route 5 and lack of parking facilities. By acquiring adjacent land south of the footprints, improved access and a limited parking area would alleviate this condition. NAME: Duxbury Beach, Duxbury NUMBER: 140 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-I OCEAN FRONTAGE: 2-1/2 miles The northerly end of this beach is operated by private interests for public use. South of this area is a portion set aside for Duxbury resi- dents. The plan proposes a new access road from Marshfield to by-pass both these areas and reach the southerly half of the spit, of which two and one-half m.iles would remain for state development. NAME : East Mountain State Forest (G-Bar-S Ranch), Great Barrington NUMBER: 55 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 2,050 Formerly East Mountain was used oiily for skiing, half of the fa- cilities being on state land and half on privately owned land with the tows and concessions operated by the owners of G-Bar-S Ranch. Legislation is now pending for acquisition of this ranch for state development. Swimming, picnicking, and improvements to the skiing area are recommended. The boundaries of this acquisition should extend northwest from the existing forest to Route 23, Brush Hill Road, Housatonic River and East Rock. -114- NAME: Elders Pond, LakeviUe NUMBER: 116 PRIORITIES: A-III and D-IH ACREAGE: 640 Presently a part of the Taunton Water Supply, this area should be considered for long-range acquisition if the City of Taunton abandons it as a water supply. The boundaries of this area should extend from Pickens Street to Montgomery Street and Hill Street to Precinct Street south and east of the pond. NAME: Erving State Forest, Erving NUMBER: 16 PRIORITY: D-I No Acquisition The Laurel Lake recreation area has good beach and picnic fa- cilities but they are limited by cottage development along the shore. It is recommended that a new area be provided at Moss Brook to relieve the overcrowded conditions here. NAME: Erving and Wendell State Forest, Erving NUMBER: 117 PRIORITIES: A-UI ACREAGE: 7,890 Long-range acquisition between these two forests should include areas"" adjacent to Route 2 and the Millers River, thus protecting this scenic area along the Mohawk Trail. The present western boundary of Erving State Forest should be ex- tended south over Poplar Mountain to Country Hill in Wendell State Forest. The easterly line should extend to Whetstone Brook in Wendell and Moss Brook in Erving. Private parcels inside the existing forests should also be purchased. NAME: Farm Pond, Sherborn NUMBER: 53 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 425 Located in the Sherborn Town Forest, swimming and picnicking facilities on this pond have been designed for local use. The Department should acquire this area for a state park and either expand the existing town facilities, if the town will cooperate, or provide new facilities of state park caliber in a different area adjacent to the pond for swimming, pic- nicking and boating. The park area should extend from the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad on the west. Farm Road on the north, Goulding Street to Rocky Narrows Reservation on the south to a line parallel with and 1,000 feet east of the Charles River, thence along this line to Farm Road. -115- NAME: Fitchburg Reservoir, Ashby NUMBER: 118 PRIORITIES: A-UI and D-IH ACREAGE: 750 Long-range acquisition should include land around the Fitchburg and Ashby Reservoirs and land in the vicinity of Vinton Pond. Day-use and overnight facilities should be provided in these areas as demand for them dictates. NAME: Foxboro State Forest, Foxboro NUMBER: 54 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-III ACREAGE: 500 This state forest should be expanded to include water facilities which can be provided at Carpenter Pond and another smaller pond which has no name. This area is well wooded and adaptable to state park pur- poses. The area recommended for acquisition includes all of the land west of Lakeview Road, south of Main Street and east of Washington Street, ly- ing north of the existing state forest, with the exception of house-lots on these streets. NAME: Freetown-Fall River State Forest, Freetown NUMBER: 17 PRIORITY: D-I No Acquisition Although picnic areas are available here, there are no facilities for swimming. A water body suitable for swimming can be provided by construct- ing a dam on Rattlesnake Brook. This would also provide an excellent group picnic area. Development is considered urgent to satisfy demands of the New Bedford-Fall River area. NAME: French King Rock, Erving NUMBER: 97 PRIORITIES: A-II and D-III ACREAGE: 50 A limited boat launching area should be provided on the east side of the Connecticut River one-half mile north of French King Rock. Consideration should also be given to acquiring additional land on each side of the river north of French King Bridge to preserve this un- usually scenic area. ■116- NAME: Goose Pond, Tyringham NUMBER: 56 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 1,650 The easterly half of this pond, part of one of the larger water bodies in the Berkshires, is undeveloped at the present time. This area is located approximately two miles from the Lee Interchange on the Massachusetts Turnpike and would provide an excellent site for a major recreation area including day and overnight use. The area suggested for acquisition lies south of the Turnpike and Route 20, west of the Becket town line and north of Pond Road, the west- ern boundary to be on a line running to the east of the present summ.er cottage development. NAME: Gore Pond, Charlton NUMBER: 57 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 1,600 Approximately 10 miles from the Massachusetts Turnpike Inter- change in Auburn, this site has little development at the present time and should be acquired for day use in the event that the Corps of Engineers does not provide recreation facilities at Buffumville Dam. The boundary of this area should extend south from the intersection of Schoolhouse Road with Ramshorn Road, along Ramshorn Road to Dresser Hill Road, west on Dresser Hill Road, north on Dudley Road and northeast on Schoolhouse Road to Ramshorn Road. NAME: Granville State Forest, Granville NUMBER: 18 PRIORITY: D-I No Acquisition This location has picnic, tent and trailer sites which could be ex- panded along the Hubbard River. Swimming and fishing are also available in this area. NAME: Haggets Pond, Andover NUMBER: 119 PRIORITIES: A -III and D-III ACREAGE: 720 Haggets Pond should be considered for long-range acquisition in the event that the Town of Andover develops another source for water sup- ply. This area should include the existing protected watershed together with Wood Hill west of the pond. ■117- NAME: Hairpin Turn, North Adams NUMBER: 58 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-III ACREAGE: 200 The area to be acquired is above Hairpin Turn and overlooks the Hoosic River Valley. A scenic overlook and picnic area should be provided here to take advantage of the panorama from the summit which has always been a tourist attraction. The boundaries of this area should extend north from West Summit to Hairpin Turn with Route 2 on the west and the Florida town line on the east. NAME: Halfway Pond, Plymouth NUMBER: 59 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 1,000 To relieve the overcrowded conditions in Myles Standish State Forest, Halfway Pond, located east of the state forest, should be acquired immediately. Larger than any of the ponds in the forest and with a large wooded island in the middle, this relatively undeveloped pond would make an excellent area for day use. Long Pond, adjacent to Halfway Pond, should have parking facilities and public access for fishermen. This is one of the best trout ponds in the State. The parcel to be included would extend from the easterly bound- ary of Myles Standish State Forest to the West shore of Long Pond and the' south 'shore to Gallows Pond. NAME: Harding's Beach, Chatham NUMBER: 145 PRIORITIES: A-II and D-III OCEAN FRONTAGE: one mile Operated by the Town of Chathami, this beach has frequently been mentioned as being of state beach caliber. This beach may present an op- portunity for joint State-Town action. NAME: Harold Parker State Forest, Andover NUMBER: 60 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 530 Harold Parker State Forest in Andover and North Andover is ac- cessible from Routes 125 and 114 as well as several secondary roads. Both the day and overnight use areas are in constant demand which war- rants their expansion. Additional swimming and picnicking areas should be provided around the ponds east of Jenkins Road, with the overnight areas -118- for tenting and trailer sites adjacent to the ponds on the west side of Jenkins Road. This suggestion differs from the design proposed in the report to the Legislature under Chapter 85, Resolves of 1955 in that a greater area is available for future expansion. Additional parcels should be acquired to round out the existing boundaries. The boundary south of Field Pond and Frye Pond should be extended to the Middlesex County line from Central Street to Haverhill Street. The area east of Haverhill Street should be acquired south to Marblehead Street. The area between Jenkins Road and Brackett, Collins and Field Ponds should be acquired as well as the land on both sides of Route 114 to combine the many parcels of state property in the area. NAME: Heald Pond, Pepperell NUMBER: 61 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 1,065 This pond lies in a picturesque setting with the rugged forested hills rising from the west shore. Facilities for swimnaing, picnicking, boating and tenting should be provided here. The boundary of this area should extend southeast from, the inter- section of Oak Hill Road and Chestnut Street to the intersection of Heald Street and Maple Street, south to Jewett Street, and west along Jewett Street and Hog Hill Road to the intersection of Hog Hill Road with Lock Road. From this point the boundary should extend northeast along Chestnut Street to its'intersection with Oak Hill Road. NAME: Holyoke Range, Amherst NUMBER: 62 PRIORITY: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 260 The scenic area in The Notch and Devils Garden on Route 116 should be acquired immediately since development is taking place in this area at the present time. Provision should be made for picnicking, hiking and scenic overlooks. The proposed area extends northerly from the intersection of Route 116 and the Granby town line, 500 feet on each side of Route 116, to a line one-half mile south of Bay Road. NAME: Holyoke Range, Amherst NUMBER: 120 PRIORITIES: A-III and D-III ACREAGE: 8,560 This area in Hadley, Amherst, South Hadley and Granby includes the scenic mountain range abutting Joseph Allen Skinner State Park. -119- This proposed long-range acquisition includes the land between the Connecticut River on the west. Route 63 on the east, Bay Road on the north and the State Park in the south. In addition, the mountain range east of the State Park should be acquired by taking all of the area lying north of Pearl Street and Bachelor Road, west of Harris Road and south of Bay Road. NAME: Hopkinton State Park, Hopkinton NUMBER: 19 PRIORITY: A-I and D-I ACREAGE: 440 Hopkinton State Park, on Route 85 near Cordaville, is utilized only for boating and fishing at the present time, but should be considered for swimming and picnicking as the need becomes more critical. Additional park land should be acquired north of the existing park boundary to the Boston and Albany Railroad land including the Sudbury River east of Corda- ville Street, The eastern terminus of this parcel should be the pipe line running north from the intersection of Howe Street and Cross Street. NAME: Humarock Beach, Marshfield NUMBER: 141 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-III OCEAN FRONTAGE: 4,000 feet There are at present nearly 4,000 feet of undeveloped beach left in this area. Holly Ridge nearby is about to be divided for housing lots. This area, on which there is a good stand of Holly trees, could be a very inter- esting picnic area adjacent to Humarock Beach. NAME: Indian Head River, Pembroke NUMBER: 63 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 1,300 A good location for swimming, picnicking and horseback riding, this site will be easily accessible from Metropolitan Boston via the South- east Expressway and new Route 3. The dam west of West Elm Street is in good condition and provides an excellent body of water for swimming. The abandoned railroad bed is currently being used for a bridle trail, but needs improving. Upstream from the dam there is another feasible site for a dam which could provide for expansion of the existing area when needed. The area near the existing dam is now in danger of development and should be acquired immediately. ■120- The boundaries of this area should extend south from Water Street to Dwelly Street easterly from State Street to Route 3 along Indian Head River. NAME: Indian Hill, Plymouth NUMBER; 64 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-III ACREAGE: 3,050 Indian Hill, Island Pond, Long Island Pond, Beaverdam Pond, Shal- low Pond and Indian Brook are included in this acquisition which will pro- vide a unique area combining a number of fresh water ponds with a scenic outlook over the ocean. Island Pond and Long Island Pond are surrounded by excellent pine and hardwood vegetation and are well adapted to day and overnight use. A portion of the Pine Hills area west of these ponds should be included for the panorama of the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and pine lands to the west. At the present time a housing development is progressing toward Indian Hill which should be preserved for its scenic attraction. This area will include several cranberry bogs. They should be allowed to continue operations not only for the economic well being of the region but for their interest to the park visitors. The boundary of this proposed park area should extend from the mouth of Indian Brook west to the intersection of Indian Brook Road and Route 3, northwest to Beaverdam Road north of Beaverdam Pond, north one-half mile on Beaverdam Road, west through Pine Hills to Sandwich Road, Southeast along Sandwich Road to Ship Pond Road, east along this road to Route 3, north on Route 3 to the existing entrance to the housing development on Indian Hill, and