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Bell Rock Park, Malden, Massachusetts

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I visited Bell Rock Park recently at dusk and found the lighting and the cold air of winter to add a certain poignance to the monuments on this gorgeous, overlooked green space, hiding in plain sight in Boston suburbia. During my visit I noticed a couple of other people who were looking at the plaques that memorialize a multitude of different items, primarily war memorials.  The City of Malden website provides some details on Bell Rock Park, noting that it commemorates the two earliest Congregational Meeting houses in Malden. These meeting houses in the 16-1700s often served as both government and spiritual centers of communities. The website also notes that Bell Rock Park is on the National Register of Historic Places and was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. in 1910. Olmsted Jr. is the second generation of the Olmsted family who left an impressive mark on the American landscape, designing public spaces from coast to coast, and setting standards for the profession. The several p
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Mount Hood (Slayton Memorial) Tower, Melrose, Massachusetts

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When talking about pillars and foundations maybe a tower, like the Slayton Memorial Tower truly encapsulates both. Truly a hidden gem that locals know about, but transplants like myself can easily miss. It took me years to learn about its existence and years more to finally dedicate the time to walk through the Mount Hood Park & Golf Course to see this incredibly unique structure, hidden away in the far corner of tiny Melrose.  My photographs do not do this view out to the Boston skyline and the Atlantic Ocean justice. There’s been a few write ups on the tower through the years, so my post is far from original, however I do think in the course of our busy lives we take for granted what is in our back yard, and that is true for me and Mt. Hood. I write this with a focus on the tower, but really the whole area is quite beautiful with its ponds, trails, and a golf course that you’d expect to be private country club with a quick glance, when in fact it is open to the public (while bei
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Great Barrington Public Library, Great Barrington, Massachusetts

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27JAN22 - I realized I accidentally included some incorrect photos - and will need to revisit the editing of this blog entry. Text has been removed accordingly during update process. Text and photographs by George Parks Sources are embedded in links Follow Pillars & Foundations on Twitter Follow Pillars & Foundations on Pinterest
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Adams Free Library, Adams, Massachusetts

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While much of my focus in Pillars & Foundations had focused on places of worship and more recently, cemeteries, community cornerstones such as libraries has always been on my radar to feature. Undoubtedly the have an enormous impact on communities serving as fountains of knowledge and centers to organize activities that benefit the community they reside within. On an early summer trip to western Massachusetts we stopped in Adams, wandered around the town center, and took time to visit the prominently located public library. It's yellow/tan bricks make it stand out as it looks down upon McKinley Square. A statue of William McKinley stands in the center of the square. McKinley was the 25th president of the United States until he was assassinated in 1901 by Leon Czolgosz , an anarchist who saw the action as a protest against social inequity. Theodore Roosevelt ascended to the presidency ushering in the modern Progressive era. McKinley's connection to Adams, MA, was that he la
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Union Chapel, Interdenominational House of Worship by the Sea, North Hampton, NH

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It's been a while, a year actually since I've posted in Pillars & Foundations. The thought has been there however like many I've tried to navigate this altered state that we exist in. Like many of you I've sought out different methods of managing my peace of mind. For me it has been escaping to nature when I can for look solitary walks in the forest. While not a solid excuse, my blogging has certainly taken a hit by re-dedication of time. Of course my exploration of community institutions, and places of worship has also taken a hit by curbs on social gatherings. I suspect these days I would get more strange looks showing up somewhere I don't regularly attend, with the justified concerns of people, and often reduced attendance of services. At the end of this summer I happened upon Union Chapel in North Hampton, NH when my wife and I were visiting the gorgeous Fuller Gardens . The chapel is directly across the street from the parking lot, with a view of the Atlant
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Second Parish Burial Ground, Burlington, MA

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I happened to be driving through Burlington to complete some errands, and I took the opportunity to take a stroll through this historic cemetery. The fall colors were past peak at the time, but still had a contrast to the greys of the headstones, and the browns and fading green of New England ground rapidly transitioning into winter.  Find a Grave's website , as typical is the go-to place to find information about this burial site. It notes that the site dates to the 1730s and was utilized for the Revolutionary War, as well as veterans of the war of 1812. The headstone above, of a Reverend, features this fascinating art work that seems like something created for a movie. I'm not terribly well acquainted with trends, however this strikes me as very unusual.  Text and photographs by George Parks Sources are embedded in links Follow Pillars & Foundations on Twitter Follow Pillars & Foundations on Pinterest
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