Covered Bridge #1 LbNA #51408
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Add Location| Owner: | Adoptable |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Nov 15, 2009 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Pepperell |
| County: | Middlesex |
| State: | Massachusetts |
| Boxes: | 1 |
| Planted by: | MrPink  |
|---|---|
| Found by: | Nairon |
| Last found: | Aug 26, 2023 |
| Status: | FFFFFFF |
| Last edited: | Nov 15, 2009 |
Covered Bridge #1
This is the first of four letter boxes planned to commemorate Pepperell’s unique covered bridge. Before Pepperell was even Pepperell, a bridge of some kind crossed the Nashua River at what was known in Colonial times as Jo Blood’s fordway (now part of Groton Street). First it was the uncovered Jewett’s Bridge, built in 1742. That structure was replaced in 1847 by a 147-foot-long covered bridge, which was deemed unsafe in 1958 and was replaced in 1963 by the Chester H. Waterous covered bridge that stood there until 2009. Now, after a 10-year effort by the town and state lawmakers to replace that decaying structure, a new covered bridge has been built on the same spot over the rushing waters of the Nashua River. The work took two years to complete. The fourth letterbox in this series commemorates this version of the bridge.
Keyes Conservation Area:
This 50-acre area includes woodlands and open fields, including a great hill for sledding, with a pond, frontage on Sucker Brook, and a vernal pool. A walking trail leads around the perimeter of the property, bringing you through all its various habitats. Wildlife abounds here, including deer, fox, brook trout, and many birds such as bobolinks, blue birds, herons, kestrels, and hawks.
Follow Park St. away from Main St (Rt. 113) about 1 mile. Bear left onto Oak Hill St and follow for about 0.5 miles. Turn right into the dirt driveway at the sign for Keyes Conservation Area and park in the parking lot on the right side of the drive after crossing Sucker Brook.
Recreational Uses:
• Hiking (easy)
• Picnicking
• Bird watching
• Horseback riding
• Fishing
• Cross-country skiing
• Sledding
Time Needed: 30 minutes depending on time to stamp in.
Clues:
When you turn into the Keyes Conservation area, there is a parking lot about hundered yards in. Check the trail map posted there to get your bearings. You can down load/print a copy at: http://www.town.pepperell.ma.us/conservation/downloads/Pepperell_TrailMap_Map3.jpg
Go through the metal gate at the back left corner of the parking lot. There is a wire fence on your right and about 50 yards up, the trail will fork. Bear left and keep the water on your immediate left. You will come to a small pond and marshy area of Sucker Brook. As you approach the sound of a waterfall at the back of the pond, the trail will fork again. To the right, it goes up hill. To the left, it will follow the water. Either direction can take you to your objective:
If Bearing Left – Keep the water on your immediate left and walk 30 steps from the rock at the fork in the water flow. You should see some rocks in the trail and, looking to your right, you will see a smaller trail going up the hill to a rock wall. That wall is your destination.
If Bearing Right: Follow the trail up hill. It will walk along a ridgeline still with the water on your left, but further away, down the hill. As you walk, take notice the spectacular damage done to the trees by the recent ice storm. The trail is marked with blue dots. After a short walk, you will reach a junction point in the trail where another trail heads off, perpendicular to the right. At that junction, there are some signs on the trees saying that hikers are welcome but vehicles are not. Notice the rock boundary wall as you face down hill toward the water.
Now that you are in the right place, use either one of these little poems. Either one has all you need to know:
Have you ever seen a permanent snow?
On top of a rock, where few people go?
Snow that won’t melt with summer or rain?
Two rocks to one side, that’s why you came.
------------------------
Look for the rock with a white ribbon tied.
Through the middle like frosting.
It’s clear. I’ve not lied.
When you find it, you’ll know it.
Five more rocks of large size.
Count stones, you won’t blow it,
Then look under – your prize!.
Please be discrete as you sign in, there are often other hikers and dog walkers in the area. When you leave, please make sure to hide the box well, particularly as viewed from the down hill side looking upward toward the rocks. Place a few rocks around the box to obscure it from view.
This is the first of four letter boxes planned to commemorate Pepperell’s unique covered bridge. Before Pepperell was even Pepperell, a bridge of some kind crossed the Nashua River at what was known in Colonial times as Jo Blood’s fordway (now part of Groton Street). First it was the uncovered Jewett’s Bridge, built in 1742. That structure was replaced in 1847 by a 147-foot-long covered bridge, which was deemed unsafe in 1958 and was replaced in 1963 by the Chester H. Waterous covered bridge that stood there until 2009. Now, after a 10-year effort by the town and state lawmakers to replace that decaying structure, a new covered bridge has been built on the same spot over the rushing waters of the Nashua River. The work took two years to complete. The fourth letterbox in this series commemorates this version of the bridge.
Keyes Conservation Area:
This 50-acre area includes woodlands and open fields, including a great hill for sledding, with a pond, frontage on Sucker Brook, and a vernal pool. A walking trail leads around the perimeter of the property, bringing you through all its various habitats. Wildlife abounds here, including deer, fox, brook trout, and many birds such as bobolinks, blue birds, herons, kestrels, and hawks.
Follow Park St. away from Main St (Rt. 113) about 1 mile. Bear left onto Oak Hill St and follow for about 0.5 miles. Turn right into the dirt driveway at the sign for Keyes Conservation Area and park in the parking lot on the right side of the drive after crossing Sucker Brook.
Recreational Uses:
• Hiking (easy)
• Picnicking
• Bird watching
• Horseback riding
• Fishing
• Cross-country skiing
• Sledding
Time Needed: 30 minutes depending on time to stamp in.
Clues:
When you turn into the Keyes Conservation area, there is a parking lot about hundered yards in. Check the trail map posted there to get your bearings. You can down load/print a copy at: http://www.town.pepperell.ma.us/conservation/downloads/Pepperell_TrailMap_Map3.jpg
Go through the metal gate at the back left corner of the parking lot. There is a wire fence on your right and about 50 yards up, the trail will fork. Bear left and keep the water on your immediate left. You will come to a small pond and marshy area of Sucker Brook. As you approach the sound of a waterfall at the back of the pond, the trail will fork again. To the right, it goes up hill. To the left, it will follow the water. Either direction can take you to your objective:
If Bearing Left – Keep the water on your immediate left and walk 30 steps from the rock at the fork in the water flow. You should see some rocks in the trail and, looking to your right, you will see a smaller trail going up the hill to a rock wall. That wall is your destination.
If Bearing Right: Follow the trail up hill. It will walk along a ridgeline still with the water on your left, but further away, down the hill. As you walk, take notice the spectacular damage done to the trees by the recent ice storm. The trail is marked with blue dots. After a short walk, you will reach a junction point in the trail where another trail heads off, perpendicular to the right. At that junction, there are some signs on the trees saying that hikers are welcome but vehicles are not. Notice the rock boundary wall as you face down hill toward the water.
Now that you are in the right place, use either one of these little poems. Either one has all you need to know:
Have you ever seen a permanent snow?
On top of a rock, where few people go?
Snow that won’t melt with summer or rain?
Two rocks to one side, that’s why you came.
------------------------
Look for the rock with a white ribbon tied.
Through the middle like frosting.
It’s clear. I’ve not lied.
When you find it, you’ll know it.
Five more rocks of large size.
Count stones, you won’t blow it,
Then look under – your prize!.
Please be discrete as you sign in, there are often other hikers and dog walkers in the area. When you leave, please make sure to hide the box well, particularly as viewed from the down hill side looking upward toward the rocks. Place a few rocks around the box to obscure it from view.