Travel in the United States

First Night Northampton, Mass.: A New Year’s Eve Delight

by Deb C January 11, 2024

First Night Northampton, Mass: A New Year’s Eve Delight

It used to be that my husband and I would celebrate New Year’s Eve at a neighborhood party at a couple’s house we could walk to. Sadly, the hosts, and many of our neighbors and friends have since moved away. Some years, we have ventured the six hour drive North to Eastport, Maine, for it’s fun and unusual celebration. Searching for something a bit closer to home this past Dec. 31st., 2023, we found First Night Northampton, Mass., which is a New Year’s Eve Delight.

First Night Northampton, Mass.: A New Year’s Eve Tradition

First Night Northampton is a festive New Year’s Eve tradition going back decades to 1985. We live near Boston, Mass. which has a well known First Night, but we were unaware of Northampton’s. Like Boston, Northampton is a walkable city, and has a multitude of entities that participate in the festival. It’s grown to the point of 23 odd venues. Smith College, businesses, and churches, as well as traditional entertainment establishments, provide the necessary spaces for all the entertainers and audiences. Even a bank offers a warming center with bathrooms and hot beverages.

How it works: You purchase a button which admits you to all venues. Performances and activities are scheduled on the hour, beginning at 12 noon. They run for approximately 45 minutes so you have 15 minutes to walk to the next one.

Sometimes the settings are as enjoyable as the acts themselves. The Academy of Music building houses a wonderful vintage theater built in 1891 where Harry Houdini and Mae West and other legends once performed.

First Night Northampton, Mass.: A New Year’s Eve Delight for Young and Old

First Night Northampton has activities and entertainment for all ages and multiple interests. This festival of arts starts at noon with child-oriented entertainment, which is then a part of each hour’s eclectic performances until 6 p.m. Each event/activity/entertainment lasts about 45 minutes. About as long as many kids can sit still. Family activities this past New Year’s Eve included: a circus, a “mad” scientist, comedy magic, a juggler, face painting and balloon making, a yoyo guy, storytellers, and a puppet show.

The shows most likely to appeal to senior citizens wrap up by 9 p.m.

No staying up late or being awakened by fireworks! They start at 6:15, so that everyone can be in bed at a reasonable hour.

The fireworks are shot off a parking garage in mid-downtown. They can easily be seen from cars in nearby public parking lots and from many convenient vantage points, including in strollers. Once the show is over, it may be only a block or two walk to your parked car. There’s free on-street parking and in municipal lots, except for the downtown parking garage.

First Night Northampton, Mass.: 12 Hours of Musical Performances and Special Acts

Whether you’re seeking a day or evening filled with lively energy or a more laid-back experience, Northampton’s New Year’s Eve extravaganza has it all.

The contemporary performers at First Night run from amateur ensembles, such as The Raging Grannies, the AEIOUkes who are a mix of amateur and trained musicians, to professional musicians and groups of note. Some of the musicians and singers play or played with headlining Rock Bands and received Grammy nominations. Then there’s the delightful Ardaigh, an Irish band, and Klezamir, a rockin’ klezmer band as well as Happy Valley Guitar orchestra and the Offbeat Womyn’s Drumming Ensemble.

The Raging Grannies delivered their political commentaries in clever, whimsical, or poetic manner set to familiar tunes. We weren’t familiar with them, but chose them as the name appealed to us.

The casual upbeat atmosphere at First Night Northampton 24 lent itself to literal dancing in the aisles whether the two-step or the hora. For those who were in the mood for more dancing during the later evening hours, there was the Peace and Rhythm Dance Party.

As midnight approaches, it’s traditional to gather at the Hotel Northampton for the iconic raising of the ball. On Dec. 31, 2023, Steve Sanderson of WRSI hosted the Midnight Countdown with Peace & Rhythm DJs getting folks on their feet dancing.

Navigating First Night Northampton, Mass.

First, we went to FirstNightNorthampton.org.

We later picked up a newspaper that had a full page devoted to the event:

The website has all kinds of helpful information. We downloaded the performance schedule.

The next thing we did was look at FirstNightNorthampton.org to read the descriptions of all the performers and acts. They were impressive. My husband and I marked halfway across the box of which ones appealed to us with contrasting yellow and green highlighters. For most of the hour slots, we found performers we both agreed upon. We downloaded and printed out the map with the key to all the venues. As it was half the size of a letter size piece of paper, we then enlarged it to a full sheet. We highlighted the venues where we needed to go on the map. By and large, most weren’t that far from each other.

As you can see from the wear and tear of the the performance schedule and downtown map, we got a lot of use out of them.

