The Naramore Grave (Barre, Massachusetts) Entry #4

This is a sad place. I wanted it to be a creepy place, but the tragedy that took place here is really beyond the facade of creepiness. It had the right ingredients: a mass grave hidden miles into the woods, the murder of children, social ostracism, abuse, creepy dolls, the grave, set in a separate part of the cemetery, nicely sits by an ancient tree that has obviously been struck by lightning (see above), hell even the name Naramore sounds like "Nevermore." If I am to be completely honest... there were a couple times that I felt a little tingle in my spine, but really, sadness is the pervading feeling that I walked away with.

This is the Naramore grave. It was erected in 1992 to commemorate a massive tragedy that happened in 1901 in Oakham. It truly was a failure of both individuals and society to prevent a collision of events that ended in a mother's mass murder of her own six children and a failed attempt at her own life. The grave lies at the end of an old railroad track that has been converted into a rough two to the three-mile trail. To find it, park on the right-hand side after the bridge that spans the Ware river on the Barre/Rutland line on rte 122. Find a gated road (an old train track) that traces the left-hand side of the river and follow it out for about two and half miles. Where the road ends at another gate, take a right and the Riverside Cemetery sits quietly there on the right.

The main entrance is obvious and immediate, but continue down the road a small bit and you will see another smaller entrance. It is here, separated from the main cemetery that you will find a small commemorative stone and six small indentations in the ground. The Naramore's did not have the money to bury their children in the main cemetery.  The stone itself has been quarantined off by some fallen branches laid in a small box around it. Well-meaning people have laid toys completely around it and on the top of the stone. The front lists the names: Lena, Elizabeth, Chester, Walter, Charles, and Ethel; children ranging in age from Lena's six months to Ethel's nine years. The back of the stone tells a small summary of the tragedy that violently ended the lives of these children. 

Their mother murdered them, of that there is no question. She did so with an axe and a small club. She waited till her husband had left for work, locked and barred the doors shut with sticks and then proceeded to kill her children from oldest to youngest, the oldest with the backside of a double bladed axe and the youngest with a small club. She laid the two oldest children in their bed in one bedroom and the other four in another bedroom. She then tried to cut her own throat. She was unsuccessful and proceeded to cut into an artery in her leg. She laid down with her four youngest children and began to die.

Her husband, Frank, had stopped by a grocery store on the way to work and had bought some flour and other small supplies. He paid the delivery person to bring them to his house. It was this boy that found the house. He could not enter and suspected that something was wrong due to the missing children and the barricaded door. He noticed a pool of blood under one of the beds and smashed in the front door. The scene was gruesome, to say the least. It had been a violent and bloody death for the children and the house reflected this. He ran to find Mr. Naramore. A newspaper from that day reported that upon arrival, Mr. Naramore lay prostate in grief. Members of the town were quick upon the scene. Initially, they thought that Mrs. Naramore was dead, but when they tried to remove Lena, her six month old from her arms, she started. She was rushed to a nearby hotel and was eventually revived and saved by some area doctors. 

She was only tried for the murder of her eldest. She was found insane and was sent to the Worcester Asylum for five years after which she was released. 

Underlying the physicalities of this tragedy, were layers of deep, long-term tragedy. It is no small insanity to dent the face of humanity like this. The children were buried in the Riverside Cemetery, not the Baptist Cemetery because the family lacked the funds to bury them there.  The Rev. Charles Talmage, from neighboring Barre MA, spoke at the funeral. He had been digging into the surrounding facts in the case, and his speech was nothing short of shocking. He stood firmly, raised his voice, and soundly accused the father, Frank Naramore, of being the one responsible for his family's death. 

The Naramores were poor. Among the poorest in the area. They lived in a run down house and Frank Naramore did not keep a solid job. He worked for a lumber mill two miles from their house, but was found to be "undependable." The family was starving. In desperation, Mrs. Naramore reached out for help at a nearby "Overseers of the Poor" office in Baldwinville (the town that they had originally come from). The office came to visit and promptly told Mrs. Naramore that they were going to take away all but the youngest of her children and put them in foster families. This, I can only imagine, was not the help that Mrs. Naramore expected. Upon further exploration, Rev. Talmage found that Mr. Naramore was well known for his drunkery and abuse. It was abuse and poverty, coupled with the despair of losing her children that may have moved Elizabeth Naramore to violence. Jenny (my wife) also smartly theorized that she may have been suffering from post-partem psychosis. Her daughter Lena was only six months old.

