Troop 174 2008 Historic Trails Planning

1. Troop 174 2008 Historic Trails Planning Boy Scout Troop 174Yorktown, New York

2. The Bedford Flag Trail This trail follows the path taken by the Bedford Minuteman Company on April 18-19, 1775 to the Battle at the North Bridge in Concord, Massachusetts. Boy Scout Troop 194 in Bedford, Massachusetts offers a hiking patch and a hiking medal (seen below) that you can buy for Scout awards. Bedford and Concord)

3. The Blue Hills Trail Blue Hills #1 and Blue Hills #2 are a 2-mile and an 8-mile hike through the Blue Hills in Milton, Massachusetts, just south of Boston. The Blue Hills are an ancient landmark used by very early indigenous people of the area and it is suggested that the Native American words for Blue Hills (Masua Tuset) gave rise to the state's name, Massachusetts. It is known that the Blue Hills were a renowned meeting place for the local native peoples, and it is also known to be an area quite rich in flint, a stone used quite extensively by the local inhabitants of the time in making arrowheads and other simple tools. Both trails begin at the Trailside Museum. The shorter #1 trail is a less difficult and shorter trail recommended for the younger youth. It goes to the top of "Big Blue" and returns to the museum, while the longer and more difficult #2 trail goes a quarter of the way around the base of "Big Blue" and up the steeper, more rugged southwest face. Both trails come to the top of "Big Blue" where hikers can climb an observation tower and see spectacular views of Boston and the Boston Harbor to the north, the towns of Dorchester and Quincy and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island to the south. On a clear day, visitors can see the White Mountains of New Hampshire as well as the northern tip of Long Island, New York. Along the trail, hikers can observe native vegetation and wild life. This is an excellent area for a nature hike if familiar with the local flora and fauna. During the summer months there are wonderful "high bush" blueberries ripening along the trail. It is recommended that hikers bring drinking water as well as a snack. In addition, it is recommended that hikers wear a good pair of supportive hiking boots as the terrain can be rugged and or slippery at times. The #2 hike continues down the east face of "Big Blue" and up and over Houghton's Hill, around the north base of Houghton's Hill and "Big Blue" and ends back at the museum where it began. Milton: 9.3 mi – about 18 mins, from Boston

4. The Blue Hills Trail (Historic Trail - Milton) Blue Hills Trail #1: Blue Hills Trail #2:

5. The Footsteps of Our Founders Trail The Footsteps of Our Founders Trail (Historic Trail - Fall River, MA) This is a 6.5 mile trail. The Narragansett Council, BSA In Fall River, MA about 53.7 mi – about 57 mins from Boston Fall River

6. The Freedom Trail This is a 5 mile trail through historic parts of Boston. The Boston Minuteman Council, BSA, offers a hiking patch and a hiking medal (seen below), and a pin that you can buy for Scout awards. Boston Minuteman Council, BSA This trail is in downtown Boston. Boston

7. The Isaac Davis Trail This is a 7 mile trail that runs between Acton and the North Bridge in Concord. This is the same trail that the Acton Minutemen followed to fight the British Red Coats on April 18-19, 1775 in the Battle of Concord. Each spring they hold a Boy Scout Camporee in Acton where Scouts campout and hike this trail with Colonial Minutemen to a battle reenactment and ceremony at the North Bridge. Scouts and Scouters also earn the special hiking patch. Trail patch. Medal questionnaire Reenactment every April. Acton and Concord

8. Leslie's Retreat Trail There are two trails here, a 6 mile trail and a 10 mile trail. The Witch Trail Committee offers a hiking patch (seen below) and a hiking medal that you can buy for Scout awards. Marblehead and Salem: 15.3 mi – about 38 mins from Boston Marblehead and Salem

9. The Pirate Trek and Pirate Legend Trail There are two trails here for Scouts to hike, a "Trek" of 4 miles or a "Trail" of 10 miles. The Witch Trail Committee offers two hiking patches (seen below) and two hiking medals that you can buy for Scout awards. 10.4 mi – about 26 mins from Boston Historic Trail - Lynn, MA

10. The Pilgrim Trek and Pilgrim Trail There are two trails here for Scouts to hike, a "Pilgrim Trek" of 6 miles or a "Pilgrim Trail" of 10 miles. The Pilgrim Trek is a 6 mile circular trail through Plymouth. The trail starts and finishes at the information center at exit 5 on route 3 , where there is ample parking , rest rooms and additional information available about the attractions in the area. The Pilgrim Trail is a 10 mile circular trail through Plymouth. The trail starts and finishes at the information center at exit 5 on route 3 , where there is ample parking, rest rooms and additional information available about the attractions in the area. Plymouth, MA

11. The Sky Line Trail A 7 mile circle trail through the Middlesex Fells woods near the towns of Stoneham and Medford. The Witch Trail Committee offers a hiking patch (seen below) and a hiking medal that you can buy for Scout awards. The Skyline Trail is a 7-mile circle trail through Middlesex Fells woods near the towns of Stoneham, and Medford, Massachusetts. The hike is through woods and requires hiking over several hills. Not recommended for younger youth who are not accustomed to long strenuous hiking.