Once we were sure we could commit to going, we bought our buttons online. We had to pick them up in person day of, but we saved $4 each by purchasing ahead of time and where we picked them up was in the heart of downtown. They also offered a discount for buying before Dec. 31, seniors, and adult day only (until 6 p.m.) buttons. There was a lower price for kids up to 10 and only 2 were free.

Finding parking was easy and plentiful when we arrived in Northampton on Dec. 31st., which was about 11:20 a.m. As we walked towards the Downtown, we could hear a lively band playing al fresco. Thorne’s Marketplace, where we could pick up our buttons, is in the middle of Main St., and just a few blocks away. We had no problem finding the First Night Box Office (tables set up in a hallway) and waiting in line wasn’t a trial.

As soon as we claimed our buttons, we attached them to our coats. Each venue had Greeters/Checkers at the door looking for buttons. It was very casual and easy as people just walked through entrances without pausing, much easier that using ticket takers. Checkers tended to be senior citizens and there was one in a wheelchair.

Note that, for those with children or finicky bladders, in addition to two designated warming centers with restrooms and hot beverages, several of the entertainment spaces allowed use of their bathrooms.

First Night Northampton, Mass.: Plenty of Shopping, Food and Drink Options

Downtown Northampton, Mass. boasts a charming downtown. It’s main and side streets are lined with charming shops and businesses. Thorne’s Marketplace, a circa 1873 historic three story commercial building, is home to an array of independent, locally-owned retailers and restaurants lining a sort of in-door wooden-floored alley. You could easily spend a day there. Check out ShopNoho and Northampton.live for more information about Northampton’s businesses. We walked by several vintage shops that I hope to explore someday.

If you’ve been reading this blog, you know that we are fans of craft beer. Whenever we go somewhere, we seek out breweries. Northampton has several, some steps away from where we parked. When it was time for a break, we went to Northampton Brewery Bar and Grill, western New England’s original brewpub.

It’s not only brewery, but also has a full bar and boasts a fireplace and rooftop beer garden. Unlike some breweries that have a sparce food menu, it offers a wide variety of appetizers, salads and soups, burgers, fish fry, and a kids menu. The food and beer were just right and service was quick and friendly. TV’s were placed so we could catch the end of the afternoon football game.

After catching the fireworks, and a few more performances, we found Progression Brewing Company on a side street off Main Street and just blocks away from our parked car. They had a more limited menu, but still better than many others. We split a handmade pretzel and enjoyed a flight of IPA’s. They were gearing up for a New Year’s Eve party with live band before we left for our hotel.

First Night Northampton, Mass.: A Fantastic Way to Spend New Year’s Eve

If you are looking for a fun and different way to spend New Year’s Eve, as we were, seriously consider First Night Northampton. What an incredible variety of entertainment and venues! What a reasonable price – $16 – for 12 packed hours! My only regret is that we didn’t go a day earlier to experience more of what the downtown had to offer. We were so busy moving from one performance to the next that we didn’t have time to take in much, except quick glances at the shop windows and signs. My other regret is that I wish we had gone a day earlier. If we didn’t drive there day of, we might have had the extra energy to go to the later dance parties and been part of the countdown and ball raising at midnight.

Do you have a favorite way of spending New Year’s Eve? Or a fun place to spend it? Please comment below.

So many beers and breweries, how to keep track?

If you want to keep more detailed records of where you went and what beer you enjoyed, you might like Keeping Up with Craft Beers: A Journal for Your Tasting Adventures. You can list up to 100 beers, as well as list breweries and brew pubs you liked as well as beer festivals.

Want to learn how to start a blog?

Here’s some courses to get you started: Start A Travel Blog

or Start A Blogging Business.

Want or need help with your blog or website? I’ve found inexpensive help on Fiverr.

Check out our Etsy shop, GrandmotherstrunkUS

January 11, 2024 0 comment

Native beaded bib artifact, Sheldon Jackson State Museum, Sitka, Alaska

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What I Learned on a Cruise to Alaska

by Deb C September 30, 2023

What I Learned on a cruise to Alaska

First, what I learned on a cruise is that Alaska is much, much larger than I ever realized. The typical map that shows the Continental U.S. and then insets off to the side with Hawaii and Alaska do Alaska a disservice.

During the cruise we were on, a retired U.S. Park Ranger gave some lectures. In one, she showed a map of the Continental U.S. with Alaska superimposed upon it. Yikes! Alaska, with it’s island possessions, stretches from Florida and covers an incredible amount of the U.S. land mass up to the Canadian border. It was truly a bargain purchase from Russia.