Frank Naramore vanished into the population after his wife's trial. He fled the town and remained single for the rest of his life. Mrs. Naramore followed suit after her release from the asylum. As far as the specifics go of the Naramore family, this is the end. But the stone inscription at the base of the lightning scarred oak tree that shades the Naramore children continues a bit more. It states that many of the laws protecting children in Massachusetts find their origin in the Naramore case; a small silver lining in a terrible chain of events. 

The stone is covered with children's toys. Nora and Henry picked their way through, surprised I am sure to see toys in such a solemn setting. I let Nora examine each one. She picked up a Teletubby that still spoke a bit when she squeezed it. A matchbox car. A stuffed animal. Somewhere in the back of my mind, in that part that had learned about these things from TV, I twitched at Nora's innocent curiosity. But I thought to myself that at least she is enjoying these things, laid here at the graves of children who will never use them. Henry started to read the back of the stone. He stood there for a bit, asked me what a couple of words meant, and then walked away. I plan on following up with him about it tomorrow. 

It is our responsibility to help those around us. Just under the facade are people that truly are in need. I think that it takes more than laws passed to ease the burdens of those that are feeling the weight of the backside of society. It might seem like a quick vindication to blame the husband, but something in me nags at that quick indictment. We always look to blame, and in a way, it is this that may have been the final undoing of the Naramore family. 

The main part of the Riverside Cemetery is beautiful. Stones are well cared for and small personalized objects find their way into the place. A wind chime hangs from a nearby white pine. A small, metal, garden seat sits rusting near a newer stone. Even the stones themselves seem to speak of a love of life, such as the

Marchand stone that doubles as bird bath. We looked through the stones after leaving the Naramore's site, and I found one that particularly moved me. Under some momentos  and an inscription engraved in stark white letters for Jack P. Remington "A good son, a good dad, a good man" were the words  "Hold Fast."

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." Hebrews 10:23.

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Moore State Park (Paxton Massachusetts) Entry #2

To find this secret place on the map click here.

This isn't quite so hidden as my former entry but it really needs to be mentioned. You know, there are so many good places that are free to go, places that are free monetarily, but also free from the kind of crappy touristy stuff that normally costs money to see. This park is lovingly taken care of, and I use that word specifically. Just a tiny bit down the blocked off road into the park and you will be able to see what I mean. Also, you should go visit right now. This park, at one point, was owned by one of the first licenced, female landscapers in Massachusetts, and she loved rhododendrons and azaleas. They are in full bloom right now and this park sparkles with their presence.  Let me show you a bit of what I mean.

The park has an interesting history and isn't simply just filled with these enormous flowering bushes...

although they are pretty much everywhere. It's original purpose was that of a series of mills used by the surrounding farmers. The brook hits waterfalls here and gains enough push to power the mills. The stonework and canals are still there to be seen, funneling the brook toward the still-standing mill house. The water cascades over the slate falls and off into the woods. After the mills lost their feasibility in 1930, the property was purchased by as a private property by the Mortons, who were wealthy and owned a store in Worcester. It was Mrs. Morton that began planting the flowers that now define Moore State Park. The property was then sold to the Spauldings who named the house and surrounding lands "Enchanta." They continued the process of planting and finally sold the property to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1956. We should all be glad of this and for the conservatory efforts this state has made to preserve and open these special places to the public.  This is a place to come and stay for a while... let the sounds and beauty wash away the day. At this time of year there are plenty of people there, but the place has a magic that keeps everyone pretty quiet. It is peaceful and inspiring.

Even Henry and Nora are fascinated. There is an open pond and waterfall... Adirondack

     chairs and ample opportunity for exploration. Henry walked the low stone wall bordering

the pond for quite some time looking for Dragonfly nymphs. There is no beach. Dogs are allowed when leashed. (Not the place for Chaucer unfortunately. He would be in that pond in a heartbeat) On researching the park, I found that there are a pretty serious amount of trails winding their way through the park: as there are mapped out here. There is even a bird sanctuary up there... hmmmmm. I think this deserves a return trip. The people of Paxton keep this park as a jewel tucked away and kept special and beautiful. It is a place to spend an afternoon... maybe a picnic... and to enjoy.   

