Archaeological Artifacts Exhibit in West Roxbury: 5,000 Years at Brook Farm

Boston's first Archaeological Museum exhibit is on display at the Boston Archaeology Laboratory at 201 Rivermoor St., West Roxbury.

  A first-of-its-kind archaeological exhibit of artifacts excavated through an archaeological survey is now on display at the Brook Farm Historic Site in West Roxbury. Want to see a 5,000-year-old Native American spear point? See it at the City of Boston Archaeology Laboratory at 201 Rivermoor St., now on view through June 15. The exhibit is designed by Boston University graduate student, Sarah Keklak, and hosted by City Archaeologist Joseph Bagley. The City Archaeology Laboratory is free and open to the public by appointment Tue. - Fri., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please call or email Joe Bagley at 617-635-3850 or joseph.bagley@cityofboston.gov to schedule an appointment. Boston's Archaeology Program was founded in 1983 to preserve, protect, and …

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Protected Open Space Tops Developed Land After Recent Conservation

Massachusetts now has 1.25 million acres of protected parks and wildlife habitats. West Roxbury has its fair share, too, especially for an urban neighborhood.

  Gov. Deval Patrick announced this week that for the first time, the amount of protected open space in Massachusetts exceeds the amount of developed land. With the Department of Fish and Game's recent $2.5 million acquistion in Plymouth of 94 acres of wildlife habitat, the state can count 100,000 acres of open space conserved since 2007, for a total of 1.25 million acres overall. According to the attached PDF map provided by the City of Boston, West Roxbury looks pretty good for an urban neighborhood when it comes to open space - and protected open space. The Stony Brook Reservation, which the attached Bellevue Hill Reservation is also a part of, in the southeast part of West Roxbury, are protected; As are Millennium Park and Brook Farm, …

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Discussion on New Brook Farm Tonight

Bill Tuttle will speak about the efforts to create a New Brook Farm in West Roxbury.

  Bill Tuttle will be a guest lecturer tonight speaking on the "New Brook Farm at the Site of the Brook Farm Utopian Community in West Roxbury of the 1840s." Tuttle is the president of New Brook Farm, a planned community farm that would be located on the historic site of Brook Farm. Tonight's discussion is at 7 p.m. at the Springhouse Independent and Assisted Living home. Brook Farm was perhaps the most famous utopian community of many in the 1840s because its members were well known intellectuals and Transcendentalists that included the author Nathaniel Hawthorne. The community and other interesting uses of the land on Baker Street will be discussed. Tuttle is a planner for the state of Massachusetts, and is supported by a large board of …

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Great Escape

A Great Escape: Brook Farm Historic Site

Escape to some of the most pristine nature in Boston at this National Historic Site.

Part of a real escape is finding a quiet place to walk and talk or just enjoy nature while still living in a very busy Boston neighborhood.   Escaping for a few hours can create just the right amount of time to rejuvenate your soul. In the 1840’s a group of Transcendentalists decided to make the greatest escape of their lives and created a commune right here in West Roxbury.   Located off Baker Street in West Roxbury are 179 acres that include: rolling hills, wetlands and woods, known as: The Brook Farm Historic Site. It is one of the first sites in Massachusetts to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was designated a National Historic Site.  In 1977, the Boston Landmarks Commission designated Brook Farm a Landmark, …

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Residents Present Vision of New Brook Farm at Highland Civic Association Meeting

A team of local residents want to see the site become a community farm, but there's opposition to maintain the farm's history.

Brook Farm has seen its share of changes through the years, from its early days as a progressive, Transcendentalist community to the site of a Lutheran orphanage. West Roxbury resident Bill Tuttle has a new vision for the historic Brook Farm and he wants for it will benefit the whole community. Tuttle, with the support of a small group local residents, presented his idea of the New Brook Farm at the Highland Civic Association meeting yesterday evening in the West Roxbury Branch Public Library. Tuttle proposed for the site to follow its agricultural roots as a small scale community farm, providing organic fruits and vegetables to the community and surrounding areas. “It would be a great way to both connect with the history of the site, as …

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New Brook Farm Looking For Residents to Get Involved in Several Ways

New Brook Farm leader met with elected officials to discuss movement of developing West Roxbury property.

Maureen Layden does not profess to be a farmer by trade, she's actually a doctor. A doctor who shares a dream with several other Parkway residents - to create a New Brook Farm. The Brook Farm Historic Site sits at the Gardens at Gethsemane, and was the scene of a failed Transcendalist utopian society in the 1850s. On Monday morning, Layden met with West Roxbury District Councilor Matt O'Malley, State Rep. Ed Coppinger, Ann Cushing and John Regan of State Sen. Mike Rush's office, Terry Crowley of City Councilor At-Large John Connolly's office, and Chris Tracy, West Roxbury Neighborhood Coordinator for the Mayor's Office, at the Westbury to discuss the New Brook Farm. Layden is one of several residents, along with Bill Tuttle, who have been …

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Brook Farm Walking Tour Celebrates History of Historic Site

The Gardens at Gethsemane host a walking tour of Brook Farm guided by Bob Murphy of the West Roxbury Historical Society to a group of people all ages.

The Gardens at Gethsemane hosted an interactive tour of Brook Farm on Sunday. While the weather forecast called for impending rain, people still participated in the tour prepared with jackets and umbrellas. The ever-ready Alan MacKinnon, president of the Gardens cemetery, was also prepared with massive tents set up to keep the food, refreshments, and people dry. Before the tour started, MacKinnon shared his excitement about the event. "I'm happy the rain held off," said MacKinnon. "This is historic property. This should be a good tour." The event started off with good conversation and a relaxing musical atmosphere. The DJ set the mood for the cloudy day playing, "Rain, Rain, Go Away" as Bob Murphy, of the West Roxbury Historical Society …

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PatchCast

PatchCast: Vehicular Homicide, Wayland Elections and Brook Farm Reborn?

A roundup of regional news for Wednesday, April 6.

For more on today's headlines, visit the links below:

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Ryan Grannan-Doll

6:04 pm on Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Great PatchCast today!   more ›