What I learned on an cruise is that Alaska is more isolated than you’d think.

Much accessible only by plane or boat.

Parts of it are not attached to either the larger land mass where Anchorage and Mt. Denali are or to the Continental U.S.

In other words, you have to cross through Canada if you want to go even part way via land.

The cruise to Alaska didn’t take us to the larger land mass where the bulk of the population lives, but only to coastal and island towns. So, while you may cruise to Alaska, you are only cruising to a tiny portion of it. You can only reach Juneau, the capital of Alaska, by sea or air. No roads lead to the city.

I learned that parts of Alaska, those along the coast, are more moderate in temperature and less snowy than expected. A tour bus driver mentioned that they only got about 16 inches of snow, as a rule. It may be more misty and rainy, than snowy.

Because you can only access some of Alaska by sea or plane, prices for food and supplies are high. In Hoonah we heard that milk is $17 a gallon and it’s hard to get eggs, unless you own or know someone who owns chickens.

What I learned on a cruise is that Alaska is much more than glaciers and Polar Bears

The part of Alaska that we visited is very sea-oriented. Some of the places we visited were actually islands, not the mainland. The population hugs the coastline. There are bears, but not Polar Bears, who are struggling to survive much farther North.

Where we visited, much of the population seemed to be involved in the tourist industry. Icy Strait Point, we were told, was basically created by the locals to capitalize on the cruise ship visits to the area. They only open when a ship is in port. Attractions include a restored 1912 Alaska salmon cannery and museum, nature trails, restaurants, 100% Alaskan-owned retail shops, zipline, whale and wildlife watches, and more.

Here’s part of the display of the vintage cannery machinery at the Cannery Museum in Icy Strait Point:

It also capitalized on the steepness of the terrain with the SkyGlider gondolas that ascend to 1,600 feet of elevation at Sky Peak. The 54 cabins each hold eight passengers, all enjoying window seats. The cabins accommodate wheelchairs. The SkyGlider almost soundlessly moves above a magnificent rain forest and offers a great view. Unfortunately we were there on a rainy day, but still enjoyed the experience.

Note: there is a free Transporter gondola service that gets Wilderness Landing cruise ship guests closer to the Cannery area and Ocean Landing cruise ship guests close to the SKYGLiDER to reach the top of the mountain.

For those with mobility issues there is a shuttle service from the piers to the gondolas.

After riding the Skyglider, we took a shuttle bus ($5) into the town of Hoonah. We checked out two restaurants that we found along the waterfront. They both only had outside, if sheltered, seating. As it was a raw, windy and rainy day, we ended up for the inside warmth of Icy Strait Brewing, which is also where the shuttle bus leaves from to take us back to our starting point.

It was surprising to find a brewery in such a humble town, but the selection and taste of the beer was great. The price was in line with those in the New England area.

Alaska has several similarities to Maine

People from all over the U.S. fall in love with the area and move there, despite the challenges. Which we have found in DownEast Maine.

The seacoast and reliance on shipping and ocean-related industries is similar. The salmon industry is also prominent to both coasts.

Sea and land creatures and vegetation are of general similar appearance: whales, birds, trees. Whales seemed a little more common, at least where we traveled. Seagulls and robins, or robin like birds, were similar to the eye.

The mountains in Alaska are higher and the crevices in between deeper, at least to the eye, but it’s as if the mountains in Alaska are enlarged and more snow capped than in Maine.

What I learned on a cruise is that Alaska’s Indigenous People are much more than Eskimo or Inuit

I learned that Alaska’s Indigenous People are resilient and of more different groups than Inuit. The museums we went to had astounding and enlightening artifacts from dozens of tribes.

In Sitka, we visited the Sheldon Jackson State Museum. It is in a very modest looking octagonal building that doesn’t reflect the extensive and fabulous collections inside. The curators make excellent use of the space, and tells stories through the exhibits of Alaskan Native Peoples of many nations and tribes. Traditional clothing, masks, baskets, totems, and kayaks and more delight, stun, and educate.

Remembering hearing that Native People use everything from animals, there’s proof in the clothing and useful items made from the skin, gut, and intestines of larger sea animals. An example is a baidarka, a traditional skin-covered watercraft used by the Aleut and Alutiiq people. They made bags out of gut and bladders.

In Juneau, we visited the Alaska State Museum, which also displayed an incredible variety of artifacts from Alaskan Native Peoples.

Totem poles are very much a part of Alaska’s cultural heritage. Sitka in particular has a totem park and a walking trail of totem poles. The museums also feature examples.

Indigenous craftspeople still spend months making them.

