Exploring the Oxford Area
By Janet Stoica
Warmer weather makes us want to explore outdoor activities. As the sun warms our faces and hearts the search for fresh air recreation beckons us. Here are some interesting areas to explore and experience with a nod and thanks to thecrazytourist.com website.
The Buffumville Lake Park is open to the public and has a challenging 18-hole disc golf course that will get your blood flowing and your walking exercise in at a good pace. Disc golf is a sport where Frisbee flying discs are thrown at a raised target basket surrounded by chains. The object is to land your disc into the basket using the fewest amount of throws. You can also hike the 7.2 mile Lake Shore Trail breathing in the fresh air and taking in nature’s beauty. There is a 300-foot sandy beach area, horseshoe pit, and picnic shelters. As the area is a flood control project maintained by the Army Corps of Engineers, it’s best to check their website for hours of operation which is mainly in the warmer months.
The Midstate Trail could easily be renamed the Massachusetts Wetlands Trail according to the wordpress.com website as there is water almost everywhere and with the heavy rain we’ve had this spring, it may be one of the wettest trails you’ll ever encounter in the area but may be worth a try. Just make sure you carry your bug repellant as there may be a host of buggers to annoy you. Encountering true nature is always a challenge.
Hodges Village Dam has been around since the 1950’s and this Army Corps of Engineers flood control project is the result of the severe 1936 flooding that occurred in Connecticut’s Thames River Valley. The area has 22 miles of trails complete with beautiful forest and wetlands for a hiker to discover. There is also a 13-hole disc golf course that runs along thedam.
Carbuncle Pond is a well-maintained town beach area for young and old alike with its own beach house and pine trees. In the past several years the town installed splash pads and sprinklers for the youngest members in town along with seating for parents and caregivers.
Huguenot Fort located on Fort Hill Road was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. Its remnants were commemorated in the 1800’s with the establishment of a monument. The original fort was built in 1694 by Protestant immigrants fleeing from state church persecution in France. They sought to protect themselves from local Native American attacks by building the fort.
Bartlett’s Bridge which crosses the French River in North Oxford is a granite stone-built bridge constructed in the late 1800’s which replaced an earlier wooden structure. It was named for the owner of the local textile mill, Edwin Bartlett. Its single arch rises 13 feet above the French River.
The Clara Barton Birthplace Museum located at 66 Clara Barton Road in North Oxford is open from the last Friday in May to the last weekend in August and by appointment. Checking their website at www.clarabartonbirthplace.org will advise additional information. Clara Barton was a strong and brave lady who served as a teacher, nurse, and founder of the American Red Cross. She also participated in the suffragette movement to gain a woman’s right to vote. A true hero in every sense of the word. A visit to her birthplace home where she was born on Christmas Day 1821 is one of the best encounters of enlightening knowledge you’ll ever come across.
The Samuel Slater Experience is a complete and satisfying educational experience to top off your exploration of the local area. Located on Ray Street in Webster MA, the museum explores the history of Mr. Slater who is referred to as the father of the American Industrial Revolution. The museum uses dynamic and interactive exhibits to captivate its visitors as it takes them on a trolley ride through the streets of days gone by, showing the life of mill workers, and displaying Mr. Slater’s recreated office along with other artifacts of the 1700 and 1800’s.
