Prospecting for the Wapack Trail (Part 3)

Climbing Barrett and end of first day of hiking

November 4, 1922 - Allen Chamberlain

A continuation of Allen Chamberlain’s trek along the proposed Wapack Trail

The World as Barrett Mountain Sees It 

   Half an hour ought to suffice for the crossing through the woods from the grassy road to the pond, and another half hour up the slope should bring one to the summit of the south knob of Barrett, or three hours from the old tavern site on the State road, including the side trip up Watatic. The route is thence along the ridge northerly with the world below generally in view. Near the foot of the mountain on the west one notices a group of unusually large buildings. This is the farm of Mr. George Wilder, where an industrial centre was attempted forty years or so ago. A quarter of an hour farther on, along the ridge, the main summit of Barrett is reached. 1000 feet elevation, marked by a large boulder, but so shut in by spruces that no view is obtained here. Just beyond, however, is an open ledge commanding a wide view to the west, north and east. At the foot of the mountain on the west is a sizeable clearing, the site of the old Captain Godding farm, from which they need to sled the hay to Boston by oxen in the winter, a three-days journey which had for its beginning the scaling of this mountain. In those days the road, Iaid out in 1753. passed over a saddle at an elevation of 1600 feet. In the course of the next half hour the tramper passes the location of that road, but unless he is wise to the fact, he would never so much as suspect that anything that could by any courtesy be called a road ever ran that way. In fact, there was but one spot through which it could be forced without the aid of modern machinery and dynamite, and the tramper pauses beside the two huge rocks that form the natural gateway of the pass to wonder at the courage of the pioneers. 

   Clambering up from the old "Boston Road" to the summit of the northernmost height of the ridge, one comes out on an open plateau with a superb view of the Grand Monadnock, and a broad outlook to the east. Barrett Mountain has now been traversed from south to north. A deep gulf opens ahead, but the descent is by swinging around to the east and dropping through the ravine of Hedgehog Hollow. a romantic woodsy glen, thence across the pastures northerly and down again to the highway at the old Brown place, no merely a cavernous cellar, where one John Brown of Concord, Mass., settled in 1776, and where he and his descendants continued for three generations. 

Another Day's Journey Begins 

   Just across the highway an old road will be found running north and dropping gradually toward a brook, In the days of long ago, this also was a town-way leading to Sharon and to Temple, with numerous houses along its course, and at the brook, within an eighth of a mile, the old stone bridge still stands intact. For the camper this will be an alluring spot, with a copious supply of water, and wood in plenty right at hand. The stopping place for the tent-less tramper is still two miles ahead at the Sanders farm, over the line in Sharon, but if an early start has been made in the morning, time will remain to make it before dark, unless there has been an undue amount of loitering along the way. For us the first day ended at the Brown place, an automobile meeting us there to take us to Jaffrey for the night. 

On the Wapack Trail

June 1, 2013

Henri encourages me to catch up

One Hundred Formulas -

George Carmichael donated a copy of Stephen A. Thayer’s “One Hundred Formulas” which was published in 1883. It contains recipes from everything from printing ink to pain killers. Today it is Beef marrow and Spanish Fly. What a combo. Apply after sickness.

This book sold for a dollar and was one of the many enterprises that Steven A, Thayer was involved with (He had a cigar factory too). He had some advice for preparing the recipes.

James Roger diary entry

October 22^nd 1908 (Thursday)

Hard frost beautiful day wind South East.  David downtown on roads.  I cut some rutabagas and wheeled them home also gathered some leaves.  Got letter from Hamish today.  Some smoke over Mason way today.  A brush fire started there yesterday.  A Finn man here today enquiring for one Anderson who works with Diamond Match Co.  I fixed Hall in afternoon for Grange Inspection tonight.