What I learned about Alaskan Wildlife while on a cruise

While when you think of Caribou, you think of Canada, they actually also live in Alaska, and thousands, upon thousands migrate from northern Alaska across Canada.

Salmon: there are several varieties of salmon in Alaska. Like the Atlantic salmon, those in the Pacific are also threatened by man affecting their habitants.

It’s very common to see whales, even from the shore. We saw multiples of Orca surfacing and blowing and then diving with a flip of their tails. We also saw them as we were cruising from the ship when we were along the Alaskan coast. You didn’t have to take a special tour to see them.

What I learned on a cruise about Glaciers in Alaska

First of all, our cruise itinerary included Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier. Well, we got to see icebergs from the glacier, but not the glacier. We were partially through the fjord when the ship’s captain announced that we were turning around. It seems that he was alerted that there were too many icebergs in the narrows and that it was unsafe to proceed. Our joke about seeing Alaska before it melts was unfortunately not a joke. Evidently the glacier was calving at a rapid rate.

When we got off the ship in Juneau, we signed up for a city and glacier tour by bus. Well, the city tour was brief and then the bus took us off to Glacier national Park, which was stunning. The driver was, half Irish and half Indigenous extraction. He told local cultural stories about the bear and raven as he drove along.

We were dropped off in the parking lot near the Mendenhall Glacier where there is access to several walking trails. We followed several of the lower trails and viewed the glacier and the lake that it is calving into. The Mendenhall Glacier was eerie looking, like a river that was flash-frozen.

The Mendenhall Glacier Visitors Center offered several amenities and a short film. The trails we took were all relatively easy. The Trail of Time, which connects to East Glacier Loop, includes historical signs and handicapped accessibility. We had plenty of time to wander and take in the Mendenhall Glacier and the Visitors Center before the bus returned.

To wrap up what I learned on a cruise to Alaska

I learned that I should have studied up more about Alaska before the cruise. I did leaf through an old cruise book, that covered the usual ports: Sitka and Skagway and Juneau, but it didn’t prepare me for where we actually were going. I confess I didn’t realize that we would only experience a fraction of the state. Also where we were docked was touristy and we didn’t get much of the local culture, with some exceptions. Taking the shuttle bus to the community of Hoonah, as opposed to the “made for tourist consumption” restaurants and shops was seeing a bit of the “real” Alaska.

Waiting to sign up for excursions until we landed worked for us, as the weather was a factor as far as enjoyment.

Also, our itinerary was changed due to unforeseen circumstances. Icy Strait Point was substituted for Skagway. A Seattle Uber driver told us that Skagway had some dock issues and there was construction on the piers. We did enjoy Icy Strait Point so not upset in the substitution. As mentioned, we didn’t get to see the Dawes Glacier, which was a big disappointment.

Some of the things that we thought wouldn’t be that interesting, turned out to be fascinating and educational.

In the end, I learned that an average cruise to Alaska is just enough to whet your appetite, and more time is needed to truly appreciate the 49th state.

Have you visited Alaska? What were the high points of your trip?

Please comment below.

So many beers and breweries, how to keep track?

Want to learn how to start a blog?

Here’s some courses to get you started: Start A Travel Blog

or Start A Blogging Business.

Want or need help with your blog or website? I’ve found inexpensive help on Fiverr.

Check out our Etsy shop, GrandmotherstrunkUS

September 30, 2023 0 comment

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Fun Things to Do in Greenfield Mass.

by Deb C September 30, 2022

There’s many fun things to do in Greenfield, Mass.

We had never been or heard of Greenfield, Massachusetts. It’s out near Amherst, Mass, off of Rt. 91, along the Mohawk Trail. When we looked for things to do one weekend, we came across “Greenfield Vintage Days.” We unexpectedly found many fun things to do in the city of Greenfield, Mass.

Greenfield Vintage Days, Greenfield, Mass.

Greenfield Vintage Days event was on a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We went on Saturday as there were the most things to do. The core of the event, and where we started exploring Greenfield, was in Court Square. Free parking was available in nearby city lots. Several of the shops lining Main Street had Sidewalk Sales. It’s easy to navigate across streets with pedestrian traffic signals. We hopped a free Trolley Ride to visit historic and vintage places around the city.

The Farmer’s Market is a fun thing to do in Greenfield, Mass.

The Farmer’s Market boasted several stalls of freshly harvested local produce as well as crafters. The Taco Food Truck attracted a long line of customers. During Greenfield’s Vintage Days, a group of vintage tractors attracted a lot of interest. There was also a blacksmith demonstrating his craft over an open flame. Members of the Historical Commission were in period costume.

