Your Guide: Haggetts Pond Hike This Weekend

By David Bunting.

For the second time this summer, the Andover Trails Committee and the Andover Historical Society are teaming up to deliver a unique historical hike.  This is the second installment in their 3-part hike series called “Stories from the Trails.” This hike series features both the natural beauty and unique geology of various Andover properties, as well as the colorful stories of the history related to each property and the surrounding area.

This second hike, which is free and open to the public, is this Sunday, July 28th at 1 p.m. at Haggett’s Pond on Haggett’s Pond Road in Andover. Jane Cairns and Doug Mitchell from the Andover Historical Society will share colorful stories tied to the reservation and surrounding area.  This hike consists of relatively easy walking and will take about 2 hours.  Parking is available both in the reservation’s lot, and on Lakeside Drive across the street.

Here's a sneak preview of what you'll see and hear about on the July 28th Haggett’s Pond hike:

The Andover Conservation Commission’s Haggett’s Pond and Rail Trail is now a serene place, its idyllic views protected by the pond’s status as the source of the town’s drinking water.  Before 1900, however, the entire area was bustling with commercial recreation facilities including restaurants and picnic grounds, dance halls, and even a training camp for world-class boxers.  Andover residents could reach the pond easily by horse-drawn carriage or bicycle, but many more visitors accessed the area via the Lowell and Lawrence Railroad, a small independent line chartered in 1846. 

For more information on this hike, or to learn about other events and volunteer opportunities, please visit www.andovertrails.org or email David Bunting, Andover Trails Committee at dbunting@andovertrails.org.