A group hike to a secluded Andover waterfall, a presentation on discovering family roots led by an amateur genealogical adventurer, and a tour of the shuttered mills and buildings of neighboring Franklin guided by an entrepreneur who wants to breathe new life into that city – all will be offered in July by the Andover Institute, an arm of the Andover Community Association.
On Saturday, July 11, between 10:30 AM and 12:30 PM, hikers will take a moderate 1.5-mile stroll along Mountain Brook to Cascade Falls in East Andover. Seasonal plants and wildflowers, the work of local beavers, and the remains of old stone walls will be identified along the way.
The walk will continue as far as the foot of the falls, which drop 40 or 50 feet in three stages. Hikers will meet in the Town Hall parking lot at 10:30 AM and car-pool to and from the trailhead.
On Saturday, July 25, between 10:30 AM and 12:30 PM, Franklin entrepreneur and planner Todd Workman will lead a walking tour through former mill buildings and other historic structures and parks in downtown Franklin and describe potential ways to re-purpose the properties.
A feature of the tour will be a visit to the old antiques center on the corner of Central and Franklin Streets, which has been reopened as an arts and cultural center. As with the walk to Cascade Falls, tour participants will meet in the Andover Town Hall parking lot at 10:30 AM and car-pool to and from Franklin.
The two walking tours are part of a series of “Space Explorations” designed to introduce attendees to area locations – both natural and man-made – that receive little public visitation. Future events may include a visit to a local heron rookery and an exploration of Tarbin Gardens in Franklin.
On Monday, July 27, at 7 PM, in the Highland Lake Grange Hall in East Andover, genealogist Bill McKeeman of Hollis will describe his years spent coming to understand, organize, and present a treasure-trove of inherited family letters, photos, and family trees. You’ll hear how he put the pieces together using scrapbooks, public records, software, and cyberspace to tell the story of his lineage.
The result is a computer-based system of interlinked sources of family information going back 15 generations. The presentation is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be available.
The genealogy presentation was arranged by the Institute after a suggestion by a local resident. “We’re always on the lookout for program ideas,” said Institute chair Jay Fitzpatrick. “Just e-mail them to jall@nulltds.net, and we’ll take it from there.”
For further information, or to keep informed of upcoming Institute activities via regular mailings, send your e-mail address to jall@nulltds.net or lbchase@nullaol.com.