Finding art on Main Street is a fun thing to do in Downtown Greenfield, Mass.

The Downtown is alive with color: sidewalks, parking meters, the sides of buildings are all brightened by vivid paintings of all kinds. Even parking meters pop with color.

Chairs in the park offer a bright rainbow of seats:

Then there’s the sidewalks. Here’s one with a bee theme:

The sides of buildings with wide alleys beckon the eyes with their murals:

A Fun thing to do in Greenfield, Mass. is to “bee” on the lookout for bees in painting and sculpture

Why bees? Greenfield was the home of Lorenzo Langstroth, pastor of the Second Congregational Church during the mid-1800s, who is known worldwide as the “father of modern beekeeping.”

Reverend Langstroth was the inventor of a revolutionary moveable-frame beehive, patented in 1852. The hive made it easier to inspect the hive and harvest honey. He wrote the first American manual on honeybees and beekeeping. First published in 1853, and reprinted multiple times since, it’s still considered the “Beekeeper’s Bible.”

We discovered that a Langstroth Bee Fest is celebrated downtown with a parade, children’s activities, bee-related displays and talks, and more fun. In 2021, six large bee sculptures painted by local artists were installed around the downtown area and were unveiled during the Bee Fest. More have been added since then.

Here’s the Celtic Bee:

There are other bee-related features, such as the cross-walk shown earlier in this post, as well as paintings like this incorporating bees:

Browsing vintage, secondhand, and thrift shops is another fun thing to do in Greenfield, Mass.

There are several vintage, secondhand, and thrift shops within walking distance of each other in Greenfield, Massachusetts. Many are on Main St. Each of them has their own personality. During Greenfield Vintage Days, many had sidewalk sales and specials. They all had unique personalities and plenty to browse. One, John Doe, Jr. specializes in vintage vinyl records.

Down on Hope Street, which is off Main Street, you will find a Salvation Army Thrift Store and Innovintage, a woman-owned vintage and artisan collective. Innovintage is located in an old brick mill complex. The vendors offer a variety of vintage and antique furniture and furnishings, vintage accessories, upcycled wedding decor, and handmade items. Unfortunately, the trolley tour we were on only allowed us time for a brief peek at the goodies. We thought the prices we saw on vintage wooden items along the deck were very reasonably priced. There was plenty of parking and the day we were there there were also several vendors set up in the parking lot.

The Historical Society in Greenfield, Mass. is a fun place to stop in

The Greenfield Historical Society is housed in a well-kept Victorian building. The displays are well thought out with lots of informative signage. For a small museum, it packed in a lot of items. I’ve owned a vintage shop, bought and sold antiques and collectibles for decades , attended auctions since I was eight, and I saw things there I’ve never seen elsewhere.

This self-propelled wheel chair, circa 1890, is unique in my experience.

One room is devoted to children’s items and pastimes. They are invited to sit at a wooden desk and look at stereoscope slides.

Here’s a few other displays at the Historical Society in Greenfield:

The Museum of Our Industrial Heritage is another fun thing to visit in Greenfield, Mass.

The Museum is rather small, tucked into one part of an old mill building, but makes good use of the space with family friendly displays.

Call ahead as it’s open Summer Saturday afternoons and by appointment. Visit industrialhistory.org for information and group programs. The museum has a library of past technology that researchers may request access to.

Dining out is a fun thing to do in Greenfield, Mass.

Some restaurants in Greenfield, Mass. may have bee or honey-themed art or specialties. The ones we saw popped with personality and pride.

There’s Bonnie B’s Restaurant:

It was hard not to stop in at the colorful Rise Above Bakery and Cafe, but we wanted to be on time for the Trolley Tour:

We did end up having bread from the Rise Above Bakery when we had a late lunch at The People’s Pint, a family-friendly brewpub, on a side street in Downtown Greenfield.

They offered sidewalk seating, as well as indoor booths. Sorry that the sun was so bright that day, it affected my outdoor photo. Here’s some photos of the interior, food, and a beer flight:

They brew their own beer, bake their own desserts, and source from local farmers and suppliers. They are very environmentally conscious, not using disposable plastic, minimal paper goods, composting or recycling everything they can. The brewery grain is fed to pigs and goats in Gill, Mass.

So many fun things to see and do, you’ll “bee” sure to have a fun time in Greenfield, Mass.

Know before you go:

We went when there was a special event and many venues were open for it that have limited hours. We also went in early fall on a bright warm day. The Trolley Tour was a special part of the event and not regularly offered. Greenfield Vintage Days was a brand-new event and it will probably return with many new features. For those who like old fire department equipment, Greenfield is planning on a museum and raising money for it.

