Newton Almshouse, Newton

Toolhouse est.1938

When I published a post about Working Boys Home in Newton about a year ago, I was also fascinated by the "infirmary" just northwest of the Home. Was there any connection between the infirmary and the Home? Were they operated by the same organization? If so, did the parents (most likely unwed mothers) at the infirmary have to be separated from their children to Working Boys Home (and Working Girls Home) ?

Dungeon Rock, Lynn

Dungeon Rock is probably one of the most famous New England oddities. Dungeon Rock in Lynn Woods is packed with colorful stories: the legend of pirate's treasure and the quest of a rather obsessive spiritualist family who attempted to find the truth.

Prior to this visit, I and B. visited Lynn Woods for investigating Burrill Stone Tower, a tower built by the WPA in 1936. My companion pleasantly liked the place like I do, so we decided to visit  another curiosity of the woods; the King of (Lynn) Rock.

Stone Tower, Lynn

I love Lynn Woods. Since I  "discovered" the place a year ago, I've been visiting there multiple times. People I meet on the trail are very friendly. Each time I greet them, they show me a genuine smile and throw some conversations. It has a good vibe, my kind of good vibe.

Stonecroft, Tewksbury

Reminder: Stonecroft sits in the middle of an active hospital property. Please respect hospital workers and patients and do not disturb the property.

Continue from Tewksbury Hospital, Tewksbury

Conditions at the Tewksbury Almshouse were deplorable. Chronically underfunded, overcrowded and in disrepair, the Almshouse housed an average of 940 men, women and children during the years that Sullivan was there. The mortality rate was very high, and within three months of their arrival, Jimmie Sullivan died. --From Perkins School for the Blind

Stonecroft, Rear

Tewksbury Hospital, Tewksbury

Old Administration Building, built 1894

Tewksbury Hospital was one of the state run almshouses established in 1852. The Bridgewater, Monson and Tewksbury Almshouse were opened to accommodate an increasing number of destitute immigrants in Massachusetts.

The Bridgewater Almshouse later become a correctional facility for "criminally insane", and Monson became "Massachusetts Hospital for Epileptics" in 1895. Tewksbury began accepting "pauper insane" in 1866. Alcoholics were treated in the course of expansion. The almshouse/ asylum also admitted patients with such contagious disease as TB, small pox and typhoid, but also remained as an almshouse, especially during the time of the Great Depression.

Wright's Tower, Medford

It's the tower on top of the hill looking down Medford part of I-93. Each time I was on I-93 North around exit 33 -- often stuck in traffic jam with Boston honkers -- I always thought how great it would be looking down us the earth crawlers.

Slayton Tower, Melrose

I must confess that I have a strange fascination with a tower on top of a hill. And yes, please stop mentioning the phallic mambo-jumbo, Dr. Freud.

After spending a few years of my life in the Prairie, a hill -- the mere geographical contour -- obtained a mythical position in my perception. In that very narrow sense, Massachusetts has proven as a magical wonderland. Since I realized a handful of hills have viewing towers,  they have elevated to the equivalent of the technicolor world of the Wizard of OZ.

The very sacred hill of Illinois

I love driving along Route 1 to Newburyport. Hilltop Steak House (cactus !!), abandoned motels, kitschy Chinese restaurants, Danvers State Hospital… it is the epitome of America that fascinates me (including the fact that the Danvers is now a condo). Slayton Tower in Melrose is one of my strange love at Route 1.

The tower  is located at Mt. Hood Golf Club. Together with the golf course, it was build during the 30’s as a part of the Works Progress Administration project.  Compared to the Recovery Act of the 21st century fixing roads and bridges, it sounds somewhat impractical the folks in the 30’s built this tower; don’t worry, it was built to watch out for the German U-Boats. Now Slayton Tower is surrounded by the golfers who play hard during the weekdays.

Stone cladding must be the main architectural theme of this golf course. The tower,  club house, pumping station, and even barbecue pits were stone-clad. The WPA artists painted murals, and the WPA masons stacked stone.

 

Anyway, amid the happy golfers I climbed up to the top. The  interior was crumbling, and there was a remain of a Halloween party (official or unofficial, how would I know).

The loving memory of Oct. 31, 2009...

Surrounded by cell phone antennas, the view from the top was hazy but great. I can imagine the soldiers watching out for the U-boats. But I still don’t understand what kind of occasion made two men smoke cigars… 

The war is over, and now is the time for cigars.

I have no interest in golf or golf course per se. But it would be difficult to hate this place.

A trash bin adjacent to the tower. Yes, I did enjoy the view.

A water cooler living in a hut named "MT HOOD"

It was way too hot, so I decided to drink the water...

Nice'n cold !!

Thanks for reading, and see you next time.

Locate Slayton Tower @ Google Map