Hidden Cemetery (Rutland Massachusetts) Entry # 1

So I figured... why not start with something good... juicy... old and dead. Maybe those adjectives don't really mesh together well, but this is all of those things. This is the stuff Urban Legends are born from: An unmarked,  hidden cemetery tucked deep into the woods behind another cemetery. Not only is it old, unmarked, and tucked deep into the woods, it is a prisoner cemetery. Yes, now we have a blog entry. Here is the link to the map so you could go and find it yourself.

This is Goose Hill Cemetery in Rutland. It is, in its own right, a good old cemetery. It dates from the early 1700's through the 1800's. The ground is so thick with moss that I literally sunk into it as Henry, Nora and I examined the stones. It is old and out of the way, so many of the stones are broken, but there is something special about these old cemeteries. The flowers here aren't in pots. Some have been

planted years ago in front of the stones and have come back every year. Others weren't planted at all. Wild flowers have taken over where human interest has faded and lady slippers and wild columbine now mark a more wild remembrance. If you have never

investigated the old cemeteries of Central Massachusetts, you are missing out. There are gems hidden throughout: murderers, witches, victims... all the makings of a Stephanie Meyer best seller. This one though, only has hints of the past. One stone told of a man with four wives. Depending on your outlook, this man's life was either really good or really bad :).

Directly beside the cemetery is a small cart road. It is unmarked except for a small Rutland Historical Marker that could easily be taken as representing the Goose Hill Cemetery, and maybe it is. But, this road leads to another cemetery tucked away in the woods behind the Goose Hill Cemetery. There is no sign here. No way of knowing that anything is back there. Just another of those barely-there cart roads that branch off of nearly all of the roads in Central Mass. The road eventually turns into a path and the path eventually fades to nearly not a path. About a quarter of a mile in the way opens up to a small clearing. Even this is overgrown now and if not for the Boy Scouts of troupe 141, you could almost

walk right over the small rise of earth that was the Rutland Prison Camps Burial Ground. I say almost because, if you were paying attention at all, you might see the indentations in the ground where 59 prisoners were buried between the years 1900 and 1933. That, by the way, strikes me as a lot of dead prisoners for thirty years at one prison. A bit of research unveils that this prison was an experiment. Prisoners with tuberculosis were sent here and were given instructions for farming and for clean living. There were 100 prisoners imprisoned here. More than half of them succumbed to their disease the rest... potentially, through the care they were given and the healthy lifestyle the lived, lived through it.

The grounds here are over grown with shrubs and small trees. The cemetery isn't protected at all and the markers, 59 iron crosses shown in the old picture here, are now gone. I am sure they are decorating some washed up goth rocker's wanna be apartment somewhere. What is worse, is that someone has

been digging at the graves. The picture doesn't show it very clearly, but this one was definitely dug out. The hole is about five feet deep. Unmarked graves... prisoners dying in discontent... away from their families... disturbed graves... are you with me here?

In all truth, the pervading emotion that I felt, apart from unbridled frustration regarding the clouds of mosquitoes hovering around the woods at this time of year, was sadness. This part of Rutland's past is falling away. Yes they were prisoners, but as William Turner, the superintendent of the Rutland Prison Camps, held as his central ideology, they were people first. He treated them with kindness and with decency and respect. Perhaps effort should be made to continuing his methods. 

The Map

This is an interactive map that I am making of all of the places that I find. I am going to be referring back to this quite a bit.   Feel free to click on the + and - signs on the left to zoom and find exactly where the places are. Also, you can click on the "view in larger map" tag on the bottom to get in nice and close.



View Secret Central Massachusetts in a larger map

What this is all about.

Ever wonder, on your way to work, where that little dirt road that you pass with the oh-so-tempting turn into the deep woods actually goes? Central Massachusetts, although fairly void of the big tourist spots, is riddled with history and long forgotten places.

I am going to do some research, find those places and take some pictures when I get there! I will also include some of the surrounding lore and rumor just to spice it up a bit. Well known place, or long forgotten cemetery, it should be a fun trip... feel free to follow along!