Check the City of Greenfield’s website for any events. Also be sure to check this website: Visit Greenfield, MA.

Plan ahead by checking to see if the places mentioned in this post are indeed open, or schedule an appointment, if they offer that option.

There are many more things to see and do than we knew about, or had time for. OH, and the Franklin County Fairgrounds are nearby, so you could coordinate a trip to the fair and the city. See also Wikipedia for more information about Greenfield, Mass.

Also check the local newspaper, the Greenfield Recorder, for information about special events and venues.

If you go…please let me know and leave a comment below.

Want to learn how to start a blog?

Here’s some courses to get you started: Start A Travel Blog

or Start A Blogging Business.

Keeping Track of Craft Beers

While many use an app for tracking their brewery visits, physical journaling is very popular, too. Consider: Keeping Up with Craft Beers: A Journal for Your Tasting Adventures, for yourself or for a gift for a friend. You can keep more detailed records of where you went and what beer you enjoyed. You can list up to 100 beers, as well as list breweries and brew pubs you liked as well as beer festivals.

September 30, 2022 0 comment

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Picnic with a million dollar view in Lubec Maine

by Deb C July 30, 2022

Picnic with a Million Dollar View in Lubec Maine

Thanks to Cobscook Shores, you can picnic with a million dollar view in Lubec, Maine. Cobscook Shores is a series of 15 parklands along Cobscook Bay near Lubec, Maine. They are privately owned by Cobscook Shores Inc., a family funded Maine charitable foundation. The park areas offer free public access for walking, picnicking, hiking, biking, camping and paddling in Cobscook Bay.

A delightful aspect of this park system is that amenities including picnic tables, screened picnic cabins or pavilions, a restroom, shore paddle access, and walking, hiking, and biking trails. A least one park includes a “loner” stroller. But it’s all done carefully without commercialism, respecting the ecosystem.

The Butler Foundation, behind the founding of Cobscook Shores, created the network of parkland. In addition to conservation, the intent is that everyone can enjoy this wild beauty, not just those who have the where with all to buy waterfront property and build on it.

Don’t just take my word for it. The Boston Globe featured an article recommending that you visit Cobscook Shores, noting that The New York Times ranks it among the best 52 places to travel to in 2022.

Cobscook Shores provides Picnic Spots with a Million Dollar View

Cobscook Shores park system includes an area along South Bay Narrows that features Shoreline Trail and picnicking spots.

Cobscook Shores provides plenty of signage along Lubec roadways to guide you to the various parklands and hiking trails.

One of the first Cobscook Shores trails that we explored was by South Bay and isn’t far off Rt. 189. You take Crows Neck Road, take the first right, and follow the signs.

There’s a parking lot just off the access road. There’s one of the cleanest port-a-potties you may ever find by the gate. A kiosk provides a map and information about use of the trails and park.

Discovering a Place to Picnic with a Million Dollar View in Lubec Maine

When we first explored the Narrows Trail we noticed a small well-kept screened-in building with a table and four chairs. You can enjoy a comfortable and bug-free picnic and equipped with a dustpan and broom for users to sweep out any crumbs after their meal. It’s a great idea and addition to any hiking area.

It’s placed so that you can enjoy a great view east across South Bay with Red Point in the foreground and Scrub Island in the distance.

From the Narrows Trail by the Picnic Pavilion, as we learned is it’s name, we took the South Bay Loop Trail The trail which took us by the water access area and then inland through a maple-spruce forest and old apple orchards looping back to the Narrows Trail near the parking lot (0.4 miles). It’s an easy and beautiful walk/hike.

Note: The area is peaceful but do be aware that you are entering the domain of wildlife including bear, deer, moose, fox, porcupine, and insects. We visited in mid-July and weren’t particularly bothered by bugs. We wore long sleeves and pants. We saw a variety of birds, in and over the water, but no other wildlife.

Picnic in Lubec Maine Bug-Free with a Million Dollar View

A few weeks after the first anniversary of the opening of Cobscook Shores (which was Memorial Day 2021) my husband and I were discussing what we were going to do for dinner. There aren’t a lot of dining options in Lubec and we often have a simple dinner at our cabin, or have dinner at a friend’s house.

Sometimes we happen to be in Lubec when there’s a bean supper at the West Lubec Methodist Church or the Mason’s have their Thursday night BBQ. An alternative is a stop at the IGA, our go-to place for freshly made salads from their deli. We often make a meal of them, with or without a sandwich from McFadden’s, a gas, deli, and convenience store.

