Rocky Narrows
Rocky Narrows
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location | Massachusetts , United States | |
surface | 92 ha | |
WDPA ID | 55554306 | |
Geographical location | 42 ° 13 ' N , 71 ° 21' W | |
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Setup date | 1897 | |
administration | The Trustees of Reservations | |
particularities | First trustee sanctuary |
Rocky Narrows ( German Felsenenge ) is a 227 acres (0.9 km² ) large nature reserve near the city of Sherborn in the state of Massachusetts in the United States , which is administered by the organization The Trustees of Reservations . Established in 1897 as the first newly formed trustee sanctuary, it is one of the oldest in the United States.
history
Less than 30 years after landing in Plymouth , the European settlers had advanced far inland upstream along the Charles River . Around 1650 they began clearing large areas in order to gain space for agriculture . The river played an essential role in the growth of the parish that later became the town of Sherborn.
The granite walled river section of today's protected area was called Gates of the Charles ( German gates of the Charles River ) in colonial times and was considered a strategically important place by both the Puritan settlers and the Wampanoag Indians, including during the King Philip's War played a role. Even today, the viewpoint King Philip's Overlook is named after the leader Metacomet, who was called King Philip by the settlers .
In 1897 landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. , who was buying land on behalf of Augustus Hemenway, gave the newly formed Trustees of Reservations an area of 21 acres, which became their first sanctuary as the Rocky Narrows . Further parcels could be added in 1942, 1974, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1994 and most recently in 1995.
Protected area
The reserve is particularly popular with canoeing and kayaking enthusiasts. The up to 50 ft (15.2 m ) high granite walls along the banks are approximately 650 million years old and shape the appearance of the landscape. The former usable areas are now overgrown with hardwoods and other evergreen plants . There is a good view of the area from the Rocky Narrows Overlook and King Philip's Overlook lookouts . The sanctuary is directly adjacent to the publicly owned 150 acres (60.7 hectares) Sherborn Town Forest on three sides . The 7 mi (11.3 km ) trails are part of the Bay Circuit Trail .
See also
Individual evidence
- ^ Property History. The Trustees of Reservations , accessed June 17, 2014 .
- ↑ About Rocky Narrows. The Trustees of Reservations , accessed June 17, 2014 .
Web links
- Rocky Narrows in the United States Geological Survey's Geographic Names Information System
- Rocky Narrows Trail Map. ( PDF ) The Trustees of Reservations, accessed on June 17, 2014 (English, map of the hiking trails in the protected area).
- Rocky Narrows on TripAdvisor