Project Stakeholders

Flynt Park Keep Homestead Museum

• Used mainly for sports

• Trails were created by timer salvage, continued use, and interest groups

• Main user group: younger families, students, athletes

• Trails

• Site specific history

• Forest

• Views

• Used mainly for walking, gardening, special events

• Trails were created with access in mind

• Main user group: older folks, hikers, gardeners

As publicly owned, accessed, and managed properties, the stakeholders of this project are primarily the residents of the Town of Monson.

r e P lan T ing M onson T ree C o MM i TT ee

The natural disturbance caused by the 2011 tornado that ripped through Monson destroyed properties, lives, and trees, initiating change within the community and the forest. Residents of Monson who realized the multitude of benefits that trees offer formed the Replanting Monson Tree Committee.

Their work seeks to:

• Replant public trees for people to enjoy their beauty, shade, and life for generations to come

• Assist Monson homeowners through the provision of tree care information and trees

• Leverage national, state and local resources in support of the committee's vision

• Unite the community through events to share in the Replanting

• Entrust the trees' care to future generations

After reaching their goals of replanting nearly 900 trees around Monson, they are seeking other ways to encourage the connection between residents and trees.

T he K ee P h o M es T ead M useu M

Led by a board including two former students of the Museum's visionary, Myra Moulton (a descendant of the Keep Family), the Keep Homestead Museum is a community destination in Monson. The house and land were willed to the Town by Moulton with the stipulation that the home would showcase her beloved and vast collection of buttons and family artifacts. With American chestnut floorboards and steps and sidewalks made out of granite, most likely from the quarry on the property, the place hearkens back to the colonial and industrial time periods.

The programming of the Museum and its grounds includes special events, an open houses on the first Sundays of the month (April-December), art exhibits, a community garden, and walking trails through the property. Given the shared interest of this project, the Keep Homestead Museum board and community are important stakeholders as they are a main user group of the trails and active members of the community.

M onson C hes T nu T P roje CT

With a large disturbance comes new opportunity. A hint of the past was uncovered by the wake of the tornado. Once the forest started to regrow following the tornado, flowering American chestnut trees were found at Flynt Park. Taken out by a blight, the once abundant North American tree species is rarely seen in its mature form as the blight kills chestnut trees before they can reproduce successfully. This sparked a local teacher and student group to begin the Tantasqua Chestnut Project. Later, in collaboration with the Replanting Monson Tree Committee, the Monson Chestnut Project was added and today the dual projects are known as the Tantasqua/Monson Chestnut Project. Atop Mt. Ella, the highest point at Flynt Park, the project uses blight resistant, hybridized seeds and saplings, funding from Monson's Community Preservation Fund and other local sources, and support from the American Chestnut Foundation to experiment with regrowing the species on 5 acres.

M onson P ar K and r e C rea T ion d e P ar TM en T

The Monson Parks & Recreation Department staff are key stakeholders as Flynt Park is under their management. With a team of three, Flynt Park is one of a handful of parks and facilities that falls within their jurisdiction. In recent years, they have led the park through major improvements including drainage installation following the tornado, the addition of a playground, and the installation of a disc golf course. The "Mountainside" disc golf course has been ranked as one of the best free-to-play courses in the state and hosts tournaments. The ability to embrace such a fast-growing sport and provide a quality course is emblematic of the Park and Recreation Department's commitment to their mission:

"...To enrich and enhance the quality of life by offering a high-quality diversified program of sports and recreational activities."

Their impact is far-reaching and their role as managers and administers of programming plays a key role in shaping the lives of residents of Monson. These programs are designed to encourage health, fitness and learning for all ages and abilities.

Flynt Park and Keep Homestead Museum have been continuously impacted by human use for thousands of years however colonial and industrial histories are most obviously present on the landscape today. The significance of largely forested public land amongst residentially and commercially densely developed areas should not be overlooked. Enhancing nature trails at the site would have a positive impact on the community's ability to get outside.

y - s ha P ed v alley

The region of central Massachusetts was shaped largely by north/ south glacial activity which created river valleys and shaped rolling hills. When the glaciers receded, native peoples started to inhabit the landscape. Concentrating mainly along river valleys, more rugged topography, like the type at Flynt Park and Keep Homestead, was used for seasonal hunting and travel. More dense settlements and activity was most likely on the northern border of present-day Monson, where the Chicopee brook meets the Quabog river.

Flynt Park and Keep Homestead occupy land within the ancestral homelands of the Agawam and Nipmuc peoples. The white star indicates where the present-day project site is located amongst the estimated territories of these tribes near the time of European arrival. The first record of the Keep homestead property being "owned" by non-native people was around 1733. From then on, more abutting acres were bought and the home that is currently on site was built around 1800.

C en T rally l o C a T ed , l i M i T ed a CC essed

Flynt Park and Keep Homestead sit within both rural residential and residential village zoning classifications though both properties are protected from development. Within a one mile radius, there are 1,729 structures. Within a two mile radius, there are 1,521 structures. According to the 2020 census, Monson's total population is 8,150. If structures, in this case mostly homes, can be used to estimate population density, it is safe to say that the site is within a relatively populated densely area for Monson. This means that the project site is a close distance to the majority of Monson residents and within walking distance (a mile) to a fair amount. However, with only two access points on east side of the site, only a fraction of those people can enter the site easily. Within the scope of this project, expanding accessibility to the site means creating trails through natural areas that people of all abilities can enjoy.

a n eighborhood f ores T

The site sits in a mostly forested landscape among residential lots. On the west it is bordered by Paradise Lake, a privately owned pond with spacious residential lots along its edge. On the northwest, it is bordered by a wetland and a town-owned and operated cemetery. Private land that was recently logged abuts the northern border while more dense residential development lies to the northeast. Directly to the east is the town center of Monson hosting a variety of commercial developments like restaurants, store fronts, and offices. To the east of the main strip, are other town parks like Cushman's field and Veteran's field. These two fields serve as mainly sports fields though they do host occasional events and a skate park.

The areas to the east of the site are more developed and close to roadways, connecting them to residential neighborhoods and commercial activity. The areas bordering the site in every other direction are largely forested and therefore not as used. Having two site access points on the east partially limits the ability for residents to experience all of Flynt Park and Keep Homestead and its grounds. At the same time, having only two points of entry might make it easier to regulate the type of use and behavior on the landscape.