We do like to enjoy the fresh Maine air as much as possible. While we do have a deck and may eat outside, sometimes it gets a bit too buggy. Suddenly, I remembered the Picnic Pavilion and we had plenty of daylight left to be comfortable venturing into that wooded area, which isn’t all that far from the parking lot. So, we packed the cooler with salads bought earlier and some water and seltzer. I also gathered napkins, paper plates, utensils, sanitary wipes, and a flannel-backed tablecloth, and off we went.

Picnicking with a Million Dollar Ocean View without being a Millionaire

Up to now, I haven’t mentioned that Lubec is a neighbor to the Bay of Fundy. Its shoreline is part of the Bold Coast, and is the Easternmost town in the Easternmost part of the United States. It’s rural, it’s scenic, it’s unspoiled seacoast, and full of breathtakingly beautiful vantage points. The Picnic Pavilion sits on one of those points overlooking South Bay.

The Picnic Pavilion was clean and the furniture not very dusty. There is a local maintenance crew that we figure regularly checks it. It’s expected that before you leave, you clean up, sweep, and take all your trash with you.

We wiped the table, installed the tablecloth, and sat down to a memorable dinner with a great view and the sounds of birds and waves. We really were away from it all – no people, no insect pests, no manmade sounds, no traffic, no artificial lighting.

It was one of the most memorable experiences in our life. Simple and serene. While Cobscook Shores is still new, more people will find it as the word gets out. Still, we think that there’s enough area to explore that it will never get crowded. At least not anytime soon.

If you want to read more about Cobscook Shores, here’s an article in The Boston Globe.

To find out more about this particular picnic spot and trail, as well as other Cobscook Bay parklands, visit Cobscook Shores.

Have you visited any Cobscook Shores parklands? Your thoughts on them? Comment below.

Related: Lubec Pirate Invasion

To find out more about Lubec, the Easternmost town in the U.S. and town events and festivals, visit: https://www.visitlubecmaine.com/

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July 30, 2022 0 comment

View of Dahlquist Headstone in Cambridge Cemetery

Ancestors New experience Nostalgia Travel in the United States U.S. History

Digging Up Ancestors in Cambridge, Mass.

by Deb C April 5, 2022

Digging Up Ancestors in Cambridge, Mass.

On a warmer late winter day, my husband and I went digging for ancestors in Cambridge, Mass. Cambridge is under a half hour drive for us so we didn’t have far to go.

We decided to visit the famous Mt. Auburn Cemetery as my recollection was that my grandfather was buried there. I remember my mother taking me to the grave, and my thinking how great that he was buried in a nationally famous cemetery. Well, it turned out that my memory was a little off, but not far off.

Before we started out, I did a little searching online for my grandfather, or any of his siblings or parents. I used Findagrave and the Mt. Auburn Cemetery website. I was surprised not to find anything for them, although there was a grave for some people with the same last name. Still, we thought it would be nice to get out of town and get some fresh air and sunshine while walking through the cemetery. I had more optimism than my husband about locating my grandfather.

Mt. Auburn Cemetery a local and national attraction

It was a Sunday afternoon and we discovered that a LOT of other people had decided it was a great day to get out and enjoy the outdoors by visiting the Mt. Auburn Cemetery. We were totally floored by the number of people who were walking through the cemetery, whether singles, couples, or family groups. Many appeared to be walking for the exercise, more than looking at the monuments and headstones. No dogs, bikes, or picnicking is allowed. A family that tried to picnic was asked by cemetery personnel to pack up.

If you think it strange to want to picnic there, Mt. Auburn is as much a park with statues and sculpture, as a cemetery. It’s fame is due to its design as the first ” garden or rural cemetery” with winding paths and small hills and clusters of trees and bushes. It’s atmosphere is more soothing than the usual row upon row of headstones. Many famous people, including Mary Baker Eddy, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Charles Bulfinch, and the actor Edwin Booth, are buried or honored with memorials there.

Not Digging up ancestors in Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Mass.

When you arrive at Mt. Auburn Cemetery, you quickly realize that there isn’t a formal parking lot. Visitors are directed to park to the side of the paths that have green lines, avoiding the grass. Near the entrance is the chapel, library, and Visitor’s Center within the chapel and public restrooms. Staff and volunteers are on hand from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Visitor’s Center to answer questions about finding a grave or other monuments. The attendant couldn’t find my grandfather, either, but she did give me a map and indicated where the grave was of the people with the same last name. It was in an area where people were buried around the time my grandfather died. She also gave me the email of the archivist if I wanted to ask for further help.