northeasterly to the ocean. NAME: Indian Pond, Kingston NUMBER: 98 PRIORITIES: A -II and D-III ACREAGE: 735 Adjacent to Kingston State Forest, with excellent vegetation and located in a scenic cranberry region, the areas surrounding this pond and Muddy Pond should be acquired for day use. Acquisition of the land surrounding Indian Pond should extend north- west from Kingston State Forest along Pond Street to Elm Street, south- west five-eighths of a mile along Elm Street, south to include Granny Pond and east to Kingston State Forest. The taking around Muddy Pond should extend southeasterly from the State Forest along Pond Street to Nicks Rock Road, northeast along this road one-half mile, thence north to Monks Hill and west to the south- east corner of the forest. ■121- NAME: J. A. Skinner State Park, Holyoke NUMBER: 65 PRIORITIES: D-I, A-I and D-III ACREAGE: 200 There is access at present to a limited parking area on the summit of Mount Holyoke. The proposed reconstruction of the tramway should be initiated, the summit house renovated and additional parking provided at the halfway point. This would help to accommodate the large number of people who have been turned away from this scenic area. Northwest of the existing park a picnic area and boating marina adjacent to the Connecticut River should be provided. The boundaries of this area should extend north and west of the existing state park to the Fort River and Connecticut Rivers respectively. NAME: Lake Garfield, Monterey NUMBER: 66 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-III ACREAGE: 300 A portion of Lake Garfield adjacent to the Hunger Mountain Tract of Beartown State Forest should be acquired for development of day-use facilities. Since cottage development is increasing on the south and west shores early action is recommended. The area between Lake Garfield and the land now owned by the State should be purchased. NAME: Lake Quinsigamond State Park, Worcester NUMBER: 3 PRIORITY: D-I No Acquisition This State Park, located just outside Worcester, is currently under construction. The present plans call for development of Aqua Park in ad- dition to Lake Park and Regatta Point. NAME: Lake Wampanoag, Ashburnham NUMBER: 99 PRIORITIES: A-II and D-II ACREAGE: 1,525 This area, adjacent to Ashburnham State Forest, has hardly any development around it and should be acquired for future day-use. The western boundary of Ashburnham State Forest should be ex- tended southwesterly from its intersection with Old County Road to a point on Stone Street, from this point southerly on Stone Street to its intersec- tion with the telephone line, southeast along the telephone line to the stream going into Hobbys Pond and northeast to the Boston and Maine Railroad, -122- thence northwesterly along the railroad to the southeastern boundary of the present State Forest. NAME: Leach Pond, Easton NUMBER: 67 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 2,120 Five miles from Brockton and easily accessible to patrons from Metropolitan Boston via the nearly completed Fall River expressway, this pond should be investigated further for swimming possibilities. The area lends itself well to picnicking and tenting. Puds Pond and Briggs Pond are also included in this acquisition. The boundaries of this proposed park should extend from Rattlesnake Hill south along Bay Street to its intersec- tion with Lincoln Street, west on Allen Road and northwest to the intersec- tion of Massapoag Avenue and Mansfield Street. From this point it should extend northeast to Rattlesnake Hill. NAME: Leominster State Forest, Leominster NUMBER: 68 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 1,540 Expansion of the bathing and picnicking facilities at Crow Hill Pond and the acquisition of additional frontage on Paradise Pond would greatly increase the capacity of the area. There are several large wooded islands in thq. pond. Boating facilities would probably be popular. Acquisition should include the privately owned interior parcels and should extend from the intersection of Myrick Road and Redemption Road to the Westminster town line and east to the original forest boundary. NAME: Locke Brook, Townsend NUMBER: 121 PRIORITIES: A-III and D-III ACREAGE: 275 Located in a scenic and rather inaccessible area north of Willard Brook State Forest, this site is adaptable to picnicking, hiking and fish- ing and should be considered for long-range possibilities. The area is bounded by Davis Road, Meadow Road and Robbins Road. ■123- NAME: Long Pond, Lakeville NUMBER: 70 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 775 Highly developed with cottages excepting along the northwest shore which still has sufficient land for state park purposes, this area should be acquired to provide swimming, picnicking and boating for the New Bedford- Fall River region. At the present time a housing developmient is encroach- ing on this area and it should be acquired immediately. This proposed park should extend northwest from the lake over Alden's Hill to Pickens Street. The southwestern boundary should run from the intersection of the west shore of the pond at Robbins Lane along Rob- bins Lane and across Highland Road to the stream flowing into Mill Pond. The western boundary should follow this stream to Pickens Street thence along Pickens Street to Precinct Street. From this intersection, the bound- ary should run southeasterly along Routes 18 and 105 to Wayside thence southwesterly to the lake. NAME: Lovewell Pond, Hubbardston NUMBER: 6 9 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-III ACREAGE: 920 Adjacent to Westminster State Forest, this pond has five cottages and a sportsmen's club on its perimeter. This site should be acquired for swimm.ing, fishing and boating before further development takes place. The existing northern boundary of the Westminster State Forest adjacent to Knowles Road should be extended 500 feet west of Newton Road, south to the intersection of Morgan Road and Westminster Road and east through the intersection of Grimes and Adams Roads to the southern boundary of the easternmost parcel of Westminster State Forest. NAME: Lowell-Dracut State Forest, Lowell NUMBER: 20 PRIORITY: D-I No Acquisition Expansion of the picnic areas with their scenic vistas should take place as the demand warrants. NAME: Lower Spectacle Pond, Sandisfield NUMBER: 100 PRIORITY: A-II and D-III ACREAGE: 425 Located in an attractive setting adjacent to Otis State Forest, this pond should be developed for overnight use with both tents and cabins. In conjunction with the day-use area on Upper Spectacle Pond, a major recre- ation area could be developed here. -124- This addition to Otis State Forest should extend south from the for- est to Cold Springs Road at the south end of the pond, 2,000 feet east and west of the pond. NAME: Magnolia Shore, Gloucester NUMBER: 71 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 40 The Trustees of Reservations presently administer Magnolia Shore Reservation, providing limited picnicking in the area overlooking the sea. The property east of this reservation is for sale and includes a picturesque rocky coastal setting. This additional area should be acquired for its scenic attraction and developed for picnicking to supplement the facilities of the Trustees. NAME: Martha's Vineyard State Forest, West Tisbury NUMBER: 137 PRIORITIES: A-III and D-III ACREAGE: 10,000 acres This area on Martha's Vineyard overlooks the scenic coast in a region where whaling was once the prevalent occupation. This relatively undeveloped area should be considered for swimming, picnicking, fishing and hiking as well as for its scenic and historic attractions. Long-range planning should include consideration of all land from Martha's Vineyard State Forest to the coast between South Road and Meet- inghouse Road. NAME: Mashpee River, Mashpee NUMBER: 101 PRIORITIES: A-II and D-III ACREAGE: 320 Here is one of the few streams on the east coast where sea running brook trout flourish. The excellent vegetation surrounding this area pro- vides an ideal location for picnicking. This area should extend from Falmouth Road north to the intersec- tion of Meetinghouse Road and Waquoit Road with these roads as the east and west boundaries respectively. NAME: Mass. Fed. of Women's Clubs State Forest, Petersham NUMBER: 21 PRIORITY: D-I No Acquisition. Adjacent to Quabbin Reservoir with excellent scenic and hiking trails, this forest has facilities for picnicking which should be expanded. •125- NAME: Milham Reservoir, Marlborough NUMBER: 72 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-III ACREAGE: 700 At present a part of the Marlborough Water Supply, this site has good state park potential. Marlborough is currently negotiating with the Metropolitan District Commission for water from Quabbin Reservoir. If this negotiation is successful, Milham Reservoir should be made available for recreation with facilities for swimming, picnicking and boating. The acquisition should extend 500 feet south of Boundary Street to Hudson Street, north along Robin Hill Road to the Assabet River, northwest to River Road and Bigelow Street, east to Robin Hill and south to the inter- section of Milham Street and Boundary Street. NAME: Mill Pond, Sheffield NUMBER: 102 PRIORITIES: A-II and D-III ACREAGE: 870 This pond has excellent potential for day and overnight use with both tent sites and cabins. The area should encompass land south of Appalachian Road to Cook Road and land west of Egremont Road and Route 7 to Bow Wow Road. NAME: Mohawk Trail State Forest, Charlemont NUMBER: 22 PRIORITY: D-I No Acquisition Both the day-use and overnight areas should be expanded in a new site along the Deerfield River. Consideration should also be given to the possibility of providing a new swimming area near the island in the Deer- field River. This could be accom.plished by constructing a smiall low dam. NAME: Monomoy Island, Chatham NUMBER: 146 PRIORITIES: A-II and D-III OCEAN FRONTAGE: 2-1/2 miles This ten mile long sand spit extending southerly from Chatham is owned, with the exception of a relatively small part, by the Federal Govern- ment, The construction of a causeway or bridge would provide access and make possible the development of an excellent state beach. Acquisition of the northerly 2-1/2 miles is recommended. -126- NAME: Monroe, Mohawk Trail and Savoy State Forests NUMBER: 122 PRIORITIES: A- III and D-IH ACREAGE: 9,280 Long-range acquisition is recommended in these areas to preserve the scenic character of this section of the Mohawk Trail and provide ad- ditional land for hunting, fishing and hiking. The boundaries of this area are Savoy State Forest and Mohawk Trail State Forest on the fiouthj, Vermont on the north, hairpin turn on the west and a line betweeti Zo&t and Monroe Bridge on the east. • NAME: Moss Brook, Warwick NUMBER: 73 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 1,020 A dam located below the junction of Moss and Darling Brooks would impound an area of water of more than 600 acres at elevation 660. Acqui- sition of additional land adjacent to Warwick and Erving State Forests should be considered to fill in around the flowage area. Acquisition and development of this site would provide a major recreation area of substantial capacity and possibly provide for other im- portant related water uses. Day and overnight use including tent sites, cabins and trailer sites should be provided here. This acquisition should extend southwesterly from Moores Pond to the intersection of Flagg Road and Quarry Road with Warwick State Forest as the southern boundary. The eastern boundary should extend north from the forest and Hockanum Hill to Barber Hill and northwest to Moores Pond. NAME: Moulton Pond, Rutland NUMBER: 74 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 960 Located just north of Main Street (Rt. 122A) and less than 10 miles from Worcester, the area surrounding this pond is well forested and suit- able for day use. The recommended parcel is bounded by Pomagusset Road, Brintnal Drive, Glenwood Road and a line 1000 feet to the north of and parallel to Main Street. NAME: Mount Everett, Mount Washing-ton NUMBER: 124 PRIORITIES: A-III and D-III ACREAGE: 22,000 This area in the southwestern part of the state should be considered for a tri-state park. Massachusetts, New York and Connecticut all have -127- excellent attractions in this wilderness area which should be preserved. Massachusetts has Mount Everett State Reservation which includes the second highest mountain in the state and Bash Bish Falls. Plaintain Pond and Beaver Rock Falls are rather inaccessible but should be investigated. Taconic State Park in New York State is adjacent to both Massa- chusetts and Connecticut, In Connecticut, Bear Mountain, the highest mountain in the state is near the state boundary as is also Mount Riga State Park. A cooperative effort should be made between the three states in- volved to make this a major recreation region. The boundaries of this area in Massachusetts should be north from the Connecticut State line to Mount Washington Road and Jug End Road and east from the New York State line to Bow Wow Road, Route 7, and Silver Street. NAME: Mount Grace State Forest, Warwick NUMBER: 23 PRIORITY: D-I No Acquisition This area provides both picnicking and skiing. There is need for expanding the skiing facilities. NAME: Mount Greylock State Reservation, Adams NUMBER: 123 PRIORITIES: A-III and D-IH ACREAGE: 5,400 A special commission administers this reservation which provides a wonderful panorama from the highest mountain in the state. Ninety per cent of the visitors are sightseers, half from out of state. The proposed Skyline Drive from Route 20 to Route 2, which will traverse this area, will stimulate increased interest in this spectacular scenic resource. Further investigation is necessary to determine the skiing poten- tial and feasibility of the currently proposed aerial tramway. In addition to the Thiel Farm, which was purchased recently by the Department, acquisition should be directed toward preserving the scenic character of this area and should extend westerly along Roaring Brook, northerly along Deer Ridge and Hopper Road to Pattison Road, easterly along Notch Road and southerly to Ragged Mountain and the intersection of Gould Road with Thiel Road, -128- NAME: Mount Sugarloaf State Reservation, Deerfield NUMBER: 75 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 1,000 This reservation should