Boston Flora

Tag: Castle Hill

  • Wednesday, April 22, 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm – Native American & Environmental Art at The Trustees

    Celebrate Earth Day on April 22 at noon with a lecture at the Crane Estate, focused on art inspired by nature and Native American Heritage. Join us for a lecture with Tess Lukey, The Trustees Associate Curator of Native American Arts. Learn about The Trustees efforts to center Indigenous voices and culture via our exhibits and programming, to recognize the important contributions of Indigenous peoples to the lands now stewarded by The Trustees. Tess will discuss her work curating the Across Boundaries Across Barriers gallery at The Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, focused on the medicine wheel & seven directions, featuring historic and contemporary works of art from several Native American communities in five sections that center the concepts associated with each direction. Tess will also discuss recent collaborations with local Indigenous educators & The Trustees statewide education team to develop curricula connecting students to this gallery and the medicine wheel. Tess will touch on other projects and collaborative work, such as the next installation in the Art & the Landscape Exhibition: The Land Tells Our Stories, featuring outdoor art on display at The Crane Estate.

    If your schedule allows, we invite you to arrive early and explore the grounds of Castle Hill, where you can view one of three works in the new Art in the Landscape Exhibition: The Land Tells our Stories. This sculpture, created by Maine-based artist Posey Moulton, invites viewers to reflect on environmental impacts on The Great Marsh, and explore how reclaimed materials that wash up as marine debris can be repurposed into art. The sculpture will be on view from mid-April through October 2026.

    Tess Lukey joined The Trustees in 2022 as our first-ever Curator of Native American Art to develop exhibitions and research initiatives related to The Trustees’ Indigenous art collections.

    Lukey, an Aquinnah Wampanoag tribal member and lifelong New Englander, works across the state, and is based both at Fruitlands Museum and the deCordova Sculpture Park & Museum. She works closely with community members, collectors, and donors for potential acquisitions while offering broader access to and knowledge of The Trustees’ collections of art made by Indigenous peoples.

    $5 for Trustees members, $10 for nonmembers. Register at https://thetrustees.org/event/445538/

  • Friday, December 17 – Sunday, December 19 – Winter Solstice with The Trustees

    The Trustees are celebrating the Winter Solstice on December 17, 18, and 19 at a number of different venues. Appleton Farms in Hamilton and Ipswich is the site of a Winter Solstice Family Fun, and Fruitlands Solstice Stroll in Harvard  features a candlelit walk followed by hot chocolate and s’mores around the outdoor firepit. The deCordova Museum presents a solstice clay candle lanterns workshop. Castle Hill on the Crane Estate in Ipswich is where you’ll get to participate in a Winter Solstice Hike.  Powisset Farm in Dover will hold a Winter Solstice Supper,  and for those near Governor Hutchinson’s Field in Milton, enjoy a fire dance performance at Solstice Illumination Night. Chestnut Hill Farm in Southborough holds a Solstice Celebration. This is just a sampling,  Fees and times vary, so to check them all out visit www.thetrustees.org for details.

  • Saturday & Sunday, August 15 & 16, 9:30 am – 4:30 pm – Landscape Tour: The Historic Gardens of Castle Hill

    Come explore the gardens and curated landscape of Castle Hill in Ipswich on August 15 and 16. Tours leave every hour on the half hour, last tour at 3:30 pm. This socially distanced outdoor tour of the grounds walks you through the history of the property, the thought behind the gardens and the Grand Allee, and how the Crane family interacted with it all.

    Pricing is per family group – no more than 4 people per family. Masks required.

    Tours are booked to coincide with a timed parking pass for Castle Hill, which is included in the cost. Your ticket for this tour includes up to 3 hours at Castle Hill (including your tour). Please plan to arrive at the Great House at the top of the hill at least 10 minutes early. Trustees Member carload $40, nonmembers $50. Register at http://www.thetrustees.org/things-to-do/northeast/event-56855.html

  • Sunday, March 22, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Seed Bombing – POSTPONED

    Get ready for spring with seed bombs at Castle Hill on the Crane Estate in Ipswich on March 22 from 1 – 3.