As we followed the map and walked the grounds, I soon realized that my idea of finding my grandfather by checking names on gravestones wasn’t practical. I had no idea how extensive the cemetery is. I just remember my mother and I at the grave of my grandfather, not how we got there. The graveyard in Essex, Mass. was much easier to explore. We stopped to look at some of the more striking sculptures and memorials. I took a few photos, but it turns out that Mt. Auburn Cemetery frowns on publishing them. The photos on the website are better, anyway. More about the memorials later.

We did find the grave and headstone of the people with the same last name, Dahlquist, but the headstone was carved with a “v” instead of a “u.” That is “Dahlqvist,” not “Dahlquist.”

More digging for ancestors in Cambridge, Mass.

As we walked along, we noticed that there was another cemetery along with a church, adjacent to Mt. Auburn, that was accessible just by connecting walkways. I later searched for the cemetery, and others in Cambridge. online to see if that’s where my grandfather was. No luck.

In the weeks following our visit to Mt. Auburn, I did more online research. I found mentions of my great-grandfather’s company and obituaries for family members on Newspapers.com. I mean, my great-grandparents and great-uncles lived in the Boston area and they had to be buried somewhere in Eastern Massachusetts. After several hours and days of searching, I found my Grandfather’s obituary. The thing was, it came up due to his last name, not his first. His obituary said “burial in Cambridge City Cemetery.” Bingo.

The woman at the Mt. Auburn Visitor’s Center had suggested that I contact the Cambridge Cemetery. She confirmed that those graves aren’t listed online. The Cambridge Cemetery is run by the Cambridge DPW. The automatic answering system didn’t have an extension for the Cemetery Dept., so I chose the option to leave a “non-urgent” message. Well, two weeks went by without a return call. The second time, I chose “0” and a pleasant live person connected me with the Cemetery Department voice mail. I left a message with my grandfather’s full name and date of burial. Within a few hours, a pleasant woman called me back with information where my grandfather was buried, and who was also in the plot, as well as information about another Carl H. Dahlquist, buried four decades earlier in another area.

Finally digging up ancestors in Cambridge, Mass.

About a month and a half after our first foray for digging up ancestors in Cambridge, Mass., we went back to the same area. The Cambridge Cemetery is just across the street from one side of the Mt. Auburn Cemetery at the corner of Mt. Auburn and Coolidge Streets. We were so close.

It was a mild early spring Sunday. Unlike the almost bustling atmosphere of the Mt. Auburn Cemetery, the Cambridge Cemetery was deserted. There were a few cars out front, and one or two that we saw actually in the cemetery. The atmosphere was very different, and the land mostly flat, with some trees, but not a lot of large and striking sculptures or monuments. The cemetery was laid out with the more usual lines of headstones.

I had downloaded a map from the City of Cambridge website and highlighted where the graves are. They weren’t that far apart. After finding the road within the cemetery where we needed to be, we parked the car. The roads and sections have signs to help guide us.

There are also square stone markers with lot numbers. We were looking for Range 77, Grave 27. And, there it was, the gravestone, with Dahlquist on one side, and my great-grandfather, my grandfather and two of his three siblings.

When I saw the gravestone, with the name “Ruth” and that she died within a year of her birth, I remembered that my Mother said she was named for Grampa’s sister, who died young. And there is the verification.

While I didn’t remember the graveyard where my Grandfather was buried, I did remember that there were other people in the plot so that there was no room for my Grandmother when she died, over 10 years later. My Grandmother was cremated so my Mother sprinkled her ashes on the grave.

I took some wider photos of and near the gravestone in order to better find it next time and to share with my siblings.

Some advice about digging up ancestors in Cambridge, Mass. and anywhere

Write down what you and your family members know, or remember about family history in regards to burial.

Check on FindaGrave, Google, Ancestry.com, and newspapers.com, and genealogybank.com. Try different spellings or just the last name. For some reason, my Dahlquist ancestors weren’t on FindaGrave and my Grandfather’s first and last name didn’t come up in newspapers.com. It was only because I kept searching the last name that I finally found my Grandfather’s obituary.

Pick times to search online when you have an hour or so to devote to it. Look for clues in other family member’s obituaries. I was almost at the point of calling the funeral home named in my great-uncle’s obituary for information.

Just because you did, or didn’t find your ancestor on one site, or found some material, doesn’t mean you should give up. I found much more material on genealogybank.com than I did on other sites.

If you don’t want to, or can’t afford to pay for online searches, just sign up for a trial, or use a public library that has a subscription to such databases.

What advice do you have about digging up ancestors?

Please share your thoughts.

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April 5, 2022 0 comment