be expanded to include North Sugarloaf Mountain, extending north to Hillside Road. Additional picnicking and hiking trails should be provided here. NAME: Mount Tom State Reservation, Holyoke NUMBER: 24 PRIORITY: D-I No Acquisition The day-use area of this very popular reservation has facilities for picnicking and tenting. However, there is need for expansion of these fa- cilities. Bray Lake and Kennedy Pond should be investigated for swimming potential to provide for this much needed activity. NAME: Myles Standish State Forest, Plymouth NUMBER: 4 PRIORITY: D-I No Acquisition This State Forest has extensive facilities for swimming, picnicking, and camping. Recreational use of many of the ponds is linaited by private cottages which should be acquired in areas suitable for intensive recrea- tional development. If the State had a first refusal clause in each annual permit, the Departm.ent of Natural Resources would have the first oppor- tunity to purchase the cottage. NAME: Mystic Lake, Middle Pond and Hamblin Pond, Barnstable NUMBER: 76 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 1,000 This group of ponds in Barnstable would provide excellent fresh- water bathing in this scenic cranberry growing area. Swimming, picnick- ing, boating, tent sites, cabins and trailer sites should be provided in this area. People utilizing the overnight facilities would have an opportunity for fresh-water swimming in the ponds or salt-water swim.ming on Sandy Neck. The acquisition in this area should extend north from River Road to Race Lane and west from. Prospect Street to Bog Road and Old Mill Road. •129- NAME: Nagog Pond, Acton NUMBER: 125 PRIORITIES: A-III and D-IH ACREAGE: 800 At present part of the Town of Concord Water Supply, this pond should be considered for day-use recreation if this source of supply should be abandoned. The boundaries of this area should include the existing watershed and the area to the southeast to Lowell Road and Nagog Hill Road. NAME: Nashua River, Pepper ell NUMBER: 103 PRIORITIES: A-II and D-EI ACREAGE: 6 50 Acquisition along the banks of the river is recommended for its scenic and recreation potentials. Development should provide facilities for canoeing and picnicking. A parcel 1000 feet deep on each side of th; river should be acquired extending from Groton Town Forest to Routes 119 and 111. NAME: R. C. Nickerson State Forest Park, Brewster NUMBER: 5 PRIORITY: D-I No Acquisition This park is heavily utilized with limited areas left for develop- ment. Upon completion of the proposed camping areas on Cliff Lake and Higgins Pond, future development should take place around Spectacle and Lawrence Ponds in Sandwich and Mystic Lake, Middle Pond and Hamblin Pond in Barnstable to relieve the pressure on this area. NAME: Nissitissit River, Groton NUMBER: 104 PRIORITIES: A-II and D-III ACREAGE: 450 Along with the good fishing in the river, facilities for parking and picnicking would provide an added attraction for family groups. Access to this area would be most convenient from HoUis Street and Brookline Road. Acquisition of a 500-foot strip on each side of the river should extend from one-half mile north of Pepperell to the New Hampshire line. •130- NAME: October Mountain - Goose Pond, Lee NUMBER: 126 PRIORITY: A-III ACREAGE: 5,248 Long-range acquisition should include land southwest of the existing holdings in Lee to unite them with the proposed Goose Pond recreation area. This would preserve a very scenic area and provide additional much needed hunting land. NAME: October Mountain State Forest, Washington NUMBER:' 25 PRIORITY: D-1 No Acquisition This recreation area has some tent sites and bridle and hiking trails at the present tinae. Cabins and additional facilities for swimming, picnicking and tenting should be provided in this area. NAME: Old Reservoir, Barre NUMBER: 77 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-IU ACREAGE: 2,400 Unspoiled and undeveloped with the exception of three cottages, two of which have no access roads, this area should be acquired for both day and overnight use with tent sites and cabins. An undeveloped primitive camping area should be made available at the north end of the Reservoir. The boundary of this reservoir area should extend south from the southeast corner of the Phillipston Wildlife area to the intersection of Farrington Road with William.sville Road, northwest to Hawes Hill and Hawes Hill Road and north to the Phillipston Wildlife Area. NAME: Otis State Forest, Sandisfield NUMBER: 31 PRIORITY: D-I No Acquisition No facilities are now available at Upper Spectacle Pond. This pond should be developed for day- use and Lower Spectacle Pond for overnight use. A much larger body of water can be provided at Upper Spectacle Pond by repairing the dam. -131- NAME: Otter River State Forest, Winchendon NUMBER: 78 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 315 • Less than five miles north on Route 2, the Beaman Pond beach and picnic area in this forest is very popular and heavily used. There is room for only limited expansion. At the present time the federal government owns the Birch Hill Reservoir flood control area which includes Lake Dennison. This lake is now under short term lease to the Town of Winchendon but there are no established facilities, and little or no supervision. The Department of Natural Resources should acquire this property and provide day-use fa- cilities to relieve the present congestion at Beaman Pond. Stoddard Pond, and its watershed, east of Otter River State Forest, should be acquired to control the water supply for Beaman Pond. Water control is essential because lack of fresh water supply renders Beaman Pond usable for swimming in mid-summer. NAME: Peaked Cliff, Plymouth NUMBER: 79 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-lII ACREAGE: 585 The land between Peaked Cliff and Lookout Point contains several locations where there is no development. Selection of one or two of these areas for scenic overlooks and picnic areas would help to preserve this choice location on a high bluff overlooking the sea. NAME: Pelham Lake, Rowe NUMBER: 80 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-III ACREAGE: 1,526 This site is unspoiled and undeveloped with the exception of a few cottages on the shore of the lake near the road. Access is very good from Route 2 via five or six miles of hard surfaced road. This area should extend southerly from Pond Road and Davis Mine Road to Davenport Road with a line between the intersection of Davenport Road and Maxwell Road and the intersection of Middletown Hill Road and Pond Road forming the western boundary. This area will include Pelham. Lake, Ajdanas Mountain and Todd Mountain. -132- NAME: Pierce Brook, West Brookfield NUMBER: 105 PRIORITIES: A-II and D-III ACREAGE: 1,600 The site of an old Indian camping ground, this is an excellent area for day use, being adjacent to Route 9 and easily accessible. There is an existing dam at Pierce Road which should be repaired. Massive ledge formations at the headwaters of Pierce Brook currently attract many tour- ists every summer. The boundaries of this area should extend north from Route 9 to Lyon Road and east from Gilbertville Road to Lamberton Brook. Land south of Route 9 and Bay Road should also be acquired to the Warren Town line to round out the watershed of this brook. NAME: Pilgrim Spring State Park (The Province Lands), NUMBER: 6 and 155 Provincetown PRIORITIES: A-I and D-I ACREAGE: 1,230 Acquisition of the beach and dune area between these two holdings will make possible a well rounded land-use plan of these spectacular re- sources. Limited development for picnicking, hiking and nature study should be considered. Closely related is the proposal of the National Park Serv- ice for the acquisition of the Great Beach area. NAME: Pittsfield State Forest, Pittsfield NUMBER: 26 PRIORITY: D-I No Acquisition Facilities are currently provided here for picnicking and camping. The small swimming area at Lulu Brook requires some repairs. Since this brook area has limited expansion possibilities, an additional day and overnight use area should be provided at Berry Pond. NAME: Plum Island NUMBER: 147 PRIORITIES: A-II and D-III ACREAGE: 1,280 Negotiations are now under way for the transfer to the Common- wealth of a considerable portion of the Island now under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Upon acquiring the property the state should develop the northerly two miles of the ocean side of the island for public use. -133- In addition to the refuge, property acquisition should extend north- erly to the Merrimack River tidal flats and west of Old Point Road to the westerly edge of the marsh lands. This acquisition will protect the ap- proach to the beach. NAME: Plymouth Beach, Plymouth NUMBER: 148 PRIORITIES: A-II and D-III OCEAN FRONTAGE: 2 miles This long, narrow spit in Plymouth Harbor, now under town juris- diction and partly used as a public beach, could, with some modifications, be converted to a major beach installation, possibly as a cooperative ven- ture. NAME: Purgatory Chasm State Reservation, Sutton NUMBER: 7 PRIORITY: D-I No Acquisition This scenic area adjacent to Sutton State Forest is heavily used. Expansion of both the parking and picnicking facilities is needed. NAME: Robinson State Park, Agawam NUMBER: 9 PRIORITY: D-I No Acquisition The day-use facilities in this heavily used park should be expanded. NAME: Rocky Hill, Leominster NUMBER: 127 PRIORITIES: A-III and D-IH ACREAGE: 800 Situated east of Stuart Pond and recom.mended for long-range con- sideration. Rocky Hill and the pond adjacent to it would provide for ex- pansion of facilities as demand increases in this region. NAME: Rocky Pond, Boylston NUMBER: 81 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 3,550 Situated less than 10 miles northeast of Worcester and easily ac- cessible, this location has an excellent potential for day and overnight use in rugged country with superb panoramas from its hilltops. Swimming, -134- boating, group and individual picnicking and tenting areas should be pro- vided here. Longley Hill south of Rocky Pond should be included within the state park area to preserve the scenic aspects of this site. Most of the development on Rocky Pond should take place on the easterly side because of the concentration of cottages on the west side. The land surrounding these cottages should be acquired to prevent further expansion. Wrack Meadow, north of Rocky Pond appears to lend itself well to the creation of another body of water by a dike and dam. The adequacy of the water supply for swimming should be investigated if an impoundment is considered. In any event, this area would provide an excellent camp ground. The boundary of this area should follow the Northborough Town line south from Green Street to Church Street and southwest to the intersection of Reservoir Road and Barney Road, west along Barnard Street to Boylston Street and north on Boylston and Cross Streets to Linden Street. From a point one mile northeast on Linden Street the line should extend easterly to the intersection of Lyman and Crosby Roads, south on Lyman Road to Moore Lane and west to the intersection of the Northborough town line with Green Street. NAME: Rudd Pond and Rudd Pond Brook, Becket NUMBER: 106 PRIORITIES: A-II and D-III, A-IH and D-III ACREAGE: 2,170 There is at present no development near the northern portion of Rudd Pond. This area would be suitable for day-use. Future expansion of this area would be made possible by repairing the dam on Rudd Pond Brook where the Old Baskets shop Reservoir was located. This excellent site should be considered as an alternative for the Bulkley Dunton-Yokum Pond development. This area, including the long-range acquisition of Rudd Pond Brook, lies between Route 8, Bennet Road, Snow Road and Y.M.C.A. Road. The more immediate acquisition should include approximately 250 acres around Rudd Pond. NAME: Russell Pond, Russell NUMBER: 82 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE:- 2,400 Located in a scenic naountainous region, this pond has an ideal setting as a day-use and overnight-use area. Acquisition should include land bounded by General Knox Road, Route 20, the Blandford Town line and South Quarter Road. ■135- NAME: Sandisfield State Forest, New Marlborough NUMBER: 27 and 128 PRIORITIES: D-I, A-III and D-III ACREAGE: 19,500 Here is an opportunity for a major recreation area in a scenic and relatively undeveloped region. York Lake in Sandisfield State Forest has facilities at the present time for swimming and picnicking. The dam is now under repair and the swimming area should be usable shortly. Atwater Pond, located just east of Sandisfield State Forest and surrounded with stately pines and other large trees is relatively wild and not easily accessible. It should be acquired and developed for camping under the long-range plan. East Indies Pond, in New Marlborough, originally recomnaended for immediate acquisition in the Interim Report, has recently been sold and thus is now recommended for inclusion in the long-range plan for future development for primitive camping. This area should extend southerly from Thousand Acre Swamp to the Connecticut line and east from Norfolk Road to the Sandisfield town line. Further long-range considerations should be directed toward acqui- sition of the intervening lands to unify these areas and scattered parcels of lands now owned. NAME: Sandy Neck, Barnstable NUMBER: 142 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II OCEAN FRONTAGE: Seven miles Situated in Sandwich and Barnstable, this tract, almost seven miles in length, offers splendid opportunities for many types of recreational activities including bathing, fishing, hiking, nature study and camping. The plan proposes the development of the westerly end, leaving the easterly five miles in its natural state. The Town of Barnstable is making a com- mendable effort to acquire, and retain for unspoiled preservation, a con- siderable portion of the Neck. NAME: Savoy State Forest, Savoy NUMBER: 28 PRIORITY: D-I No Acquisition Since both the day-use and overnight areas are heavily used, ad- vantage should be taken of North Pond, South Pond and Burnett Pond for expansion of these facilities. The camping areas should have accommoda- tions for trailers as well as tent sites. -136- NAME: Sheomet Lake, Warwick NUMBER: 107 PRIORITIES: A-II and D-III ACREAGE: 1,550 Sheomet Lake is well suited for both