    Together we’ll learn about flowers and seeds, then create handmade seed bombs full of native wildflower seeds or herb seeds to take home. Give them as gifts or use them in your own yard to create springtime plant explosions! 

    All materials included. Children must be accompanied by an adult (1 adult per 2 children please). This activity is appropriate for all ages, but is recommended for ages 5-10.  Member child: $15, nonmember child $25, adults free with children. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Register at www.thetrustees.org or call 978-356-4351 x 4052

  • Saturday, August 10, 10:30 am – 11:30 am – Gardens and Grounds Seasonal Stroll

    Tiptoe through the tulips…or whatever plants are in bloom at Castle Hill in Ipswich. Crane horticulturalist Beth Walsh leads visitors on an August 10 walking tour of the grounds beginning at 10:30 am, including the woodland path, Italian Garden, and Rose Garden. Learn about what’s in bloom and what it takes to keep these restored gardens historically appropriate to the original landscape design and adaptable to modern usage. Trustees members $12, nonmembers $20. Register at www.thetrustees.org, or call 978-356-4351, x 4015.

  • Wednesday, March 20 – Vernal Equinox Full Moon Hikes

    Join The Trustees on Wednesday, March 20 at one of a number of properties under their care for a full moon hike to celebrate the first day of Spring.

    At the Ward Reservation in Andover, join a Trustees staff member at 6:30 pm on the trails at Ward Reservation to discover what signs of spring have already sprung. Wear shoes that can get wet and muddy, just in case. Flashlights are welcome but not required as we will be using the light of the full moon to guide us. This hike will be approximately 2 miles long. Please wear appropriate footwear and dress for the weather.

    If you are in Ipswich, join a group at Castle Hill at 6:30. March’s full moon coincides with the Vernal equinox and the first day of Spring. Known to Native Americans as the Worm Moon because of the earthworms that come out at the end of winter, it is also known as the Crow Moon or Sap Moon. Always a cause for celebration, we’ll honor the first day of Spring by taking a brisk walk on the beach at sunset and a hike among the dunes of the Crane Wildlife Refuge. Recommended for ages 13 & up. Pre-registration is required.

    In Concord, at the Old Manse, from 7 pm – 8 pm, you’ll share readings from Emerson and Thoreau before taking time for quiet reflection under the full moon and perhaps even hear the sounds of spring. The fire will keep you warm if needed and also provide the hot coals for s’mores that will cheer you at the end of the meditation. Members $5, nonmembers $10.

    At Fruitlands in Harvard at 6:30, a program ($9 members, $15 nonmembers) is entitled Night and Moonlight: A Transcendental Night Hike. We will take to the trails to discover nature by night and explore the elements, sites, and sounds that awaken when the sun sets, pausing along the way to hear and contemplate passages from Thoreau’s 1863 essay “Night and Moonlight.” Thoreau describes, “As for the moon, I had seen her only as it were through a crevice in a shutter, occasionally. Why not walk a little way in her light?” Please note that space is limited and pre-registration required.

    For complete details on all the above excursions, visit http://thetrustees.org Image below from The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

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  • Friday, December 21 – Winter Solstice Celebrations with The Trustees

    Friday, December 21 – Winter Solstice Celebrations with The Trustees

    Various properties managed by The Trustees will host Winter Solstice Celebrations on December 21.

    The earliest event (4:30 – 7 pm) takes place at Long Point Wildlife Refuge in Martha’s Vineyard. Follow the luminaries on a a self-guided trail walk through the woods at Long Point. The path begins and ends at our visitor center where we’ll have a fire pit complete with s’mores and warm beverages to keep you toasty. Trustees members $5, nonmembers $10.

    Join Musketaquid Arts and Environment and the Old Manse in Concord from 6 – 9 pm to celebrate the shortest day of the year There will be a roaring fire, smores, and hot cider to warm us, and music from the Voices of the Earth Chorus. Warm up inside the Old Manse during our free open house.

