HIKE REPORT
Wednesday, 5 March 2025, Waltham - Prospect Hill Park winter hike
Hike Leaders: Barbara Jacobs and Ted Nyder
4 miles, 10:00 am start from Waltham, MA
Hikers (15): Barbara, Ted, Aiko Pinkoski, Ann Northup, Deb Mello, Jim Whinfield, Marie Keutmann, Marlene Heroux, Melissa Norton, Steven Venizelos, Susan Broome, Susan Sabin, Tom Allen, William Feiring, and Zach Woods.
Present at lunch: Helen Greitzer.
Our hilly, icy, and snowy hike took us through historic Prospect Hill Park in Waltham. The park was divided through Dividend Land Grants in the 1600s. As people obtained these land grants, they built stone walls demarcating property boundaries that were established between 1636 and 1638. The properties were used as woodlots, providing timber for building homes in nearby neighborhoods and firewood for cooking and heating. There was some pasture land, but very little farming because of the hilliness of the area.
Our first stop was at the lean-tos and stone fireplace built for the Boy Scouts in 1934 by the Emergency Relief Administration. We continued walking up the hill and came to two water towers built in 1974 by the City. These water towers contain eight million gallons of water, providing water pressure for fire hydrants. Then we checked out the trails and old rope tow buildings of the old ski area (1948-1989). Alongside the water towers we came to an old Radio Telescope which was used by the Air Force to look for sunspots and solar storms in the 1960s. It is now used by amateur radio clubs.
As we walked the Ridge Trail we came to Big Prospect and checked out the view. Even though it was cloudy we could see the Boston skyline and snow on the Blue Hills.
Twelve of us, including Helen, had post-hike lunch at the Craft Food Hall.
Report by Barbara Jacobs.
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