day and overnight use and should be considered for these purposes after the Moss Brook area has been fully developed. The boundaries of this area should extend from Warwick State Forest in the north to Athol Road and from Chase Road easterly to the Royalston town line. NAME: Silver Lake, Halifax NUMBER: 129 PRIORITIES: A-III and D-IE ACREAGE: 300 Silver Lake is at present part of the City of Brockton water supply system. Picnicking and hunting are allowed on this watershed and there are several cottages on the perimeter. If it is not possible to acquire the Indian Pond area, it will be well to keep this body of water in mind in the event the city should, sooner or later, no longer need it for water supply purposes. The boundaries of this area should extend from Silver Lake to Oak Grove Street and Center Street and from the village of Silver Lake north to the pumping station road. NAME: Skyline Drive, Route 20 to Route 2 NUMBER: 108 PRIORITIES: A-II and D-III ACREAGE: 5,165 This scenic drive should connect Route 20 in the southern portion of Pittsfield State Forest with Mount Greylock and Route 2 in the north. The road over the Taconic Range including Widow Whites Peak and Brodie Mountain would provide a panorama unsurpassed in the east. Approxi- mately twenty miles of new road would have to be constructed and seven and a half m.iles inaproved to connect Route 20 in Pittsfield and Rockwell Road on Mount Greylock. The proposed drive would connect with Beech Hill Road in New Ashford and utilize Mallory Road, Route 7, and Goodell Road for the connecting link to Rockwell Road. Sufficient acreage should be acquired under this program, to prevent undesirable roadside develop- ments from, destroying the scenic and unspoiled character of the area. ■137- NAME: South and Boot Ponds, Plymouth NUMBER: 130 PRIORITIES: A-HI and D-III ACREAGE: 1,800 Both of these ponds should be considered for long-range acquisition and development. Although South Pond is now utilized for water supply by Plymouth, there are cottages on the east side of the pond and boating and fishing are allowed by permit. Boot Pond drains into South Pond but swim- ming is allowed on Boot Pond when the culvert connecting them is closed. Myles Standish State Forest should be extended northerly to include the south and west shores of both South Pond and Boot Pond together with the presently owned parcel on West Pond, Gunners Exchange Pond and Flag Hill. NAME: South Cape Beach NUMBER: 150 PRIORITIES: A -III and D-III OCEAN FRONTAGE: One Mile This beach in Mashpee, adjacent to Washburn Island, has some pos- sibilities for development provided a considerable amount of work is done to correct a steep foreshore, the result of erosion caused by along-shore currents. Long-range acquisition and development shourld be considered on the basis of the feasibility of rehabilitating the hurricane-damaged forests to provide hunting, fishing and camping. NAME: Spectacle and Lawrence Ponds, Sandwich NUMBER: 83 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-in ACREAGE: 1,472 These ponds have little development in the northern portion and have good recreation potential along their sandy shores. The Division of Fish- eries and Game is at present considering the acquisition of land lying north of these ponds. If this area were to be purchased and Sandy Neck were available for salt water bathing, a unique opportunity would exist here for all types of recreation and scenic attraction in a single area. This is an excellent location for a group conservation and educa- tional camp with salt water beaches, marshes, wildlife areas, forested areas and fresh water beaches nearby. General day use and tenting should also be provided for in this area, although the major emphasis should be placed on the group conservation camp. The boundary of this area should extend southerly from the trans- mission line along Great Hill Road, northwesterly along Popple Bottom Road one-half mile, southwesterly across Lawrence Pond to Pinkham Island in Spectacle Pond and thence to the intersection of Farmersville Road and Old Hollow Road, northwesterly along Old Hollow Road to Quaker Meetinghouse Road and along this road to the transmission line, the north- -138- ern boundary. A 300 foot buffer zone should extend on either side of Quaker Meetinghouse Road north of the transmission line to Route 3, where the entrance road to this park should originate. NAME: Spencer State Forest, Spencer NUMBER: 8 PRIORITY: D-I No Acquisition Limited expansion of the picnicking and swimming facilities should be provided here. NAME: Squannacook River, Groton NUMBER: 109 PRIORITIES: A-II and D-UI ACREAGE: 1,150 Picnicking facilities would combine with excellent fishing to make this an attractive area. Access should be provided from both Townsend Road and Shirley Road. The area north of Trap Swamp Brook should be acquired to South Street in Townsend 1000 feet in depth on both sides of the river. NAME: StanditJh Monument Reservation, Duxbury NUMBER: 29 PRIORITIES: A- 1 and D-I ACREAGE: 80 This monument provides a scenic panorama of the Atlantic and Cape Cod. No additional facilities are needed at the present time although additional land should be acquired for protective purposes. NAME: Steadman Pond, Monterey NUMBER: 110 PRIORITIES: A-H and D-III ACREAGE: 3 50 This pond is suitable for additional day- use in conjunction with or as an alternate to Lake Garfield if demand forces such developnaent. The boundaries of this area should extend westerly from Monterey Road one-half mile to the north and one-half mile to the south of the pond, to a line parallel to and one-half m.ile west of Monterey Road. ■139- NAME: Strawberry Point, Scituate NUMBER: 84 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 175 This peninsula should be acquired to take advantage of the scenic rocky coast. Picnicking should be provided. NAME: Stuart Pond, Sterling NUMBER: 111 PRIORITIES: A-II and D-III ACREAGE: 760 This pond, south of Leominster State Forest, should be acquired for an additional day-use area when Paradise Pond can no longer satisfy the demand. This acquisition would extend south from Leominster State Forest along Redemption Rock Trail to the intersection with East Prince- ton Road, east to Stuart Road and northeast to the present boundary at Hastings Road. NAME: Sudbury Reservoir, Southborough NUMBER: 131 PRIORITIES: A-III and D-III ACREAGE: 5,235 Sudbury Reservoir, close to the Framingham Interchange on the Toll Road, is located between Routes 9 and 20 and east of Route 85. East of the' Reservoir is a heavily wooded area privately owned and posted as a game preserve. Downstream from the main reservoir are three large reservoirs forming the headwaters of the Sudbury River. Within one and one-half miles of the main reservoir, the historic Wayside Inn is being restored. Based on the ease of access by major highways, its proxim.ity to highly populated areas and the large unspoiled areas adjoining the lands now controlled by the Metropolitan District Commission, the preservation of this area for recreational, historic and scenic interest is highly desir- able. The high knolls on the southerly end of the reservoir and the Pine Hill section on the west could be utilized for day-use such as picnicking, boating and fishing. The right of the residents of Framingham and Marl- boro to fish along the shores of this reservoir at the present time should be extended to the public in general. Facilities consistent with a sound water policy should be developed in this area. A considerable area of land east and north of the Sudbury Reservoir should be acquired since residential development is rapidly moving into this area. At the present time, an estate is being surveyed for subdivision purposes. The City of Marlborough has displayed interest in obtaining land from the M.D.C. bordering Sudbury Reservoir for extension of the city -140- airport. This proposal should be thoroughly investigated since a portion of this proposed recreation area would be destroyed if it is carried out. NAME: Sudbury River, Wayland NUMBER: 85 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 20 The increase in the number of boating enthusiasts and the proximity of this area "to Metropolitan Boston makes this location an excellent spot for a marina. Since the Old Sudbury Road has been relocated, the abandoned road can be widened for automobile and trailer parking. A boathouse, boat launching ramp and permanent docking facilities should be provided here. NAME: Taconic Range, Williamstown NUMBER: 132 PRIORITIES: A-m and D-IE ACREAGE: 14,800 This long-range acquisition should eventually include the scenic mountain range paralleling the New York State line. This rugged region should be acquired for preservation of scenic values as well as hunting, fishing and hiking. The boundary should extend southerly from, the Vermont line along the New York State line through Williamstown and Hancock about one and one-half m.iles in depth, connecting with the proposed acquisition for the Skyline Drive. NAME: Taconic Trail State Park, Williamstown NUMBER: 86 PRIORITY: A-I ACREAGE: 1,450 This scenic area should be expanded to include several sections adjacent to the Taconic Trail which are in immediate danger of develop- ment and lumbering operations. A buffer strip 500 feet wide on each side of the Taconic Trail should be acquired between the New York line and Cold Spring Road. Another buffer area 500 feet deep on the west side and 2,000 feet deep on the east side of Cold Spring Road between Sweet Brook and Buxton Hill should also be acquired. NAME: Tolland State Forest, Tolland NUMBER: 30 PRIORITIES: A-II and D-I ACREAGE: 375 This forest now has facilities for swim.m.ing, picnicking and camp- ing on Otis Reservoir. There is a great deal of room for expansion in this -141- area provided suitable arrangements can be made with the power company which uses this reservoir for maintaining its water supply during the rec- reation season. Additional day-use facilities including boating as well as overnight use should be considered. Additional acreage should be acquired, especially at the south end of the reservoir, to round out the boundaries. NAME: Upper Naukeag Lake, Ashburnham NUMBER: 133 '^ PRIORITIES: A-EI and D-IH ACREAGE: 925 Upper Naukeag Lake in Ashburnham is currently a part of the Ashburnham water supply system, and should be considered for recreation if this supply is abandoned. This acquisition should extend to the north beyond the existing watershed to unite with Ashburnham. State Forest. NAME: Wachusett Mountain State Reservation, Westminster NUMBER: 87 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 280 Wachusett Mountain is a major attraction for sightseers. The pan- orama from the top of the mountain is outstanding. Noyes Pond, west of the reservation appears to have excellent potential for swim.ming, picnick- ing and boating. Overnight use can then be provided within the reserva- tion oh a small pond located there. The present boundary of the reservation should be extended half a mile northerly, thence westerly through Church Rockto Davis Road, south- erly to Lanes Road, not including the farm land north of this road, easterly to the existing boundary of the reservation. This will include the water- shed of Noyes Pond and com.bine this area with the reservation. NAME: Wahconah Falls State Park, Dalton NUMBER: 32 PRIORITY: D-I No Acquisition An unspoiled area with spectacular falls, this park has room for limited expansion of existing picnicking facilities. -142- NAME: Walden Pond State Reservation, Lincoln NUMBER: 33 PRIORITIES: D-I, A-IH and D-HI ACREAGE: 1,050 (long range) State owned, but under the jurisdiction of the Middlesex County Commissioners, this pond has facilities for swimming and picnicking that are in constant demand. The present swimming area is very much over- used with destruction of the park area taking place along Walden Road. Since expansion of the present swimming area is impossible without fur- ther destruction of the park atm.osphere, a new swimming and picnicking area should be provided on the north side of the pond. This development would be on land now owned by the State, Under the long-range acquisition program, land should be acquired south of Route 2 and east of Walden Pond to include Goose Pond and Sandy Pond. Sandy Pond is now a part of the Lincoln and Concord water supply systems. This would also include Pine Hill and Cedar Hill and provide a scenic area easily accessible to the highly concentrated population of Metropolitan Boston. NAME: Walker Pond, Sturbridge NUMBER: 88 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 2,745 Located within a mile of the Massachusetts Turnpike interchange with Route 20 and Route 15, a portion of this area is owned by a forestry com.pany and a Girl Scout Camp. The terrain on the west side of the pond is very steep with several rock out croppings in both Walker Mountain and Hitchcock Mountain to the north. The area surrounding Walker Pond has excellent vegetation and good potential for day and overnight use. Another water body can be provided by damming the stream ad- jacent to Hitchcock Mountain. This would m.ake an excellent area for tent sites and cabins on the easterly side with a view of the scenic rocky ledges on the west side of the new lake. This park area should extend north from the Massachusetts Turnpike to the East Brookfield town line with Boston Road on the west and Podunk Road on the east. NAME: Wallis Reservoir, Douglas NUMBER: 134 PRIORITIES: A-III and D-III ACREAGE: 350 In addition to acquisition around Wallum Lake, Crystal Lake and Manchaug Pond, long-range consideration is recommended for the south- western side of Wallis Reservoir. This side of the reservoir is unde- veloped at present and has potential for day-use as demand increases. This parcel should extend from Wallis Reservoir to Douglas State Forest on the south. ■143- NAME: Wallum Lake, Douglas NUMBER: 89 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 470 Presently a part of Douglas State Forest, Wallum Lake is strate- gically located within twenty miles of Worcester and Providence and should be developed as a major recreation area by immediate acquisition along its shores. Heavily used by both' Massachusetts and Rhode Island people, it is very popular for swimming, picnicking, boating and fishing and is in need of expansion. Acquisition should extend to Wallum Pond Street on the east. High Street