By Mary Bradley
The Belmont Historical Society hosted two events in September and October celebrating Belmont’s rich cultural and environmental history.
Tracking the Wellington Hill Station through Time
Originally located in the delta where the Veterans Memorial now sits, the octagonal Wellington Hill Station was built in 1840. It served as a one-room private school for the Wellington, Mead, and Underwood children until 1851. The Wellington Hill Station was later moved to the Underwood Estate, where it served as an artist’s studio and summer house from 1879–1974. Photo by Shea Bradley-Hurley.
The Belmont Historical Society hosted an open house on September 15, 2019, to celebrate the completion of a series of repairs and restorations to the many-purposed Wellington Hill Station building the previous month. The station received a new cedar shingle roof and repairs to the decking and gingerbread trim, the interior plaster walls, and the lower wood sections. The roof was funded with Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding and donations from the Belmont Historical Society. Additional funds for maintenance, and care of the building were provided by the Historical Society.
“Station Master” David Flewelling regals visitors with tales of the Wellington Hill Station from its tenure as a railroad depot from 1851 through 1879. Photo by Shea Bradley-Hurley.
Rock Meadow
Thirty-eight visitors learned 10,000 years of Rock Meadow’s geological, environmental, and cultural history as well as the future envisioned in the 10-year Rock Meadow Master Plan on a walk led by Anne-Marie Lambert. On a one-mile loop through a small portion of Rock Meadow, Lambert described indigenous land management practices and McLean Hospital’s working farm. She also highlighted evidence of climate change and the shifting species composition in this ecologically rich setting that is frequented by cyclists, runners, birders, gardeners, hikers, dog walkers, bible study students, and many other visitors. Lambert is a former BCF director and has worked on stormwater issues in Belmont for many years.
Anne-Marie Lambert leads the tour up the hill toward the one-time piggery which supplied McLean Hospital with meat in the early 20th century. Photo by Mary Bradley.
A bumblebee nestled in a dahlia at the Victory Gardens. The Victory Gardens support the natural diversity at Rock Meadow, including butterflies, honeybees from eight nearby hives, and small mammals. Photo by Mary Bradley.
The loop comprised sites 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9 highlighted in the September/October 2018 BCF Newsletter article. Read the complete Rock Meadow Master Plan.
Earlier this fall, the Select Board accepted a gift of $330,000 from the Joan Campbell estate to fund prudent long-term management, stewardship, and conservation of Lone Tree Hill across Mill Street. The fund will be managed by the Land Management Committee.
Mary Bradley is managing editor of the Belmont Citizens Forum Newsletter.
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