fitchburg-hometown
(We were discussing coblestone streets)

Several homes on Mechanic St are serviced by a very old path of
cobblestones.  No.'s 53 through 73 are all period houses which lie well
above the present street, gracing a cobblestoned roadbed of their own.  Last
and perhaps least is Mill Street. Brushing the back doors of Main St. near
Boulder Drive, nearly all of its stones have been covered by asphalt
recently.  Only a few yards remain today.

People living on the hill by Mt Vernon St. are all familiar with the
shortcut bisecting their neighborhood, known as the Rapids.  This
aptly-named public way climbs from Blossom St. up to Mt Vernon St., then
shoots down the steep hill to Prichard St.  Some sections of the Rapids are
so steep that steps are necessary, while in other parts the path is
macadamized.  When we were kids, the Rapids was always the main route to the
movies and other attractions downtown, and it still evokes vivid memories of
childhood adventures of Saturdays long past.

In other parts of Fitchburg, narrow steets called "parks" form pleasant
oases in otherwise crowded neighborhoods.  These would-be dead-end streets
have been designed so that traffic revolves around a green area, planted
with shade trees, giving the "park" its name.  Brigham Park is located
closest to downtown, being only a stone's throw  from Moran Square.  Yet
this "park" has all the characteristics of a pleasant suburban neighborhood,
with fine old turn-of-the-century homes bordering the green with its garden.
Putnam Park, near the top of South St.  was developed two decades later, yet
it too provides respite from nearby traffic.  The last of these is Forest
Park, near Forest Hill Cemetery, on the City's South side.  This is a small
boulevard surrounded by attractive new homes, and is a welcome contrast with
other new neighborhoods which seem to be sparsely landscaped.

(Next appears a pen and ink drawing of Brigham Park with the caption, "Fine
old homes circle Brigham Park and it garden, forming an oasis in the midst
of an other wise crowded neighborhood.)

                        THE GREENWOOD

Living in the city can sometimes take a toll on our wits and emotions, as
noise, traffic and crowds try to compete with and outdo each other.  It's
sometimes hard to find an area nearby where you can escape the "rat race".
The Flat Rock Wildlife Sanctuary, atop Prospect Hill, is only a three minute
drive from the Upper Common, yet it provides a pleasant respite from the
every day pressures which confront us.

Over 250 acres of land behind Burbank Hospital were given to the Audubon
Society by the Crocker family as a wildlife preserve.  Abutting this
sanctuary in part is the city's watershed land, which provides contiguous
acreage for the benefit of the hiker.  The miles upon miles of trails are
constantly used by joggers for nine or ten months of the year, while
cross-country skiers take advantage of the paths during the winter.  If you
enjoy takeing your dog out for a walk, or even if you just want a little
solitude, head up Flat Rock Rd. to the Audubon sanctuary.  You can discover
three old cellar holes in the area attesting to the fact that people once
farmed here in the days when the old Crown Point road (now Scott Rd.)
traversed the hill on its course form Boston to Fort Ticondroga.  Now the
woods have covered over the field, and the mainstream of traffic has been
rerouted elsewhere, leaving the area cloaked in a veil of silence.  In
summertime, though, you can hear the shouts of laughter emanateing from the
northern part of the forest, where dammed-up Falulah Brook has carved a
natural swimming hole, long familiar to generatinos of youngsters.  Cub
scout Falls, as it is popularly know is abundant with natural pothoes,
sculped rock and small cascades.  Further upstream, past hollows of
beautiful mountain laurel, lies sequestered Black Canyon, a narrow gorge
through which the stream flows.

These are just some of the attractions which the Flat Rock Wildlife
Sanctuary and its environs have in store for the seeker.  Flat Rock itself
is interesting in that its smooth surface has painted on it a hex sign, as
well as the ancient Biblical names of Solomon and Barabbas, invoking a
senses of mysticism.  The old Harwell cemetery is hidden in the greenwood,
to be seen only by the perceptive hiker in his ramblings though the sanctuary.

Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall, you will be able to find peace and quiet
just a stone's throw away from wherever you may be, for the Audubon
Society's nature preserve is accessible to a larg area.  The Flat Rock Rd
entrance and the bridle paths behind Burbank Hospital are the  most
frequently travelled approaches but with a little exploring on your own,
you'll discover new trails for years to come.

(to be continued)