on the west and the Rhode Island line on the south. This acquisition should not include the housing subdivision being developed on the east side of the lake but should curtail any further expansion in this region. A cooperative effort with Rhode Island should be attempted to pre- vent any further development around this lake, either in Rhode Island or Massachusetts. Other acquisitions adjacent to Douglas State Forest are recom- mended under Crystal Lake (No. 96) and Wallis Reservoir (No. 134). NAME: Warwick State Forest, Warwick NUMBER: 135 PRIORITY: A-m ACREAGE: 2,200 This long-range acquisition will tie proposed earlier acquisition at Moss Brook to the existing parcels of Warwick State Forest. The overall acquisition should extend east from. Flagg Road to Orange Road and south from Mount Grace State Forest to Hockanum Road and the Warwick State Forest boundary. This will include the watershed for the proposed lake on Moss Brook. NAME: Washburn Island, Falmouth NUMBER: 143 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-I OCEAN FRONTAGE: 7,000 feet This island, in the Town of Falmouth, has splendid beach frontage which, with proper approach facilities could be very effectively developed. Of the 7,000 feet of beach, 4,500 feet is on the ocean and 2,500 feet is on Waquoit Bay. It has been rumored that this island is being considered for cottage development, therefore imnaediate acquisition is imperative. ■144- NAME: Wendell State Forest, Wendell NUMBER: 34 PRIORITIES: A-H and D-I ACREAGE: 640 Immediately south of Route 2, Ruggles Pond and Wickett Pond in Wendell State Forest, lie in an area extremely well adapted to day and overnight use. Although these are both shallow ponds, they are suitable for swimming. The flowage area of Ruggles Pond could possibly be in- creased by making alterations to the present dam and spillway. The land between the major part of the forest and the two western parcels should be acquired to unite all this park land. To protect the ap- proach to this area from the east, the private parcels along Saxon Bridge Road should be acquired as well as a 500 foot strip along each side of Montague Road between Depot Road and the Forest boundary. NAME: Westfield River-Goss Heights, Huntington NUMBER: 113 PRIORITIES: A-H and D-HI ACREAGE: 495 The Department owns som.e land on the east side of the Westfield River but this should be expanded in all directions to give further protec- tion to this scenic area. A small natural pool in the river, which is heavily used, can be ex- panded by constructing a snaall, low dam immediately below it to develop, this site more intensively for swimming and picnicking. NAME: Westfield River-Upper Wilderness, Chesterfield NUMBER: 112 PRIORITIES: A-II and D-HI ACREAGE: 1,300 This relatively wild and inaccessible area on the east branch of the Westfield River should be opened by providing parking at both the north and south ends and building foot trails for access. Hiking, fishing and hunting should be allowed in this area. This area should extend northerly from West Chesterfield to the Swift River, 1,000 feet on each side of the Westfield River. NAME: West Island, Fairhaven NUMBER: 144 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-III OCEAN FRONTAGE: 2 miles Located on Buzzards Bay, this island has two and one-half miles of isolated beach which, with 350 acres of upland, offers fine opportunities for bathing, picnicking, camping and boating. -145- Since this property is now on the market and is being developed with summer cottages, early action is im.perative. NAME: Wheeler Pond, Warwick NUMBER: 136 PRIORITIES: A-III and D-IH ACREAGE: 665 Acquisition of this site should be considered in the event that the proposed lake on Moss Brook is not created. The eastern boundary of this area should extend southerly from Hockanum Road, Orange Road and Brush Valley Road along the Orange-Warwick town line to the southeast corner of Warwick and westerly along the south line of Warwick to the Warwick State Forest. NAME: Whitehall State Park, Hopkinton NUMBER: 90 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 1,100 This park is strategically located on Route 135. The reservoir has an exceptionally interesting shore line bordered with coniferous vege- tation. At present boating facilities only are provided, but expansion should be considered to provide for picnicking and swimming on the east side of the reservoir. Although the water is rather shallow on this side, a swimming area can be provided by excavating sand from the bottom of the lake and con- structing a beach. Extending the existing boundary to 500 feet east of Winter Street and southwesterly to Upton State Forest, with Spring Street as the western boundary, would provide sufficient area around this lake for recreational use. Overnight use including tent and trailer sites can be de- veloped at Dean Pond in Upton State Forest. The existing boundary ad- jacent to this spring-fed pond should be extended easterly to Hopkinton Road and Hagar Road. NAME: Willard Brook State Forest, Ashby NUMBER: 139 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-I ACREAGE: 30 Additional land should be acquired along Turnpike Road in the vi- cinity of Trap Falls. This would allow expansion of park facilities in this scenic area which are urgently needed especially for picnickers. Another picnic area should be provided in the Valley Road portion of this forest to relieve pressure on the other areas. Additional day and overnight facilities should be provided in the vicinity of the Wright Ponds. ■146- NAME: Windsor State Forest, Windsor NUMBER: 35 PRIORITY: D-I No Acquisition This area now has facilities for swimming, picnicking and tenting together with trailer sites. Windsor Janabs, a deep granite flume, is the major scenic attraction. Picnicking facilities and tent sites should be ex- panded. NAME: Wingaersheek Beach, Gloucester NUMBER: 149 PRIORITIES: A-II and D-III OCEAN FRONTAGE: 1/2 mile This town beach has good possibilities for expansion. By acquir- ing land north of Route 128, east of Concord Street and west of Atlantic Street, an excellent state park would be provided with seashore frontage. A suitable approach road could be provided from Route 128. NAME: Wright Ponds, Ashby NUMBER: 91 PRIORITIES: A-I and D-II ACREAGE: 890 Early acquisition and development is recommended to relieve the crowded conditions at Willard Brook. The acquired parcel should extend southerly from the present holding along State Road to its intersection with the Worcester County line, westerly along the county line to Rindge Road and northeasterly to the southeast corner of the Camp Middlesex (4-H camp) property. NAME: Yokum Pond, Becket NUMBER: 45 PRIORITIES: A-II and D-III ACREAGE: 882 Yokum Pond should be considered for day- use in the event that the proposed facilities at Bulkley Dunton Pond are unable to provide adequately for the demands on this area. There are now approximately ten cottages on this area, several of which are under a single ownership. This acquisition should be bounded on the northwest by Yokum Road, on the east by a line along the easterly edge of the Yokum Pond wat.ershed and on the south and west by October Mountain State Forest, ■147- APPENDIX C INVENTORY OF PUBLIC LANDS OF CONSERVATION AND RECREATION SIGNIFICANCE •149- MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES I. STATE PARKS Number Name 1 Pilgrim Springs State Park 2 Balance Rock State Park 3 Clarksburg State Park 4 Lindon Bates Memorial Park 5 Taconic Trail State Park 6 Wahconah Falls State Park 7 Dighton Rock State Park 8 Lloyd Memorial State Park 9 Martha's Vineyard Beach State Park 10 Bradley W. Palmer State Park 11 Plum Island State Park 12 John C. Robinson State Park 13 Joseph Allen Skinner State Park 14 Ashland State Park 15 Cochituate State Park 16 Hopkinton State Park 17 Walden Pond State Park 18 Whitehall State Park 19 Gushing Memorial State Park 20 Myles Standish State Park 21 Lake Quinsigamond State Park II. STATE FORESTS 1 Barnstable State Forest 2 Brewster State Forest 3 Falmouth State Forest 4 R. C. Nickerson State Forest 5 Sandwich State Forest 6 Shawme State Forest 7 Bash Bish State Forest 8 Beartown State Forest 9 Beckett State Forest 10 Campbell's Falls State Forest 11 Clarksburg State Forest 12 East Mountain State Forest 13 Mohawk Trail State Forest 14 Monroe State Forest 16 Otis State Forest 17 Peru State Forest Location Total Acreage County City or Town (Includes Water) Barnstable Truro 1,000 Berkshire Lanesborough 140 Berkshire Clarksburg 364 Berkshire Hancock 424 Berkshire Williamstown 400 Berkshire Windsor Da It on Hinsdale 47 Bristol Berkley 85 Bristol Dartmouth 220 Dukes Oak Bluffs 56 Essex Topsfield 721 Essex Ipswich 67 Hampden W. Springfield 1,088 Hampshire South Hadley 375 Middlesex Ashland 392 Middlesex Framingham Wayland 1,031 Middlesex Hopkinton Ashland 746 Middlesex Concord 92 Middlesex Hopkinton 849 Plymouth Scituate 8 Plymouth S. Duxbury 22 Worcester Worcester 25 Barnstable Barnstable Barnstable Barnstable Barnstable Barnstable Berkshire Berkshire Berkshire Berkshire Berkshire Berkshire Berkshire Berkshire 15 October Mpuntain State Forest Berkshire Berkshire Berkshire Hampshire Barnstable Brewster Falmouth Brewster Sandwich Bourne Sandwich Mt. Washington Lee Monterey Great Barrington Becket New Marlborough Clarksburg N. Adams Great Barrington Charlemont Hawley Savoy Florida Monroe Rowe Becket Lee Lenox Washington Becket Otis Sandisfield Tyringham Peru Middlefield Worthington 8,152 58 18 18 1,778 45 1,648 417 8,110 633 3 2,802 1,552 6.246 4,029 13,723 3,475 2,053 ■151- n. STATE FORESTS (Cont'd.) Nunaber Name 18 Pittsfield State Forest 19 Sandisfield State Forest 20 Savoy State Forest 21 Swann State Forest 22 Windsor State Forest 23 Tolland State Forest 24 Attleboro State Forest 25 Berkley State Forest 26 Freetown State Forest 27 Freetown-Fall River State Forest 28 Raynham State Forest 29 Rehoboth State Forest 30 Taunton State Forest 31 Martha's Vineyard State Forest 32 Andover State Forest 33 Boxford State Forest 34 Georgetown-Rowley State Forest 35 Lynnfield State Forest 36 Harold Parker State Forest 37 Rowley State Forest 38 Willowdale State Forest 39 Buckland State Forest 40 Colrain State Forest 41 Erving State Forest 42 Leverett State Forest 43 Leyden State Forest 44 Montague State Forest 45 Mount Grace State Forest 46 New Salem State Forest 47 Northfield State Forest 48 Shelburne State Forest 49 Shutesbury State Forest 50 Wendell State Forest 51 Conway State Forest 52 Haw ley State Forest 53 Brimfield State Forest Location Total Acreage County City or Town (Includes Water) Berkshire Hancock Lanesborough Pittsfield 5,421 Berkshire New Marlborough Sandisfield 3.999 Berkshire Adams Florida N. Adams Savoy 10,956 Berkshire Monterey 987 Berkshire Savoy Windsor 1,545 Berkshire Otis 2,919 Hampshire Blandford Tolland Bristol Attleboro 26 Bristol Berkley 6 Bristol Freetown 9 Bristol Fall River Freetown 5,378 Bristol Raynham 16 Bristol Rehoboth 137 Bristol Taunton 29 Dukes Edgartown W. Tisbury 4,297 Essex Andover Tewksbury 43 Essex Boxford N. Andover Middleton 656 Essex Boxford Georgetown Ipswich Rowley 1,060 Essex Lynnfield 7 Essex Andover N. Andover 2,987 Essex Rowley 13 Essex Ipswich Topsfield 2,061 Franklin Buckland 85 Franklin Colrain Heath 1,240 Franklin Northfield Orange Warwick Wendell 5,138 Franklin Leverett 91 Franklin Leyden 60 Franklin Montague 43 Franklin Warwick 1,447 Franklin New Salem 70 Franklin Northfield 401 Franklin Shelburne 49 Franklin Shutesbury Wendell 791 Franklin Montague Wendell 6,610 Franklin Conway 1,648 Hampshire Williamsburg Franklin Hawley 3,835 Hampshire Plainfield Hampden Brimfield 3,104 ■152- n. STATE FORESTS (Cont'd.) Number Name 54 Chester-Blandford State Forest 55 Ludlow State Forest 56 Tolland-Granville State Forest 57 Huntington State Forest 58 D.A.R. State Forest 59 Middlefield State Forest 60 Pelham State Forest 61 Worthington State Forest 62 Billerica State Forest 63 Carlisle State Forest 64 Hopkinton State Forest 65 Lowell-Dracut State Forest 66 Marlborough State Forest 67 Townsend State Forest 68 Shirley State Forest 6 9 Sudbury State Forest 70 Willard Brook State Forest 71 Nantucket State Forest 72 Foxborough State Forest 73 Franklin State Forest 74 Medfield State Forest 75 Wrentham State Forest 76 Bridgewater State Forest 77 Carver State Forest 78 Kingston State Forest 79 Myles Standish State Forest 80 West Bridgewater State Forest 81 Ashburnham State Forest 82 Barre State Forest 83 Douglas State Forest 84 Fitchburg State Forest 85 Holden State Forest 86 Hubbardston State Forest 87 Lancaster State Forest 88 Leominster State Forest 89 Massachusetts Federation of Women's Clubs State Forest 90 North Brookfield State Forest 91 Oakham State Forest 92 Otter River State Forest 93 Oxford State Forest 94 Paxton State Forest 95 Petersham State Forest 96 Royalston State Forest 97 Rutland State Forest Location Total Acreage County City or Town (Includes Water) Hampden Blandford Chester 2,531 Hampden Ludlow 51 Hampden Granville Tolland 2,247 Hampden Huntington 674 Hampshire Montgomery . Hampshire Ashfield Goshen 1,229 Hampshire Middlefield 404 Hampshire Pelham 24 Hampshire Worthington 175 Middlesex Billerica 376 Middlesex Carlisle 58 Middlesex Hopkinton 100 Middlesex Dracut Lowell 967 Middlesex Marlborough 76 Middlesex Townsend 2,714 Middlesex Shirley 91 Middlesex Hudson Marlborough Stow Sudbury 234 Middlesex Ashby 1,737 Nantucket Nantucket Island 137 Norfolk Foxborough 800 Norfolk Franklin Wrentham 843 Norfolk Medfield 45 Norfolk Plainville Wrentham 1,064 Plymouth Bridgewater 61 Plymouth Carver 10 Plymouth Kingston 130 Plymouth Carver Plymouth 11,578 Plymouth West Bridgewater 252 Worcester Ashburnham Gardner Westminster 1,574 Worcester Barre Rutland 158 Worcester Douglas 3,234 Worcester Fitchburg 37 Worcester Holden 55 Worcester Hubbardston Phillipston Templeton 1,129 Worcester Lancaster 90 Worcester Leominster Princeton 3,518 Worcester Petersham 1,001 Worcester North Brookfield 40 Worcester Oakham 601 Worcester Winchendon 832 Worcester Oxford 29 Worcester Paxton 45 Worcester Athol Petersham 510 Worcester Orange Royalston 871 Worcester Rutland 65 -153- II. STATE FORESTS (Cont'd.) Number Name 98 Spencer State Forest 99 Sutton State Forest 100 Templeton State Forest 101 Upton State Forest 102 Warwick State Forest 103 West Brookfield State Forest 104 Westminster State Forest 105 Winchendon State Forest m. STATE FOREST NURSERIES 1 Amherst State Nursery 2 Bridgewater