Sharing their turf, Saugus and Melrose

Entering Mt. Hood golf course and Park

Mt Hood Park Association members featured National Park Service Supervisor Park Ranger Curtis White as its guest speaker for the seventh annual Senior Day At The Park.

Seniors enjoying a luncheon at the Mt. Hood Clubhouse in Melrose, Massachusetts.

Close to 100 people showed up for the luncheon and listened to White as he spoke of his job and interest in the Saugus Iron Works. The Iron works, located at 244 Central Street in Saugus, has undergone extensive updates over the years. Its current status puts it on the map as a National Park Service historic site.

Saugus Iron Works Waterwheels

Curtis explained throughout his talk that Saugus Iron works has undergone many changes throughout its history. Its history dating back to the 1600s. An archeological Dig (1948) was just the beginning of what brought the area back to life again many years later.

The Saugus Iron works Website states, "After it opened to the public, Saugus Iron Works operated as a private museum run by the First Iron Works Association and funded by the American Iron and Steel Institute. In 1961, the AISI announced that it would no longer pay its annual maintenance subsidy, which left the future of the site uncertain. On April 5, 1968, the Saugus Iron Works was added to the National Park Service system and renamed the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site. The park is open seasonally, spring through fall."

The Saugus Iron works what been an established business from 1646 to 1670 In one sense, White explained," the closing of The Saugus Iron Works due to bankruptcy , led to workers seeking employment in other locations and bringing their knowledge of the industry to their new places of employment."

The Saugus Iron Works is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the "birthplace of the American Iron and Steel Industry."

The waterway leading up to the Saugus Iron Works was good for transportation of the products necessary for the business . The waterway, Curtis said,"is tidal and is an area that is connected to the rest of the world."

Sign welcoming visitors to Saugus Iron Works

Gateway to the past.

Visitors may walk along these trails

Waterway Transportation

He also stated that a local author from Melrose, Mary Stetson Clarke, may have been responsible, in part, for sparking his interest in becoming a Park Ranger. The content of the author's writings ignited his passion for archeology when he was a third grade student. A few of the books written by the author are "A Visit to The Iron works," Piper of The Clan" along with several other books.

Supervisor of National Park Service Rangers, Curtis White, listens intently to questions from the Senior Day At the Park audience.

Saugus Iron Works is located at 244 Central Street. It is Free of Charge. Visitors can view a short movie inside the museum, as well as view artifacts uncovered in the archeological dig On the fist day of the the dig, the blast furnace was discovered. Tourists can also read about the history of the Saugus Iron works as they travel through the museum's rooms. At the museum's exit, visitor's can wander the grounds on their own or have one of the Rangers lead them through the site. At certain times of the year, visitors may also see a working forge in which the waterwheels are working, hear the sound of the bellows and watch a blacksmith at work.

Blacksmith shop

The bellows

Inside the Iron Works Museum.

Just a short drive away from from Saugus Iron Works is another historic area, known to the locals as " Mt. Hood."

President of the Mt. Hood Park Association, Myron Dittmer, shared the podium with Park Ranger White at the Senior Day At The Park luncheon. He also related historic facts about Mt. Hood Park. Once destined to become a new site for the local High School in Melrose, neighbors in the area battled to preserve the land. According to Dittmer,"A High School here would have destroyed much of the green space." Mt. Hood has been described as the "green jewel" of Melrose, as well as a "Winter Wonderland." It also has ties to Franklin Delano Roosevelt's WPA ( Works Progress Administration) program. Many in attendance at the luncheon recalled their days as children when they took part in coasting, skiing, (there was even a ski jump) and ice skating.

At one time, children played outside much of the winter, enjoying their sleds and toboggans at Mt. Hood. ( Winter Wonderland scene photo credit - Mt. Hood Park Assocation President, Myron Dittmer)

Not only is Mt.Hood Park historic, it also boasts the golf course, walking trails, a bike trail, picnic areas, a tot lot and Slayton Tower . Slayton Tower carries its own history

The Mt Hood Park Association website also states, "Mount Hood was known as “Bear Hill” by the Wampanoag Indians, who used its elevation to signal native tribes as far west as Mount Wachusett. In 1907, John C. Slayton purchased 25 acres of land from Wendell P. Hood and constructed a tower at the summit and an access road. The original tower was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1934 as the Slayton Memorial Tower. From the top of the tower, Melrose is concealed beneath the tree-line in summer, while Boston and the Atlantic expand before the eye, and mountainous regions of the west excite the imagination. Appreciating the value of such an experience, Slayton willed his land parcel to the city. Melrose then purchased an additional 210 acres of land and began development of the park and golf course in 1931. The park and golf course were completed by the WPA (Works Progress Administration) in 1937."

Slayton Tower

The area around Slayton Tower also is home to a memorial of one man's heroic act. Army Air Force Major Doak Weston sacrificed his own life in order to save the lives of his crew members and the lives of residents of the Melrose and Saugus.area. A memorial was placed at the site where the plane he was piloting a crashed. He had been piloting a bomber aircraft from New Hampshire to Boston following WWII when he lost all engines, telling his crew members to bail out before the crash landing on Mt. Hood.

In memory of one man's selfless act.

Mt. Hood Park Association hosts three events throughout the year, Senior Day At the Park, the July 4th Concert and the Children's Holiday Party. Each event is free.

President of the Mt. Hood Park Association, Myron Dittmer, presents a certificate to National Park Service Ranger Curtis White at the 7th annual Senior Day At the Park at Mt. Hood Clubhouse in Melrose, Ma.

The Senior luncheon offers bus rides to those who prefer to ride rather than walk. Chairs are also set out each year for attendees to take part in viewing the scenery from below the tower.

It appears that the seniorsmade the choice to climb the four story spiral staircase at Slayton Tower.

The Boston Skyline from Mt. Hood.

Revere Beach from Mt. Hood in Melrose.

Upcoming events of the Mt. Hood Park Association are the July 4th concert and the Children's Holiday Party. These events are also free.

The Saugus Iron Works Historic site is also free to visitors.

Saugus Iron works opens its gates to the public from May through October.