Visiting New England Part 1

My most recent adventure took me by air to the New England states. I booked Airbnb’s and rented a car to see the states of Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine. When I planned this trip I wrote down several places that I wanted to visit.

After arriving in Boston I drove to my first airbnb stay in Nashua, New Hampshire with a very nice lady named Kathy. Kathy is from Puerto Rico and has lived in the United States for five years. She spoke wonderful english and we got along very well and I can say that we became good friends.

We went for lunch at a Columbian restaurant (my first time) and then took a nice hike to the Mine Falls Dam in Mine Falls Park in Nashua.

***

MASSACHUSETTS

Salem, Massachusetts is where I visited first.

After a trip to the Visitors Center where I watched a couple of short movies, one on the History of Salem and the other about the Salem Witch Trials, I was better informed and on my way to explore.

Here is a very cool thing that they did in Salem, they have a red line on the sidewalks that take you to several points of interest. No way you can get lost here!

I followed the red line to my first stop, the Salem Maritime National Historic Site.

This is Pedrick’s store house on the Derby Wharf. Today it was closed for tours.

The Friendship of Salem also sits at Derby Wharf. The Friendship is a full size, fully operational replica of the original Friendship, a cargo ship built in Salem in 1797.

The Figurehead at the bow of the ship is most often a woman, why you ask, because most ships are referred to as a “she”.

The sailors quarters.

Officers quarters.

The Captain’s private dining space and office.

The Captain’s quarters.

You have no idea the restraint it took for me to not make those beds!

The hull of the ship.

The Hold where cargo was stored.

Authentic compass.

On my walk out to the end of Derby Wharf was the bay and the town of Marblehead, Massachusetts on the other side.

At the end of Derby Wharf was the Derby Wharf Light Station.

The Derby House was built in 1762 and Elias Hasket gave it to his wife to be, Elizabeth Derby as a wedding present.

This is the last of the remaining 13 Custom Houses in Salem. The Custom House was built in 1819 and just had its 200 year celebration.

Hawkes House built in 1780.

Walking the red line through Salem I was fascinated by all the old homes and they all had plaques on them noting the year they were built.

This is “The House of Seven Gables” the setting of the renowned novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1851.

The house was built in 1668 by ship owner Captain John Turner I.

Statue oh Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Making my way back through Salem I saw a witch we all know and loved watching as children.

This is the only building still standing with direct ties to the Salem witch trials.

The Salem Witch Trial Memorial was my next stop.

In 1692, 20 people, 14 women and 6 men were accused, tried, convicted and executed for being witches, sadly enough all were exonerated after the trials were put to an end.

The Memorial, only one block from the Visitors Center consists of 20 granite benches, each inscribed with the name of the accused and their date of execution.

Adjacent to the memorial is the Old Burying Point Cemetery.

Notables that are buried here are Captain Richard More, a Mayflower passenger; Justice John Hathorne, who sat on the witchcraft court; Captain John Turner, who built the House of Seven Gables.

Where are the witches buried? Legend says they were buried in a shallow pit at the gallows since they were not allowed burial in consecrated ground in the city cemetery.

BUT, no bodies were ever found at the site of the hangings, leaving one to believe that the victims were moved to private property by their families.

My day in Salem included a nice long walk, sightseeing, people watching, witch shops, shopping and Thai for lunch!

I did learn a lot more about the Salem Witch Trials that I had not known before.

***

VERMONT!

My destination today is Smugglers Notch outside of Stowe, Vermont.

I was on the road early with Starbucks in hand I made my way north then west and north again!

In the town of Northfield Falls, Vermont I found double covered bridges!

I just love that horses have a speed limit!

As I travel up the highway, my first stop was a hike to Bingham Falls. The trail was nice and flat on the first part.

Then the trail got rocky and steep.

The main falls were worth it though, the water was so clear.

Can you see it? That is Smugglers Notch and isn’t it majestic.

Illegal trade between Vermonters and Canada during the Embargo Act of 1807, fugitive slaves escaping to Canada and the transportation of liquor from Canada into the United States during the Prohibition years gave the notch its name.

South of the notch is Stowe and on the north side is Jeffersonville, Vermont, Canada is a mere 26 miles away.

The painting on these two silos or water towers were very impressive.

This is a real grist mill although the picture seems more like a postcard.

Driving through the notch was spectacular.

Ski slopes all around.

I couldn’t resist stopping and getting a shot of these two statues.

This one is of Cowboy Codi and his horse.

This one of Cowboy Friends.