State Nursery 3 Clinton State Nursery Location Total Acreage County City or Town (Includes Water) Worcester Spencer 1,189 Worcester Sutton 596 Worcester Hubbardston Templeton 665 Worcester Hopkinton Northbridge Upton 2.646 Worcester Warwick 4,567 Worcester West Brookfield 129 Worcester Westminster 518 Worcester Winchendon 178 Hampshire Amherst Plymouth Bridgewater Worcester Clinton Sterling 166,659 16 15 21 52 IV. STATE FOREST FIRE TOWER STATIONS 53 Towers located on State, Municipal & Private Lots V. DIVISION OF MARINE FISHERIES 1 Oak Bluffs State Lobster Hatchery VI. DIVISION OF FISHERIES & GAME A. State Fish Hatcheries 1 East Sandwich State Fish Hatchery 2 Sandwich State Fish Hatchery 3 Montague State Fish Hatchery 4 Sunderland State Fish Hatchery 5 Palmer State Fish Hatchery 6 Stockwell (Merrill) Ponds 7 Sutton State Fish Hatchery B. State Game Farms 1 East Sandwich State Game Farms 2 Wilbraham State Ganne Farm 3 Ayer State Game Garm 4 Marshfield State Game Farm C. Wildlife Sanctuaries 1 Billingsgate Island 2 Edw. Howe Forbush Wildlife Reservation 3 Penikese Island 4 Boxford Wildlife Reservation Dukes Barnstable Barnstable Franklin Franklin Hampden Worcester Worcester Barnstable Hampden Middlesex Plymouth Oak Bluffs E. Sandwich Sandwich Montague Sunderland Palmer Sutton Sutton E. Sandwich Wilbraham Ayer Marshfield 18 25 71 63 299 221 23 720 133 245 92 50 520 Barnstable Wellfleet Harbor 2 Berkshire Hancock 410 Dukes Buzzard's Bay 100 Essex Boxford 334 ■154- VI. DIVISION OF FISHERIES & GAME (Cont'd.) Number Name 10 11 12 Knight Wildlife Reservation Henry Cabot Lodge Bird Sanctuary Ram Island Sanctuary Issaac Sprague Bird Sanctuary (Carr Island) Grace A Robson Wildlife Sanctuary Ram Island Minn's Wildlife Sanctuary (Little Wachusett Mt.) Watatic Mt. Wildlife Sanctuary Location Total Acreage County City or Town (Includes Water) Essex Rockport 11 Essex Essex Nahant Salisbury 1 20 Essex Salisbury 110 Hampden Plymouth Westfield Mattapoisett 62 2 Worcester Worcester Princeton Ashburnham Ashby 138 139 1 ?!5!9 D. Wildlife Management Areas (Open to Hunting and Fishing) 1 Rowley Marsh Wildlife Management Area 2 West Meadows Wildlife Management Area 3 Pantry Brook Wildlife Management Area 4 Peru Wildlife Management Area 5 Westborough Wildlife Management Area 6 Barre-Phillipston Wildlife Management Area Essex Rowley 17 Plymouth West Bridgewater Concord 205 Middlesex Sudbury 377 Berkshire Peru 500 Worcester Westborough Phillipston 174 Worcester Barre 840 E. Other Fish and Game Holdings 1 Southeast District Headquarters 2 District Headquarters 3 Northeast District Headquarters Barnstable Bourne Berkshire Dalton Middlesex North Acton SPECIAL STATE RESERVATIONS (Special Commissions - Joint State and County Jurisdiction) 2,113 35 2 1.5 38.5 4,720.5 1 Mt. Everett State Reservation 2 Mt. Greylock State Reservation 3 Mt. Sugarloaf State Reservation 4 Deer Hill State Reservation 5 Mt. Tom State Reservation 6 Walden Pond State Reservation 7 Purgatory Chasm State Reservation 8 Wachusett Mt. State Reservation Berkshire Mt. Washington Adams 815 Berkshire Cheshire New Ashford 8.600 N. Adams Williamstown Franklin Deerfield 89 Hampshire Cummington Plainfield 259 Hampden Holyoke 1,679 Hampshire East Hampton Northampton Middlesex Concord 144 Worcester Sutton 80 Worcester Princeton Westminster 1,629 13,295 -155- MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS I. DIVISION OF OCEAN BEACHES Number Name 1 Horseneck Beach 2 Province Lands 3 Scusset Beach 4 Salisbury Beach Location County City or Town Barnstable Westport Barnstable Provincetown Barnstable Sandwich Essex Salisbury n. DIVISION OF WATERWAYS A. Great Ponds 119 Ponds have been established as Great Ponds (December 1955). Minimum area is 10 acres. Total Acreage (Includes Water) 520 3,810 500 521 5,351 M.D.C. LAND WITHIN METROPOLITAN PARKS DISTRICT I. MAJOR FOREST, RIVER, STREAM & VALLEY RESERVATIONS 1 Breakheart Reservation 2 Middlesex Fells Reservation 3 Blue Hills Reservation Essex Middlesex Middlesex Norfolk Saugus Wakefield Maiden Medford Melrose Stoneham Winchester Braintree Canton Milton Quincy Randolph II OTHER M.D.C. PARK RESERVATIONS (Approximate) (Approximate) m. MILES OF WATER FRONTAGE (OCEAN & BAYSIDE BEACHES) 1 Lynn Shore 2 Nahant Beach 3 WoUaston Beach 4 Nantasket Beach 5 Malibu Beach 6 Marine Park 7 Orient Heights Beach 8 Revere Beach 9 Tenean Beach 10 Winthrop Beach 11 World War Memorial Park 621.85 2,165 5,930 2,780 11,500 Miles Essex Lynn Swampscott 1.5 Essex Nahant 2.93 Norfolk Quincy 2.19 Plymouth Hull 1.02 Suffolk Boston (Dorchester) .49 Suffolk Boston (So. Boston) 1.95 Suffolk Boston (E. Boston) .47 Suffolk Revere 2.74 Suffolk Boston (Dorchester) .23 Suffolk Winthrop 1.71 Suffolk Boston (E. Boston) .51 15.74 Miles -156- OTHER MAJOR PUBLIC & SEMIPUBLIC LANDS I. PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY LANDS Name Location Total Acreage Number County City or Town (Includes Water) A. M.D.C. Waterlands Outside the Metropolitan Parks District 1 Swift Watershed (Quabbin Reservoir) Franklin Hampshire Worcester New Salem Shutesbury Belchertown Pelham Ware Hardwick Petersham 80,960 2 Sudbury Watershed Middlesex Sudbury 5,235.2 3 Ware Watershed Worcester Barre Hubbardston Oakham Rutland 21,120 4 Wachusett Reservoir Watershed Worcester Boylston W. Boylston Clinton Sterling 10,808.8 118,171 B. Other Municipalities 98,149 216,320. n. TOWN FORESTS 139 Town Forests 41,571. m. TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS LAND 1 Lowell - Holly Reservation Barnstable Mashpee 130. 2 Monument Mt. Reservation Berkshire Great Harrington 256.5 3 Bartholomew's Cobble Berkshire Sheffield 30. 4 Chesterwood Berkshire Stockbridge 18, 5 Mission House Berkshire Stockbridge .50 6 Richard T. Crane, Jr., Memorial Reservation Essex Ipswich 1,239. 7 Halibut Point Essex Rockport 12.25 8 Magnolia Shore Essex Gloucester 13. 9 Misery Islands Essex Salem - (Shore Is.) 80. 10 Mt. Ann Park Essex Gloucester 65. 11 Old Town Hill Essex Newbury Ill, 12 Orne Island (Brown Is.) Essex Marblehead 5. 13 Pine & Hemlock Knoll Essex Wenham 14. 14 Chas. W. Ward Reservation Essex Andover 276. 15 Dinosaur Footprints Hampden Holyoke 7.50 16 Wm. CuUen Bryant Homestead Hampshire Cummington 240. 17 Chesterfield Gorge Hampshire Chesterfield 52. 18 Petticoat Hill Hampshire Williamsbury 60. 19 Old Manse Middlesex Concord 8. 20 Rocky Narrows Middlesex Sherborn 39. 21 Governor Hutchinson's Field Norfolk Milton 10. 22 Medfield Rhododendrons Norfolk Medfield 90. 23 Rocky Woods Norfolk Medfield 410.25 24 Whitney & Thayer Woods Norfolk Plymouth Cohasset Hingham 733. 25 Holmes Reservation Plymouth Plymouth 20. 26 Redemption Rock Worcester Princeton .25 27 Elliot Laurel Reservation Worcester Phillipston 25. 28 Royalston Falls Worcester Royalston 205. 4,204.25 ■157- IV. MASSACHUSETTS AUDUBON SOCIETY WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES Name Location Total Acreage Number County City or Town (Includes Water) 1 Tern Island (Chatham Coast) Barnstable Chatham 10 2 Sampson's Island Barnstable Cotuit 16 3 Pleasant Valley Berkshire Lenox 640 4 Ipswich River Essex Topsfield Wenham Hamilton 2,000 5 Marblehead Neck Essex Marblehead 15 6 Nahant Thicket Essex Nahant 4 7 Arcadia Hampshire Northampton 300 8 Drumlin Farm Middlesex Lincoln 177 9 Rocky Knoll Norfolk Milton 1 10 Moose Hill Norfolk Sheron 250 11 Cook's Canyon Worcester Barre 35 3,448 FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROPERTY IN MASSACHUSETTS I. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 1 Hopkins Memorial Demonstration Forest Berkshire 2 Other Holdings n. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE A. Corps of Engineers, Civil 1 Cape Cod Canal 2 Knightville Reservoir Flood Control Area 3 Engineering Dock and Garage 4 Birch Hill Reservoir Flood Control Area 5 Tully Reservoir Flood Control Area m. DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR A. Wildlife Sanctuaries Barnstable Plymouth Plymouth Hampshire Suffolk Worcester Franklin Worcester Bourne Sandwich Wareham Boston Royalston Templeton Winchendon Orange Athol Royalston 1 Monomoy Wildlife Refuge Barnstable 2 Parker River National Wild- Essex life Refuge 3 Great Meadows National Wild- life Refuge B. Fish Hatcheries and Research Station Chatham Newbury Rowley Ipswich Middlesex Concord 1 Berkshire Trout Hatchery 2 No. Attleboro Fish Hatchery 3 Woods Hole Federal Marine Research Station Berkshire Bristol Hartsville N. Attleboro 1.600. 51.3 1,651.3. 1,183 2,538 4 4,394 1,300 9,419 2,921 6,405 210 137 268 Barnstable Woods Hole ■158- m. DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR (Cont'd.) Number Name C. Historic Sites 1 Salem Maritime National Historic Site 2 The Adams National Historic Site D. Other Holdings Location Total Acreage County City or T^ own (Includes Water) Essex Salem unknown Norfolk Quincy 4.05 2,980.95 12,930.0 FEDERAL SURPLUS LANDS DECLARED UP FOR DISPOSAL (General Services Listing) 1 Gooseberry Neck Fire Control Station 2 Mishaum Point Military Res. 3 Gay Head Lifeboat Station 4 Marine Hospital 5 Bedford Veteran's Adminis- tration Hospital (Portion) 6 Squantum Naval Air Station 7, Brant Rock Lifeboat Station 8 Brockton Veteran's Adminis- tration Hospital (Portion) 9 Peddock's Island (Portion) 10 Plymouth Outlying Airfields 11 East Boston National Guard Site 12 George's Island 13 Lovell's Island 14 U.S. Naval Fuel Annex 15 Birch Hill Reservation 16 Rutland Heights Veteran's Adnninistration Hospital Bristol Westport 6.5 Bristol Dartmouth 26. Duke's Chilmark .74 Duke's M. Vineyard 5.5 Middlesex Bedford 43.4 Norfolk Quincy 600. Plymouth Marshfield .25 Plymouth Brockton 44. Plymouth Boston Harbor 88. Plymouth Suffolk Boston 4.2 Suffolk Boston Harbor 28. Suffolk Boston Harbor 61.7 Suffolk Boston 2.31 Worcester Templeton 1,200. Worcester Rutland 26.8 2,137.4 ■159- APPENDIX D EXISTING AND PROPOSED FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS WITH RECREATION POTENTIAL -161- Birch Hill Dam, Connecticut River Basin Located in Winchendon, 4,500 acres has been leased (for 25 years begin- ning in 1952) to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Game. The Town of Winchendon has a short term lease on Lake Denison for recrea- tional purposes although they provide very limited facilities. This area should be developed with recreational facilities by the state to relieve the pressure on Otter River State Forest. TuUy Dam, Connecticut River Basin Located in Royalston, 1,300 acres have been leased to the Massachusetts Department of Natural Resources for recreation, including hunting and fishing, and forestry. Knightsville Dam,, Connecticut River Basin Located in Huntington, this area has no permanent pool at the present time, since the engineers claim the total capacity is required for flood condi- tions. The Corps of Engineers provides some picnic tables and fireplaces in the vicinity of the dam, but want to dispose of the excess land adjacent to the flowage area. The state should consider acquisition or lease in this area for hunting, fishing and hiking. Buffumville Dam, Thames River Basin Located in Charlton, on the Little River, about one mile from route 20. The Corps of Engineers is constructing this dam at the present time with intentions of providing recreational facilities including utilization of the permanent pools. If this development is constructed as planned, the state will not have to develop the proposed park adjacent to Gore Pond in Charl- ton. Littleville Dam, Connecticut River Basin This dam on the middle branch of the Middlefield River in Chester, has not yet been authorized by the federal government, but there is no provi- sion for a permanent pool on the existing engineering plans. This area has a good recreation potential. Cooperation between the Department of Natural Resources and the Corps of Engineers should attempt to provide for active recreation in this area. West Hill Dam, Narragansett Bay Drainage Area Located on the West River and Center River in Upton. The Corps of En- gineers has not decided at this time whether there will be a permanent pool in conjunction with this federally authorized dam. This should be considered for future water recreational development in this area. East Brimfield Dam, Thames River Basin This isbeingdesigned at the present time. Most of the reservoir area will be on waste swampland with a few private properties involved. At present there are two existing ponds in the reservoir area. Holland Pond (65 acres) will remain as is except at flood time. The town of Holland has a beach here and wants to continue using it. Long Pond (110 acres) will be- come a part of the permanent pool. Consideration should be given to the recreation potentials of this project. -163- APPENDIX E INTERIM REPORT -165- DEAN O. EDWARDS GUY KELCEY LAWRENCE T. BECK WILLIAM L.HANAVAN CONSULTANTS THOMAS BUCKLEY LADIS H.CSANYI Edwards, Kelcey and Beck CONSULTING ENGINEERS 4TO ATLANTIC AVENUE « BOSTON lO, MASS. TELEPHONE LIBERTY 2 - 4576 ASSOCIATES WILL H. SMITH JOSEPH W. LAVIN H.JACK LEONARD GORDON L.KIRJASSOFF GEORGE H. LELAND January 24, 1957 Francis W. Sargent, Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Natural Resources, 15 Ashburton Place, Boston, Massachusetts. Dear Conamissioner Sargent: We herewith transmit to you our first interim report on the acqui- sition of land for state park purposes. You will remember that we agreed to furnish you with such re- ports rather than to wait for completion of our full reports. This is be- cause of the obvious scarcity of areas suitable for public outdoor recrea- tion and the rapidity with which such areas are becoming still scarcer due to the rate at which they are being acquired for private development. Sincerely yours, EDWARDS, KELCEY and BECK rOSEKH W. LAVIN Associate 3WILLIAM STREET NEWARK'S, NEW JERSEY 2bo park avenue new york 17, n. y. cables: latecks, new york IB09 WALNUT STREET PHILADELPHIA 3, PA. ACQUISITION OF LAND FOR STATE PARK PURPOSES First Interim Report to the Massachusetts Department of Natural Resources by Edwards, Kelcey and Beck, Boston Our continuing studies clearly confirm the wisdom of your decision thatthe first definitive phase of the study authorized by Chapter 471 should concern itself with public recreation and the vacation travel industry. This decision is based on your awareness of the need to accomplish a two-fold purpose --to satisfy the mounting demand for public outdoor recreation for the residents of Massachusetts and to cultivate a potentially substan- tial increase in the volume