    If you are in Ipswich, take a leisurely hike through the dunes of the Crane Wildlife Refuge to celebrate the winter solstice. On this, the shortest day of the year, we’ll take advantage of the dark with a stroll beneath the stars. We’ll warm up after our walk with hot cider, rum, and refreshments in the Tavern at the Inn at Castle Hill. The perfect balance to counteract the bustle of the holiday season! Please note: We will be hiking up and down dunes, through soft sand, for approximately 2½-3 miles – a fairly strenuous hike. $32 Trustees members, $40 nonmembers.

    The William Cullen Bryant Homestead in Cummington, from 6 – 7:30 pm, will have a small bonfire to burn the yulelo. You will share some favorite 19th century winter poems and learn about the history of the Christmas tree. Afterwards, enjoy hot cocoa and a 19th century baked treat in the dining room (or stay at the bonfire!). Feel free to bring your favorite poem, too! $5 suggested donation.

    On a different note, Powisset Farm in Dover will host a Solstice Fondue Dinner from 6 – 8 pm. Fondue is a tradition dating to the 18th century, based on the classic combination of melted cheese and wine. Enjoy the camaraderie of cooking at your table as you prepare classic fondue — inspired by the contemporary bounty of the farm — for yourself and your tablemates. Learn about the fondue tradition from our local Swiss food historian. Bring your friends for a delicious evening out in the warm environment of Powisset’s farm kitchen. Beer and wine will be available for purchase. Please note space is limited and pre-registration is required. Email powissetfarm@thetrustees.org or call 508.785.0339 to find out if there is space remaining. $40 adult members, $50 nonmembers. This event is part of the Powisset Cooks! program.

    In Milton, at Governor Hutchinson’s Field, from 6 – 8 pm, come together with family and friends on the darkest day of the year, and celebrate the return of the light. We’ll gather around fires to make s’mores, tell stories, and watch a talented fire dancer perform to music. $9 Trustees members, $15 nonmembers.

    For complete details on all these celebrations, visit http://thetrustees.org.

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  • Sunday, August 19 – Sunday, November 4 – Traveling Biergartens at Historic Estates and Gardens

    Notch Brewing and the Trustees of Reservations conservation group are partnering to take Notch beer on the road to parks, farms and other gorgeous settings managed by the Trustees. Each traveling biergarten will present communal outdoor seating, games, special programs like fun runs, and beer served in half-liter steinkrugs. Also, each Trustees site has its own admission fees. Go online for specific details.

    August 19 — Castle Hill on the Crane Estate, 290 Argilla Road, Ipswich
    August 24-25 — Francis William Bird Park, Polley Lane, East Walpole, MA featuring Dog Day on August 25
    September 6-9 — Powisset Farm, 37 Powisset Street, Dover
    September 13-16 — Stevens Coolidge Place, 137 Andover Street, North Andover, featuring an Oktoberfest
    September 22-23 — Fruitlands Museum, 102 Prospect Hill Road, Harvard, part of its Craft Festival
    October 5-7 — Chestnut Hill Farm. 9-99 Chestnut Hill Road, Southborough, featuring Sunday’s Harvest Fest
    November 3-4 — Castle Hill at Crane Estate, 290 Argilla Road, Ipswich, during the annual Art Show and Sale

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  • Through April, 2019 – Alicja Kwade: TunnelTeller

    Berlin-based contemporary artist Alicja Kwade (b.1979, Poland) has long been engaged with value systems, philosophical questions about the essence of reality, and with attempting to examine, if not resolve, issues of inherently subjective concepts such as space and time. In her sculptures, as well as installations, photographs, and films, Kwade occupies herself with the structural properties of everyday objects and questioning the veracity of matter, revealing possibilities for alternate realities, while examining social agreements and supposed truths.

