Dianna Estates | 02038 Real Estate

Southern New England Trunkline Trail

Warren Reynolds — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:45:54 +0000

The eastern section of the 22 mile-long Southern New England Trunkline Trail (SNETT) starts in Franklin, MA at Grove Street and runs through Bellingham and Blackstone on its way west to Uxbridge and Douglas.

Tracks were first laid in 1849, creating a line connecting Blackstone, MA to Boston via Franklin. Trains were operated on the line by quite a number of different rail companies in the 1800s due to a variety of mergers, takeovers and re-organizations. At the start of the 20^th Century, the Midland Division of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad assumed operations. Both passenger and freight traffic was carried on the line. Dairy farms in a wide area stretching from Connecticut to Franklin supplied fresh milk to Boston via daily milk-train run on the line.

The economic need for the rail line began to wane in the 1950s. Interstate highways enabled trucks and passenger cars to take increasing traffic away from the railroads. By the 1970s, the Midland Division had ceased operations. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management took ownership of the rail right of way in 1984.

Healthy Heart Trail

The roadbed now is a multi-use recreation trail open to bicycles and other non-motorized uses including horse riding.

The post Southern New England Trunkline Trail first appeared on 02038 Real Estate.

Franklin Town Forest

Warren Reynolds — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 17:46:12 +0000

The Franklin Town Forest is a 180+ acre town-owned preserve off of Summer Street in Franklin, Massachusetts.

The Town Forest should not be confused with the Franklin State Forest also located in Franklin, MA. They are separate woodland recreational resources.

Trail map

Download a map of the walking trails in the Franklin Town Forest here or by following the hotlink in the image below.

Pleasant walks on easy, level trails

Several rails traverse the Franklin Town Forest. Typical walks take from 20-40 minutes. You’ll move through pines, cedars, and swamp maples. Beware that this forest borders on the golf course owned by the Franklin Country Club and you can inadvertently end up walking onto that property. You’ll also walk at times along the boundary lines of private land with homes, so show consideration and common sense as you walk.

How to access the trails

There are two access points to the Town Forest in Franklin, MA, neither of which is clearly marked as such as.

The easiest is at the cul-de-sac at the end of Russet Hill Road in Franklin, MA.

The designated parking area shown on the trail map is on Summer Street, about one-half mile from the intersection with King Street in Franklin, MA. (For GPS, the access point is approximately opposite 403 Summer Street.)

Circa 2008, this area was more cleared than what is shown above via Google StreetView. There was a broader shoulder to the road and the trailhead was more visible.

The post Franklin Town Forest first appeared on 02038 Real Estate.

King Street Memorial Park

Warren Reynolds — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 17:43:31 +0000

The King Street Memorial Park is located at 740 King Street near the intersection with Forest Street in Franklin, MA.

The park sits on twenty-five acres of land. Its amenities includes a series of ball fields, a basketball court, a children’s playground and a baseball skills area. There is also a large concession facility. Baseball and soccer predominate but the fields have seen use by area cricket leagues.

Soccer fields

Baseball

Basketball

The post King Street Memorial Park first appeared on 02038 Real Estate.