of vacation travel business. These purposes are major factors in the stabilization and healthy growth of the economy of the Commonwealth. Vacation travel is the Com- monwealth's third largest source of income. Properly promoted and ad- ministered, it will provide a source of much greater income to the state and its people. The economy of the state will continue to prosper in pro- portion to the extent to which it remains a desirable place in which to live and work. The adequacy or inadequacy of opportunities for public outdoor recreation will have far-reaching effects onthe livability of Massachusetts. As the people have more leisure, longer vacations and more money to spend on recreation, they will be increasingly on the move, on the mod- ernized highway systems, in search of attractive recreation and vacation spots. Massachusetts has a great advantage in its wealth of natural and historic attractions but these are not enough in themselves. Other states are supplenaenting their natural advantages with modern accommodations for recreationists -- their own people and those coming in from outside. If Massachusetts is to compete successfully, it must do the same. Our studies indicate that opportunities for public outdoor recrea- tion are insufficient to meet even the present-day need. This is because state appropriations have been insufficient in the past in spite of efforts by your department. State parks are the logical means of assuring that out- door recreation facilities will be available to the public. There is an im- naediate need for acquisition of additional areas to be incorporated into the state park system, not only to catch up with present needs but to take care of the prospectively greater future needs. There is need also for develop- ment of these areas and areas which are already parts of the system by installing modern accommodations. These development needs will be dis- cussed in future reports. The purpose of this interim report is to inform you, in accordance with our agreement with you, of specific areas we have found to be adapt- able to incorporation into the state park system. We are reporting on them now, rather than later in our complete report, because the situation surrounding the acquisition of lands suitable for public recreation purposes has reached a truly critical stage. Early action is inaperative if they are to be. saved from development by private and commercial interests. Be- cause of private development that has already taken place, there is already an acute shortage of available areas that are adaptable to public recrea- -169- tion purposes. The alarming rate at which private development is pro- ceeding carries a serious threat of permanent loss of opportunity to ac- quire badly-needed public recreation areas. The longer an acquisition program is delayed, the more difficult and costly it will become, possibly even in the course of a few months. The areas listed and described below are lands that we recommend for your attention for possible acquisition for relief of the existing critical situation. We hope that this early reporting may enable you to take ap- propriate action either through the expenditure of capital outlay funds, purchase of lands through a third party, land exchanges or submission to the legislature of requests for acquisition funds. Areas to Which Attention is Recommended: This section is presented in two parts. The first part includes areas the immediate acquisition of which we believe to be desirable to re- move the possibility that early private development or acquisition by others may interfere with their acquisition by the state. The second part includes related areas to which attention might well be given in connection with the longer- range plan for consolidation and general improvement of the state park system. These areas are included because, while acquisition of them is not immediately urgent, they influence the ultimate development of the more urgently-needed areas. Areas the Immediate Acquisition of Which is Recommended: Berkshire Hills Area: 1. Lake Garfield - in Monterey - located within ten miles of thq Lee Interchange of the Massachusetts turnpike, this large lake still has approximately one-half mile of shore front at the base of Hunger Mountain still relatively undeveloped. The Garfield Point Associates are currently developing a portion of the northwesterly shore and are advertising that the area is only 45 minutes from Springfield via the new turnpike. Immediate acquisition of the area between the shore and the Hunger Mountain tract of the Beartown State Forest should be considered be- fore further development takes place along the shore front. This area is easily reached from State Route 2 3 and would be an ideal location for camping, boating, hunting and swimming. The heavily wooded sur- roundings provide excellent opportunities for hiking and nature study. Opportunities for picnicking and other day use appear favorable. 2. Lower Spectacle Pond - in Sandisfield - This pond is located in an attractive setting just south of Upper Spectacle Pond in Otis State Forest. Less than 20 miles from the Lee Interchange, this area is easily accessible and in immediate danger of private development. There has, however, been little development so far and acquisition of this pond and the surrounding land would constitute an extremely de- sirable addition to Otis State Forest. The pond and the area around it are well suited to day use as well as to development for hunting, fish- ing and camping, supplementing facilities which could be provided by further development around Upper Spectacle Pond. 3. East Indies Pond - in New Marlborough - The secluded location of this area offers a unique opportunity to acquire a real wilderness area for hunting, fishing and camping. Having no settlement or de- -170- velopment of any kind and with the added asset of extensive marsh- lands, this area appears to be an almost ideal wildlife habitat. This area is included here because, while it is at present unde- veloped, it is on the market. It should be acquired before it is bought for private development. 4. Goose Pond - in Lee and Tyringham - This is one of the largest bodies of water in the Berkshires. The easterly half of the pond is undeveloped and appears suitable for state park purposes. Located within two miles of the Lee Interchange, this area is certain to be de- veloped in the near future. It has excellent potentials for both day use and camping. 5. Steadman Pond - in Monterey - This small pond within sight of the road between Tyringham and Monterey has exceptional possibilities as a small park. It is well situated for development for day use with swimming and picnicking. It could be put into service in a short time at small expense. 6. Mill Pond - in Sheffield - Surrounded by relatively high, flat wooded areas and some farm lands, this long, narrow body of water appears to be worth further investigation for early acquisition because of excellent potentials for both day use and camping. Little develop- ment has taken place along the shore front. The dam and sluice gate seem to be in good condition with evidence of recent repairs. 7. Atwater Pond - in Sandisfield - Surroundedby stately pines and other large trees and located near Sandisfield State Forest, this pond is undeveloped and the area around it unspoiled. Acquisition of this area would provide a highly desirable wilderness area ideal for camp- ing and as the beginning of a longer- range program of acquisition to tie it in with nearby areas. 8. Yokum Pond - in Becket - There has been little development on this pond which District Forester Dubuque feels would be a desirable addition to October Mountain State Forest. A large portion of the east- erly shore is in one ownership. Located within 15 miles of the Lee Interchange, this pond and the surrounding area may soon be developed privately. Bulkley Dunton Pond lies to the northwest. At present the dam is in need of repairs. 9. Pelham Lake - inRowe - This lake is unspoiled at present. Ex- cept for a few cottages on the shore near the road, there is no other development. There is good access from Route 2 via five or six miles of good hard surface road. This area has excellent possibilities for state park purposes but is threatened with early development by pri- vate interests. 10. Crooked Pond and Plainfield Pond - in Plainfield - On Route 116 southwest of Hawley State Forest, both of these ponds are prac- tically undeveloped. A New York doctor owns about 2,000 acres south of Plainfield Pond which Mr. Dubuque believes could be bought cheaply. Facilities could be provided here for camping and day use. 11. Taconic Trail - Williamstown area - The entire Taconic Trail area is unspoiled at present. It is as scenically spectacular as the -171- Mohawk Trail. There is immediate danger of undesirable roadside development on a 40-acre strip that is reported as being now on the inarket. Early action on this property is necessary to prevent the type of development that has already damaged the Mohawk Trail area. Cape Cod Area: 1. West Island - in Fairhaven - Two and one-half miles of un- spoiled isolated beach and 350 acres of land extending out into Buz- zards Bay make up the portion of West Island which is currently being offered for sale. With the advent of the new Tri-State Highway leading out of New York through Connecticut and Rhode Island to Cape Cod, the critical location of West Island will increase the possibility of further development. There are excellent potentials here for bathing, picnicking, camping and boating. This should be considered for acqui- sition. 2. Sandy Neck - in Barnstable and Sandwich - Mr. Charles McLaugh- lin, Director of the Division of Fish and Game, informed Mr. Lewis Carter that a portion of Sandy Neck owned by Mr. Makepeace is in danger of being lost to the state. The Town of Barnstable has offered $30,000 for the parcel and it is rumored that a party from New Jersey has an option to buy for well over twice this amount. Apparently, the townspeople are opposed to state ownership of Cape beaches because they believe that a Coney Island-type of development will result. Mr. Cookingham, the District Manager of the Division of Fish and Game, has expressed interest in the Great Marshes adjacent to Sandy Neck. Inthe light of the potential use of this area for wildlife and pres- ervation of unspoiled beauty it is imperative that action be taken to acquire this area. 3. Spectacle Pond and Lawrence Pond - in Sandwich - The north- erly end of both of these ponds has excellent recreation possibilities since there is very little private development. The shores are sandy and portions could be used for swimming at little cost. The Division of Fish and Game is considering the acquisition of about 1,500 acres north of these ponds. Considering the existing state holdings made up of the Sandwich State Forest and the East Sandwich Game Farm and Fish Hatchery and the proximity of Sandy Neck and the Great Marshes, here is a unique opportunityto provide for all types of recreation and scenic attractions in one large area. 4. Mystic Lake, Middle Pond and Hamblin Pond - in Barnstable - These three ponds are so closely situated that they appear to be one large pond. All three are Great Ponds. On the southerly end of Hamblin Pond is an abandoned duck farm believed to be for sale. The Division of Fish and Game is interested in acquiring a parcel on the shore of neighboring Shubael Pond. Acquisition of land around these ponds would provide excellent fresh-water bathing in an area of exceptional scenery. Related Areas for Inclusion in the Long- Range Prograrra: Berkshire Hills Area: 1. Lake Garfield - in Monterey - Land lying between the area rec- ommended for acquisition on Lake Garfield and Otis State Forest. Acquisition of this intervening land would preserve a park-like atmos- -172- phere along the entrance roads and between the two areas. The Direc- tor of the Division of Fisheries and Game considers this acquisition of importance to fishermen. 2. East Indies Pond, Atwater Pond and Sandisfield State Forest - in New Marlborough and Sandisfield - The long-range plan might well consider acquisition of intervening land to tie these three areas to- gether to form a single large wilderness area. With Atwater and East Indies Ponds providing camping and York Lake providing day use faci- lities, the area would meet many recreational needs. 3. Yokum Pond and Bulkley Dunton Pond - in Becket - Long-range planning should provide for acquisition of land which would embrace both of thiese ponds for both camping and day use. 4. Crooked Pond and Plainfield Pond - in Plainfield - The long- range plan should consider connection of the area recommended for immediate acquisition with Hawley State Forest and the building of a dam at the beaver pond in the forest. Mr. Dubuque and Mr. Myal con- sider this area one of the best in the state for deer and small game. 5. Pelham Lake - in Rowe - The Town of Rowe has been given 1,500 acres bordering, on a part of the shore of this lake as a park area and game refuge. Long-range planning might well give consideration to the relationship between this area and any land the state may ac- quire in the neighborhood. 6. Mohawk Trail - Florida to Western Summit - The scenic at- traction of this portion of the trail is in critical condition because of undesirable roadside development. Long-range planning should in- clude provision for control of roadside development to eliminate the "honky-tonk" and rural slum atmosphere. We will report on the long- range aspects of the extensive flat overlooks on the Western Summit after further study. They appear to have high potential scenic and recreational value. 