Scott Tower was once a little treasure of Holyoke. Built as an observation tower by the Works Progress Administration in 1939, it now stands abandon like the rest of Anniversary Hill Park.
Postcard picture courtesy of Laurel O'DonnellAnniversary Hill Park is the largest City park in Holyoke. The front gate gives no indication of the park ahead.
We walked up via the road.
Wheelbarrow of forgotten gardens.
Oh, Ya, Those two trees will keep out large vehicles.
No picnics today.
Tower looks kind of phallic when you first see it.
Things have gotten worse since my visit last year.
The door was unlocked last year and we were able to walk up to the top, but not this year.
Looks like someone tried to burn the lock off the door.
Scott Tower is listed in the State Historical Database
We walked past the Cell tower site on our way out.
We took a path along the Highway.
Foot bridge.
Scary old tree.
Hidden footbridge.
Large sections of fencing missing along the highway.
On our way out I took some pictures of the various graffiti on the road.
Paths beaten through the broken fence near the entrance.
Evidence of the park being used for sexual encounters was all over the place.
Some pocket bikes, and pocket quads came buzzing down the road behind us as we were leaving.
8 comments:
Wasn't there a citizens group a few years ago that championed the effort to have the cell tower put in? The rental income from the cell tower was to be put toward upkeep of the park. Too bad its decayed even more since then.
I just found this. Looks like the money is going to community field.
http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:lDsuAL6R7KwJ:https://mail.ci.holyoke.ma.us/City_Databases/councilmeet.nsf/e19c79db9b40804c8525649600458f95/e0ed3c9d2a88ff5d85256fe8007f76f5%3FOpenDocument+scott+tower+holyoke+cell&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=8&gl=us&client=firefox-a
http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:Y3P-TNhOw0UJ:https://mail.ci.holyoke.ma.us/City_Databases/councilmeet.nsf/e19c79db9b40804c8525649600458f95/0f6ac6d184bd308c8525735a007f1074%3FOpenDocument+scott+tower+holyoke&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=6&gl=us&client=firefox-a
Oops! did the links wrong. Let me try this.
Link
Link
I went up there today and the door to the tower is busted open. The view from the top is AMAZING...
Everyone should go to Scott's Tower, but watch out for the missing step!! The hike is beautiful. I just went for the first time in November 2008. We did not know where the tower actually was so we walked up the road and notices a small bridge. We followed the path for a while and it led us right to the tower. The view from the top is awesome. You can see the Summit House and the whole mountain range. I wish they would restore it a little bit, though, at least the picnic tables and road. It really is a nice place. check out my pics at www.myspace.com/ishpants under the Scott's Tower album!!
Nice photos Ashley!
i also forgot to tell you to go earlier than november first. the foliage would have been so much nicer if we went a week or two earlier!
are they ever going to use the verizon money to fix it up a little??
There has been a total lack of leadership on the tower issue. If you feel so inclined Ashley, I encourage you to adopt the tower as Your Holyoke Project.
You can start a simple 'Friends of Scott Tower' group at the CRUSH site.
For inspiration look to the Fiends of Pulaski. They have done a great job, and I'm sure would be willing to give you a little advice.
I would do this myself if I didn't already have so many projects in the works.
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