Cutler Park is a state-owned nature preserve and public recreation area that lies between
Route 128/I-95 and the
Charles River
The Charles River ( Massachusett: ''Quinobequin)'' (sometimes called the River Charles or simply the Charles) is an river in eastern Massachusetts. It flows northeast from Hopkinton to Boston along a highly meandering route, that doubles b ...
in
Needham,
. The
state park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural ...
's contain the largest remaining
freshwater marsh
A freshwater marsh is a non-tidal, non-forested marsh wetland that contains fresh water, and is continuously or frequently flooded. Freshwater marshes primarily consist of sedges, grasses, and emergent plants. Freshwater marshes are usually found ...
on the middle Charles River. Parts of its major trail run directly through the marsh via boardwalks; over 100 species of birds have been sighted here.
[ The park is part of a plan by the Town of Needham to connect 18 public areas by 35 proposed trails.][ It is managed by the ]Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is a state agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, situated in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. It is best known for its parks and parkways. The DCR's mission is ...
.[
]
History
Along the west side of Kendrick Pond remains the imprint where soil was removed in the 19th century to fill the area now known as the Back Bay
Back Bay is an officially recognized neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, built on reclaimed land in the Charles River basin. Construction began in 1859, as the demand for luxury housing exceeded the availability in the city at the time, and t ...
in Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
. An extension of the railroad was added so the soil could be transported into Boston. Some of the old tracks are visible near the north entrance of the park on Kendrick Street. The large marsh in the park is not natural, but rather was created by flooding from the Silk Mill Dam
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the coc ...
in Newton Upper Falls
Newton Upper Falls is one of the thirteen villages within the city of Newton in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States.
The area borders Needham, Massachusetts to the southwest, Wellesley, Massachusetts to the west, the West Roxbury neig ...
in the 1890s. These wet areas were used in the past for wells and irrigation, and remains of filter ponds, ditches, and water systems are still present.[ Land for the park was acquired by the state in 1962.][
]
Geography
The bulk of Cutler Park falls within the borders of Needham, Massachusetts. The southern end is part of Dedham; and the park also holds the strip of land on the Newton/Boston side of the Charles River running from Nahanton Street, Newton
Newton most commonly refers to:
* Isaac Newton (1642–1726/1727), English scientist
* Newton (unit), SI unit of force named after Isaac Newton
Newton may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Newton'' (film), a 2017 Indian film
* Newton ( ...
, south to the City of Boston's Millennium Park
Millennium Park is a public park located in the Loop community area of Chicago, operated by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs. The park, opened in 2004 and intended to celebrate the third millennium, is a prominent civic center near ...
(part of West Roxbury
West Roxbury is a neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts bordered by Roslindale and Jamaica Plain to the northeast, the town of Brookline to the north, the cities and towns of Newton and Needham to the northwest and the town of Dedham to the ...
). Much of the park's area is marsh or wetland, while forest makes up the rest and bears most of the trails. In two sections the Blue Heron Trail bears foot or bicycle traffic through the marsh on wooden boardwalks. At the park's north end, a trail goes around Kendrick Pond (also called Cutler Pond).[ A railroad line, used primarily by the ]MBTA Commuter Rail
The MBTA Commuter Rail system serves as the commuter rail arm of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's transportation coverage of Greater Boston in the United States. Trains run over of track to 141 different stations, with 58 statio ...
, runs roughly east–west on a raised right-of-way
Right of way is the legal right, established by grant from a landowner or long usage (i.e. by prescription), to pass along a specific route through property belonging to another.
A similar ''right of access'' also exists on land held by a gov ...
through the southern half of the park. A trail runs adjacent to the right-of-way the entire width of the park, and a tunnel under the railroad provides access across it.[
]
Activities and amenities
The park contains trails suitable for walking, hiking, bird watching, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing. Challenging singletracks for mountain bikers are found between the pond and Route 128.[ Fishing and canoeing are also options.][
]
Image gallery
File:Cutler_Pond_117_1710.jpg , Cutler Pond
File:Great_Plain_Cutler_Park_IMG_3556.jpg , Boardwalk across Great Plain
File:Swans_Cutler_Pond_P1070187.jpg , Swans in Cutler Pond
File:MBTA_commuter_rail_tracks_Cutler_Park_P1120894.jpg , MBTA commuter tracks through park
File:Charles_River_at_Cutler_Park_P1010739.jpg , Boaters in Charles River adjacent to park
File:Waterworks_Cutler_Park_P1010740.jpg , Remains of old water supply facilities
File:Cutler Park egret 20190902 133043.jpg, Egret in the Charles River at Cutler Park
References
External links
Cutler Park Reservation
Department of Conservation and Recreation
Cutler Park Reservation Trail Map
Department of Conservation and Recreation
Newton Conservators
{{authority control
Charles River
Needham, Massachusetts
State parks of Massachusetts
Massachusetts natural resources
Parks in Norfolk County, Massachusetts
Protected areas established in 1962
1962 establishments in Massachusetts
Parks in Dedham, Massachusetts