7. Taconic Trail - Williamstown area - Long-range planning should include provision for preserving the natural beauty and recreational value of this highway. Prevention of undesirable roadside development by acquisition of buffer zones would be less costly now than some time later. This interim report covers only the Berkshires and Cape Cod areas. This is not because we believe these are the only portions of the state in which critical situations exist but because our general knowledge convinced us that these were the sections to which attention should be given first. We are still of the same opinion. Our study confirms the fact that desirable recreation areas are being rapidly bought up by private and commercial interests. There is a real dealrth of hunting and fishing lands and public swimming beaches in Berkshire County. We have also found that desirable areas are being pur- chased quietly by out-of-state interests and that many have been bought in unzoned towns. This exposes unspoiled Berkshire countryside to uncon- trolled development. It can safely be predicted that the opening of the Massachusetts Turnpike will bring still greater pressure on the county's capacity to provide public outdoor recreation. There is good reason to -173- believe that the people of Berkshire County will support a well-balanced state program for public recreation rather than to allow private real es- tate operators to gain control adverse to the best interests of the people of the county. With modifications, a similar situation exists on Cape Cod. Private development, disregarding natural beauty and the inherent attractiveness of the region, is proceeding with alarming rapidity without regard to pub- lic recreational needs. The overall situation is no less critical there than it is in the Berkshires. In the hope that there rhay still be time to bring relief to the exist- ing critical need for more public recreation areas, and recognizing the relationship between land acquisition and the law, we are conducting a re- view of the General Laws governing the authority of the Department of Natural Resources to acquire and dispose of public lands. There has been introduced to the 1957 Legislature as a recom- mendation of the Department, House Bill No. 50, which would amend Sec- tion 30 and repeal Section 33 of Chapter 132. This is a good bill as it in- cludes all of the best provisions of both sections and eliminates the un- desirable limitations on time, price and acreage. However, Section 3 of Chapter 132 A places upon the Department undue restrictions by limiting acquisitions in many cases, to specific locations and appropriations. The projects thus authorized are frequently the pet proposals of the sponsors and the passage of the bill is more often determined by considerations other than the merits of the project in its relation to the needs of the Com- rnonwealth as a whole. Without authority to take land by eminent domain, the land acquisi- tion program of the Department is seriously handicapped. In our opinion, amendment of Section 3 to provide for takings by eminent domain under Chapter 79 would be highly desirable. Mr. Fred Bowers, Associate En- gineer, who handles land matters for the Department, concurs in this opinion. A copy of a suggested draft of such an amendment is attached. Further investigations will be made with respect to desirable legislation affecting the acquisition and administration of public recreation areas. This Interim Report furnishes you with a list of the areas we have found so far that, for one reason or another, we believe to be especially critical. We strongly recommend early action directed toward acquisition of these areas for incorporation into the state park system. They are all well adapted to development as public recreation areas conformingto essen- tial standards. Subsequent interim reports will provide you with informa- tion on such additional critical areas as further investigation may disclose. January 24, 1957. ■174- DRAFT OF SUGGESTED LEGISLATION THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS In the Year One Thousand Nine Hundred and Fifty- Seven AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE ACQUISITION OF LANDS FOR STATE PARKS AND RESERVATIONS Whereas: The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose which is to provide to the department of natural resources the right to take property for certain purposes by eminent domain it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the preservation of the p'ublic health, welfare and convenience. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows: SECTION 1. Chapter 132 A of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out section 3 as most recently amended by chapter 672 of the acts of 1955 and inserting in place thereof the following section:- SECTION 3. The commissioner may acquire for the Commonwealth by purchase, lease, or with the approval of the governor and council may take by eminent domain under chapter seventy-nine any lands suitable for the purposes of developing and advancing the recreational and natural re- sources of the commonwealth lying outside the metropolitan parks district and may lay out and maintain such lands for such purposes and erect and maintain such structures and other facilities thereon as may be necessary to render such lands reasonably available and accessible therefor. The commissioner may, with approval of the governor and council, sell or ex- change any land acquired under this section which, in his judgment, can no longer advantageously be used for recreational or natural resources purposes. He may, at any time, sell such wood, timber or other products of the lands controlled by the division of forests and parks as the econom- ical management of said lands may require. All moneys received under this section shall be paid into the state treasury. ■175- APPENDIX F DRAFTS OF SUGGESTED LEGISLATION -177- DRAFT OF SUGGESTED LEGISLATION THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS In the Year One Thousand Nine Hundred and Fifty- Seven AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE ACQUISITION OF LANDS FOR STATE PARKS AND RESERVATIONS. Whereas: The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose which is to provide to the department of natural resources the right to take property for certain purposes by eminent domain it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the preservation of the public health, welfare and convenience. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows: SECTION 1. Chapter 132A of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out section 3 as m.ost recently amended by chapter 672 of the acts of 1955 and inserting in place thereof the following section: - SECTION 3. The commissioner may acquire for the Commonwealth by purchase, lease, or with the approval of the governor and council may take by eminent domain under chapter seventy-nine any lands suitable for the purposes of developing and advancing the recreational and natural re- sources of the commonwealth lying outside the metropolitan parks district and may lay out and maintain such lands for such purposes and erect and maintain such structures and other facilities thereon as may be necessary to render such lands reasonably available and accessible therefor. The comnaissioner may, with approval of the governor and council, sell or ex- change any land acquired under this section which, in his judgment, can no longer advantageously be used for recreational or natural resources pur- poses. He may, at any time, sell such wood, timber or other products of the lands controlled by the division of forests and parks as the econonaical management of said lands may require. All moneys received under this section shall be paid into the state treasury. •179- DRAFT OF SUGGESTED LEGISLATION THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS In the Year One Thousand Nine Hundred and Fifty-Seven. AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF STATE PARKS, STATE FORESTS AND RECREATION AREAS BY THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES. Whereas: The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose which is to provide an adequate system of state parks and for- ests and recreation areas, it is hereby declared to be an emergency law necessary to the preservation of the public health, welfare and convenience. Beit enacted. by the Senate and House of Representatives in Gener- al Court assembled, and by the authority of the same as follows :- SECTION 1. The Department of Natural Resources hereinafter called the department is hereby authorized and directed to establish a long term program of state parks, forests and recreation areas substantially as proposed by a report titled "An Inventory and Plan for Development of the Natural Resources of Massachusetts, Part II, Public Recreation and Vaca- tion Travel, 1957" and for such purpose may improve areas now under the department and acquire by purchase or otherwise or take by eminent domain under Chapter 79 of the General Laws adequate land and water areas for said facilities and approaches thereto. SECTION 2. It is hereby declared to be the policy of the Common- wealth that all such sites acquired and/or developed by the department shall insofar as practicable be preserved in their natural state, that they shall be insofar as possible, collectively self supporting and that no com- mercial activities except those essential to the quiet enjoyment of the fa- cilities by the people shall be permitted. SECTION 3. The planning, construction, operation and maintenance of the facilities acquired and/or developed hereunder shall be under the jurisdictionof the division of forests and parks. In its preparation of plans of said facilities, the department shall have the advice and assistance of the Department of Public Works, Metropolitan District Commission, De- partment of Public Health and Departinent of Commerce. SECTION 4. To meet the cost of the program herein authorized, which shall include all expenses incurred in laying out and constructing the same and all appurtenances thereto, the cost of purchasing additional areas either contiguous to or separate from presently owned state park or state forest park areas and all interest accruing prior to the first maturity, the -180- state treasurer on request of th(; department and with the approval of the governor and council shall issue 3,nd sell at public or private sale bonds of the commonwealth, registered or with coupons attached, as he may deem best, to an amount not exceeding in the aggregate the sum of one hundred million dollars. All bonds issue! by the commonwealth as aforesaid shall be designated on the face: "State park and state forest park loan," and shall be on the serial payment plan for such maximum term of years not ex- ceeding twenty as the governor may recommend to the general court pur- suant to section three of Article LXII of the Amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth, the maturities thereof to be so arranged that the amounts payable each year, including principal and interest, shall be as nearly equal as in the opinion of the state treasurer is practicable, and shall bear interest semiannually at such rate as the state treasurer, with the ap- proval of the governor and council, shall fix. The first maturity shall not Occur until one year after the issue of the first bond hereunder. SECTION 5. In its development and improvement of state park and state forest park sites, the department is hereby authorized and empowered:- (1) To purchase, plan, construct, provide and maintain, repair and operate recreational areas and such facilities as access roads, walkways, play fields, picnic areas, parking lots, bathhouses, swimming, diving and wading pools, baby-sitting areas, power, row and paddle boats, boathouses, docks, cafeterias and refreshment stands, fireplaces, benches, tables, chairs and shelters, tents and tent platforms, cabins, first-aid rooms, com- fort stations, drinking fountains with fresh, pure water, and such other facilities as the department deems necessary and desirable. (2) To impose and collect such charges and fees for the use of the lands, buildings, facilities and equipment enumerated in subsection (1) of this section as may be necessary to defray the cost of the developments herein authorized, including costs of maintenance and operation and bond amortization and interest. Such fees and charges may be revised from time to time as deemed necessary by the department. SECTION 6. All income derived from the operation of the facilities hereunder shall be paid into the state treasury, and shall be deemed to be generally applicable to the collective obligations of the commonwealth im- posed by this act. Nothing in this act shall be construed to mean that in- come from a particular facility must be applied to meet the obligations of that particular facility. Nothing in this act shall prevent the state treas- urer from applying without restriction income from facilities authorized under this act to the obligations of similar facilities authorized under fu- ture acts. SECTION 7. If in any year the income from the facilities estab- lished under this act shall prove insufficient to meet the costs hereunder the resulting deficits shall be met in the manner prescribed in section four of chapter one hundred and thirty two A of the General Laws. SECTION 8. In so far as they are not inconsistent with this act the provisions of chapter one hundred and thirty-two A of the General Laws shall be applicable. gl81- DRAFT OF SUGGESTED LEGISLATION THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS In the Year One Thousand Nine Hundred and Fifty-Seven. AN ACT EXTENDING THE TIME WITHIN WHICH THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES SHALL FILE ITS REPORT ON FORESTS AND OTHER NATURAL RESOURCES OF THE COMMONWEALTH. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled and by the authority of the same as follows: - SECTION 1. Chapter 471 of the Acts of 1955 as most recently amended by Chapter 591 of the Acts of 1956 is hereby further amended by striking out the last sentence of the sixth paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following: The department shall report its findings and rec- ommendations under this act from time to time by filing the same, together with legislation to carry its recommendations into effect, with the Clerk of the House of Representatives, the final report, recommendations and legis- lation to be filed on or before the first Wednesday in December 1958. 5998 i;59 -18#-" R)4l 2 copies M Mas!='ac -usetts. Departmen.t of Natural Resov.rces. An irA'entory and _plan Tor de^lopment of the natural resources, P^t II, INDEX OF AREAS THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES PUBLIC OUTDOOR RECREATION MASTER PLAN BOSTON I 1957 PUBLIC ' LIBRARY EDWARDS. KCLCEr uo BECK C0NSiJLTAt*I5 ® EKIITIM WCHEillOH A»tAi to BE IMWrtO iU.0 E.MNOeo m Diisi.no M aeeu ■ ECBMIION •£0 UNO ME*S 10 »E lUfSOVm U« E«MNDtD 'M imaroit XECHUliO .«« 1-157 KtnwH f NUUBEXS BEG IONS laCMnw NE HIUl suCHniMo viuer BCMNEC ICUI V»IL r X tUM «» INO EMVIWONS nmacEttEN count< SIB«l*10L-PLr*IOUIM BRA