This is the 10th Mountain Infantry Soldier Statue. The recruitment of experienced mountain climbers and skiers were used during World War II.

I guess in Vermont, this is used for when things get real.

Have you seen “The Sound Of Music”? This is the Trapp Family Lodge. A little of Austria…A lot of Vermont!

Smugglers Notch from afar.

Moss Glen Falls was another hike to a very refreshing waterfall.

The last stop in Vermont before I drive back to Nashua was Ben & Jerry’s for some ice cream and a factory tour.

Starting from an old gas station in Burlington, Vermont, this is the first factory that made Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.

Free samples at the end of the tour! Yummy!!

Peace Out from Vermont!

***

MASSACHUSETTS

Plymouth, Massachusetts where it all began for the Pilgrims and another day trip for me. Today I am bringing along my airbnb host, Kathy.

I was six when I first learned about the history of our first Thanksgiving and the Pilgrims landing on Plymouth Rock. These are the pictures we were shown back then.

In a six year olds mind that was a pretty big rock! At 61, I was so excited to see where the Pilgrims landed. Also at 61, I was in for a rude awakening.

The Pilgrims never wrote about landing on Plymouth Rock! It was 121 years before the first documented claim of Plymouth Rock being the landing place of the Pilgrims.

Oh! There is more! The “great rock” as the Pilgrims called it was actually a boulder that sits in sand in a portico on the bay shore.

This monument was dedicated to Pilgrims who lost their lives during the first year in Plymouth.

This is Massasoit Sachem, leader of the Wampanoags. He had a close alliance with the colony.

This is the oldest building in Plymouth. Built in 1636 by Richard Sparrow along with a tract of 6 acres.

The Spooner House is another one of Plymouth’s oldest homes. The Spooner family and descendants are the only family to live in the home for over 200 years. Circa 1749.

The Jabez Howland House is the only house in Plymouth that Pilgrims actually lived.

Built in 1749 this is the oldest wooden Court House, now a Museum, and the longest ultilized municipal building in America.

The Hedge House built in 1809 by sea captain William Hammatt.

The National Monument to the Forefathers.

William Bradford was one of the passengers of the Mayflower. He took over leading the colony after John Carver died that first winter.

The Pilgrim Mother Statue

Advice, save your money and pass on the trolley ride. Too long, too bumpy and too boring.

After getting a late start to our day and spending too much time in Plymouth, Kathy and I headed to Cape Cod. We had a late lunch and visited a couple of lighthouses.

This is the Stage Harbor Light and it sits on private property so you can only see it across the bay from the Chatham Light.

The Chatham Light is owned and operated by the United States Coast Guard and sits on the southern tip of the Cape. There was a second tower at one time that was a duplicate of the one that remains.

Across the road was a beach and along the waters edge are very nice summer cottages.

The Bass River Light was an interesting stop. After the Coast Guard decommissioned the lighthouse it was sold in 1938 and evolved into an inn and restaurant.

***

RHODE ISLAND

Rhode Island isn’t exactly an island but it is the smallest State in the United States.

Today I am exploring Newport, Rhode Island with my friend Kathy.

One of the things I wanted to do was the Cliff Walk along the ocean. The Cliff Walk is a 3.5 mile walk along the beautiful rocky shoreline and some very prestigious homes.

As you walk along the cliff what you are seeing is actually the backs of the mansions.

This is the Breakers, also the Vanderbilt House. Built in 1895 for a cool 7 million dollars and is the largest mansion in Newport.

Ochre Court is the second largest mansion in Newport. Built in 1892 for only 4.5 million dollars.

Vineland Estate, built in 1882 is now part of Salve Regina University.

The Cliff Walk is definitely a must do if you ever visit. Most of the mansions have daily tours so check the Cliff Walk webpage to plan your visit.

Love Locks

Kathy and I under a shade tree and drinking what use to be ice water! It was really warm this day.

As we drove Ocean Avenue mini mansions like this were all along the road.

Castle Hill Lighthouse was a little tricky to find but persistence won out.

Built in 1898 this lighthouse stands at the entrance to the East Passage to Narrangansett Bay.

The last place we visited was downtown Newport and Bowen’s Wharf.

There were shops and restaurants and boat excursions.

This is our view from Benjamin’s Restaurant on Main Street where we enjoyed a huge prime rib dinner. Let me just say that my plate was so heavy from the size of the prime rib it was crazy.

After getting our to-go boxes with our leftover 3 pounds of meat, we headed back to Nashua.

Stay tuned for Part 2 & 3 of my New England adventure and I truly enjoy taking you with me!