    A rapidly rising international star in the art world, Kwade presented her first U.S. solo exhibition at 303 Gallery in New York in the spring of 2016 and has since opened several other international exhibitions, ReReason at Yuz Museum in Shanghai, and Linienland at Haus Konstruktiv in Zurich. TunnelTeller, her new work for The Trustees, is Kwade’s first large-scale public artwork commission in the U.S. The installation opened to the public on May 19, 2018, and will be on view through April 2019 at Castle Hill on the Crane Estate in Ipswich.

    Working with independent curator Pedro Alonzo, the exclusive curator for the Trustees Art & the Landscape initiative since the program’s inception, Kwade’s new work is a site-specific piece that embodies the spirit of the place and interprets the natural and cultural surroundings with a nontraditional form of expression. Resting upon the outlines of the former hedge maze once located to the east of the Great House at Castle Hill, and overlooking Cape Ann and Crane Beach, the structure will draw upon the property’s gilded era majesty, the Crane family history, and the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape.

    One of The Trustees’ most iconic properties, the Crane Estate is comprised of 2,100 protected acres consisting of Castle Hill – a National Historic Landmark that includes the Crane mansion or “Great House” – the Inn at Castle Hill, Crane Beach, and the Crane Wildlife Refuge. The property was formerly owned by Chicago industrialist Richard T. Crane, Jr., who purchased the property in 1910 because he was captivated by the beauty of the landscape. Over many years, Crane worked with a dream team eight leading architects, landscape architects, and artists to shape his summer family retreat. In 1928, he crowned the estate with a grand mansion designed by renowned Chicago architect David Adler. The family generously bequeathed the majestic estate to The Trustees in 1940 to preserve for public use and enjoyment. Today, the Crane Estate welcomes over 350,000 visitors annually from near and far, and offers year-round educational and cultural programs and activities.

    While the Crane family had a long history of working with designers and artists at Castle Hill, this is The Trustees’ first presentation of a commissioned contemporary work in this historic and majestic landscape of rolling hills and coastal views.

    Alonzo describes TunnelTeller as an immersive structure designed to challenge the viewer’s notions of space and perception. At a moment of tremendous diversity in the arts where virtually any material and combination of unique mediums are being used as a means of artistic expression, he describes Alicja Kwade as an artist who stands out for her ability to use raw materials and everyday objects to create bold works that imbue meaning, creativity, and surprising functionality.

    TunnelTeller will be free with admission to Castle Hill and open to the public when the property is open, from sunrise to sunset. Join the Art & The Landscape conversation with The Trustees on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram: @thetrustees #thetrustees #artXlandscape. For more information on Alicja Kwade’s current and past exhibitions, visit the 303 Gallery website.

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  • Saturday, May 19, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – The Art of the Garden

    Saturday, May 19, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – The Art of the Garden

    The Trustees 5th Annual “Home Sweet Home” Historic Open House Day will take place on Saturday, May 19th from 10AM to 4PM. This year’s theme, The Art of the Garden: Inspiration Grows Here, will celebrate The Trustees’ public gardens, a living documentary of Massachusetts horticulture and design traditions. Many of these gardens are part of the landscapes of Trustees historic sites, the former homes of historical figures, literati, titans of industry, political leaders, artists and more and span a 300-year timeline from the Colonial Era to the Modern Movement. Come experience all the beauty, history, and unique stories contained within each home, as well as the exquisitely designed gardens and stunning natural landscapes. The ten sites open free of charge are Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, Castle Hill on the Crane Estate in Ipswich, the Eleanor Cabot Bradley Estate in Canton, the Stevens-Coolidge Place in North Andover, The Old Manse in Concord, The Ashley House in Sheffield, Naumkeag House & Gardens in Stockbridge, the Mission House in Stockbridge, The Folly at Field Farm in Williamstown (pictured)  and the William Cullen Bryant Homestead in Cummington. Special tours, gardening and family-friendly activities and refreshments will be offered. Visit http://thetrustees.org/homesweethome for details.