UPDATE: No Farms. No Food. No Dice?

From Wile E. Coyote:

In February 2018, I wrote about a historic farm in a corner of Waltham, Mass., that had fallen fallow (see February 15, 2018, "No Farms. No Food. No Dice?"). At that time, the City of Waltham had entered into negotiations to acquire the farm, which had been continuously farmed from at least 1650 until 2011. Every so often after I published that post, I would drive by the site on Warren Street looking for signs of progress. All I saw was a gradual decline in the farmhouse.

Then, one day....

Information about the restoration and planned future use is scarce online. As far as I know, the city plans to use the acreage for a tree farm. I don't know whether there is a plan to try and save the garage on the property.

I've taken a lot of photos of this garage over the years, so I hope the city just leaves it to nature. But I doubt that will happen.

An Update on the Charles River Speedway

From Dave Brigham:

When last we talked about the Charles River Speedway -- nearly 15 years ago! -- I learned that the historic but long-abandoned buildings at the intersection of Western Avenue and Market Street in Boston's Brighton neighborhood had been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. As well, I reported that the State of Massachusetts had committed $132,000 to do some restoration work at the site. But at that point, there was no master plan for redeveloping the old horse track complex.

I first wrote about the Charles River Speedway a few weeks prior to the post linked above (see September 6, 2010, "UPDATED: Horsing Around At the Old Barracks"). Here's a bit of history: "In the 1890s, the Commonwealth created the Charles River Reservation, transforming a polluted stretch of tidal mudflats into a beautiful riverside promenade, a mile-long harness racecourse, and two-mile long bicycle track. Administration buildings were built to support the Reservation in 1899, providing necessary space for offices, housing, storage, horse stables and a cow barn. Designed in the Shingle and Colonial Revival styles by renowned local architect William D. Austin, the complex looks more like the high-style seaside 'cottages' of Newport than a municipal building. This was likely intentional: Austin’s thoughtful design projected dignity and permanence, while also implying that access to nature and recreation was not an upper-class privilege, but a public right."

That description comes from the web site for The Speedway, the hipster destination that grew from the redevelopment of the the complex in a joint effort by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Architectural Heritage Foundation. The "vibrant and welcoming marketplace, home to a brewery and biergarten, dynamic food and drink purveyors, and small-format shops," as well as an event space called Garage B, opened in 2021.

I've been to The Speedway three times in the last 18 months or so, and I absolutely love it. Walking through the gate from Western Avenue into the open-air patio for the first time, I was transported to a magical world.

Just steps away is the very busy Soldiers Field Road, but sitting at a long wooden table under a bright blue sky, drinking a tasty beer from Notch Brewing and grooving alongside millennial hipsters, I couldn't hear cars or trucks at all.

On that first visit, I went with two friends to see Margaret Garrett, the singer and guitarist from Mr. Airplane Man, play with a different band. All around us people were drinking, eating from the handful of small food shops, playing board games, dancing to the music. I couldn't believe this was the same place I'd driven past for years, wondering, "When the hell is someone gonna fix up that eyesore?!"

I returned more recently with my wife and the same two friends, once again on a wonderful afternoon, to see more live music. And shortly after that, my wife and I returned after hitting a Brighton Bazaar event nearby. When the weather is crappy or cold, Notch has an indoor space for boozing.

Even if you're not into pizza, beer, live music or small-biz shopping, you'll find it worth visiting The Speedway for the restoration work on a fantastic property.

I love the nod the designers have given to the Speedway's history as a race track.

An Intimate Look at a Landmark

From Derek Watt:

(Recently Derek Watt had a chance to explore and take photos of the Dr. Oliver Bronson House in Hudson, New York. Managed by Historic Hudson, the house was built in 1812, and remodeled in 1839 and 1849. To read more about this house, which was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2003 and has been under renovation for many years, read the Historic Hudson web site and Wikipedia page. -- DB)

More Backside TV

From Dave Brigham:

I spent a lot of time over the summer watching the Food Network. I can't cook much, but I love to watch other people who do it well. I got really into "Chopped," "The Great Food Truck Race" and "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives."

But I got a bit burned out on that stuff, so I was really happy when I saw a preview for National Geographic Channel's new reality series, "Abandoned."

To date I've watched three episodes, and have a few more waiting for me on my DVR. In the show, carpenter/antique collector/restoration expert Jay Chaikin, along with his buddies Dan and Mark, get permission to enter abandoned buildings looking to salvage antiques, collectibles and furniture.

They walk very carefully through old mills, churches, breweries, factories and banks, marveling at the architecture and the relics they find. Chaikin is an amiable host, and his friend Mark provides some comic relief.

I'm not an urbex guy -- I don't think getting arrested for trespassing would go over well with my wife, and it would be hard to pick up my kids at school if I were in jail. So I live vicariously through people who are bold enough to enter dilapidated buildings to see what's been left behind, and to behold the beauty of decay.

As I said, in "Abandoned," the hosts receive permission from property owners to enter the buildings. After they pick through the stuff, they haggle with the owners over items they want to restore and resell. Yes, the show is similar to History Channel's "American Pickers," but there's nothing wrong with that.

In some cases, the buildings are facing demolition; in other situations, they don't indicate what the fates are.

So if you find yourself looking to fill an hour to learn about endangered historic sites, urban exploration and antique collecting and restoration, check it out.

I also watch Travel Channel's "Off Limits," which used to focus more on old factories and abandoned mines. This season the host, Don Wildman, has changed the focus a bit to places like operational salt mines and Air Force base rocket launches, but it's still a cool show. I wrote a bit about the show in May 2011.