Hemlock Gorge Reservation
Encyclopedia
Hemlock Gorge Reservation is a Massachusetts
state park
located in Newton and Needham. The park is managed by the state Department of Conservation and Recreation
(DCR).
designed by landscape architect Charles Eliot in the 1890s, Hemlock Gorge Reservation is a small 23 acres (9.3 ha) wild area which protects the banks of the Charles River
where it passes through the corners of Needham
and Newton Upper Falls
. The park takes its name from a gorge through which a side branch of the Charles River once passed, whose ledges were, according to Eliot, "clothed with hemlocks". The side channel was cut off in the 20th century by the construction of nearby Interstate 95, and water flowing through the gorge now enters a holding pond, from which water is returned to the river when water levels are low.
The main features are the steep Hemlock Gorge, the river, and Echo Bridge
, a carrier of the Sudbury Aqueduct, which now forms part of backup systems of the Boston area water supply. The bridge was designated a National Historic Landmark
in 1982. A platform under the bridge's central arch lets visitors hear the echo
that earned the bridge its name. There is direct access to the top of the bridge from the parking area. At the northern end of the park, just before the river flows under Route 9, it flows over a horseshoe-shaped dam constructed in the early 20th century at a site that housed a mill as early as the 18th century.
Picnic benches and trails are maintained. The park is open year round from dawn to dusk.
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
state park
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
located in Newton and Needham. The park is managed by the state Department of Conservation and Recreation
Department of Conservation and Recreation (Massachusetts)
The Department of Conservation and Recreation is a state agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, situated in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. It is best known for its parks and parkways. As of May 24, 2011 the Commissioner of the DCR is Edward M. Lambert, Jr...
(DCR).
Description
An original part of the Metropolitan Park System of Greater BostonMetropolitan Park System of Greater Boston
The Metropolitan Park System of Greater Boston is a system of reservations, parks, parkways and roads under the control of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation in and around Boston that has been in existence for over a century...
designed by landscape architect Charles Eliot in the 1890s, Hemlock Gorge Reservation is a small 23 acres (9.3 ha) wild area which protects the banks of the Charles River
Charles River
The Charles River is an long river that flows in an overall northeasterly direction in eastern Massachusetts, USA. From its source in Hopkinton, the river travels through 22 cities and towns until reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Boston...
where it passes through the corners of Needham
Needham, Massachusetts
Needham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. A suburb of Boston, its population was 28,886 at the 2010 census.- History :...
and Newton Upper Falls
Newton Upper Falls, Massachusetts
Newton Upper Falls is a village situated on the east bank of the Charles River in the city of Newton, Massachusetts, in the United States.The area borders Needham, Massachusetts to the south/southwest, Wellesley, Massachusetts to the west, the West Roxbury neighborhood of Boston to the extreme...
. The park takes its name from a gorge through which a side branch of the Charles River once passed, whose ledges were, according to Eliot, "clothed with hemlocks". The side channel was cut off in the 20th century by the construction of nearby Interstate 95, and water flowing through the gorge now enters a holding pond, from which water is returned to the river when water levels are low.
The main features are the steep Hemlock Gorge, the river, and Echo Bridge
Echo Bridge
Echo Bridge was built to carry the Sudbury Aqueduct over the Charles River from Newton Upper Falls to Needham, Massachusetts. The aqueduct was constructed to carry water from the Sudbury River to Boston. Construction of Echo Bridge began in 1875 and was completed in 1877 by Boston Water Works ,...
, a carrier of the Sudbury Aqueduct, which now forms part of backup systems of the Boston area water supply. The bridge was designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1982. A platform under the bridge's central arch lets visitors hear the echo
Echo (phenomenon)
In audio signal processing and acoustics, an echo is a reflection of sound, arriving at the listener some time after the direct sound. Typical examples are the echo produced by the bottom of a well, by a building, or by the walls of an enclosed room and an empty room. A true echo is a single...
that earned the bridge its name. There is direct access to the top of the bridge from the parking area. At the northern end of the park, just before the river flows under Route 9, it flows over a horseshoe-shaped dam constructed in the early 20th century at a site that housed a mill as early as the 18th century.
Picnic benches and trails are maintained. The park is open year round from dawn to dusk.