12. The Sky Line Trail The hike is designed to introduce hikers to local Native American custom and culture and to afford scenic views of Boston and the North Shore area. The trail is open year round. Allow approximately 5 hours for this hike. The woods are rich in Massachusetts Indian history surrounding Nanepashemet, who was Sachem (one of authority) of all the Indians between Boston and Concord, NH and western Massachusetts, and his wife Squaw Sachem. He was the last Sachem of these Indians. A side attraction is the nearby Stone Zoo in the town of Stoneham.

13. The Sons of Liberty Trail This trail is 10 miles long and is also known as "Battle Road". It was used by Minutemen and the British Red Coats in the battle of Concord and Lexington on April 18-19, 1775. The National Park Service sells a patch that you could use as a hiking award in their museum gift shop by the Concord Bridge. The Witch Trail Committee also offers a hiking patch (seen below) and a hiking medal that you can buy for Scout awards. Lexington to Concord

14. The Sons of Liberty Trail The Sons of Liberty Trail is 10-mile hike from Lexington to Concord, Massachusetts following the "battle road". This trail traces the events of April 19, 1775, the beginning of military action between the British and the colonists in the American Revolution. This trail follows city streets and busy county and state roads and is not recommended for youth younger than 12 years of age; however, the sights in Lexington and Concord, as well as those along the way are certainly worth while for the younger set if the group is being followed or accompanied by vehicles. The trail begins at Lexington Green where about 40 Minutemen met the British who were marching to Concord to confiscate colonial cannons. This is the sight of the "shot heard 'round the world."    There are two rather good museums along the route, both free when last visited.  Often in better weather, especially on summer weekends, members of reenactment groups can be be found at these sites.

15. The Spirit of '76 Trail This trail is 2 miles long. The Witch Trail Committee offers a hiking patch (seen below) and a hiking medal that you can buy for Scout awards. The Spirit of ’76 Trail is a two mile hike through the historic town of Marblehead, Massachusetts on the North Shore of the Boston area.  This trail was designed with younger hikers in mind. Marblehead, MA

16. The Spirit of '76 Trail

17. The Witch Trail This trail is 10 miles long and traces the Pilgrim history and their Witch Hunt. The Witch Trail Committee offers a hiking patch (seen below) and a hiking medal that you can buy for Scout awards. The quaint little North Shore town of Danvers, Massachusetts, was formerly known as Old Salem Village. We remember Old Salem Village as being the center of the historic colonial "1692 Witch Hysteria". The Witch Trail is a 10 mile hike from Danvers to Salem, open year round, and will require 4 to 5 hours to complete, depending on the amount of time spent viewing each of the 13 historic sites. Hikers will see among other things, the Wadsworth House where once stood the original home of an accused witch, foundations of the Reverend Parris' house where his West Indian servant first told island stories of voodoo and witchcraft to impressionable young girls, the Ingersoll House where several of the accused were first questioned, Watch House Hill where a new church was built after the hysteria to reunite the people under the Reverend Green, the Haines House whose owner testified against witches who were later hanged, the home of Sarah Holten who testified against the 71 year old Rebecca Nurse, the home and grave of Rebecca Nurse, a reconstruction of a house which was used to interrogate and examine several of the women after the initial accusations, and the Charter Street Burial Ground where several famous people of the witch hysteria were laid to rest. Several of the sites along the way are open for tours; prices may very from site to site. Other sites can be toured by prearranged appointment. Danvers and Salem

18. The Witch Trail

19. What Should We Do? • The Historic Trails hike is an annual family event • Usually the troop eats in a “all you can eat” buffet after the hike • Over night is done in a Scout Camp • Tents and lanterns (Bring a pillow for Mom) • Trains and cars are needed at times to pick-up the hikers • Lunch is on the trail • Scout uniforms are Required

20. Costs If we get a 15 person van