This is edged by several acres of tree-shaded public space, with a playground, reservable pavilion, bath house, picnic tables and grills. The main attraction at the state park is the 300-foot swimming beach, with lifeguards on duty from late May until Labor Day. In summer you can set a course for this public recreation area on the wooded shore of Watson Pond. Source: LOGVINYUK YULIIA / shutterstock Beach This is also a hub for community activities, events and meetings, hosting everything from book clubs to yoga to movies. Ross (1868-1948), and with a facade composed of Indiana limestone.įor local residents, the library is a wonderful asset, with a vast catalogue, from audiobooks to blu-rays. Taunton Public Library was completed in 1903 in a lavish Beaux-Arts style designed by Albert R. One of the grandest landmarks around Taunton Green is also one of the rare Carnegie libraries to still fill its original purpose. Zirkel / Wikimedia | CC BY-SA 4.0 Taunton Public Library The colors in fall are magical, and there are glorious views across the river at sunset. This space is named for Gertrude Boyden (1905-2002), who had a remarkable life and career that included becoming the first chairperson of the City of Taunton’s Conservation Commission in the 1960s.Ĭoursed by color-coded trails, Boyden Park has a stretch of boardwalk, two canoe launches, a fragrance garden, picnic area and a fish ladder/dam at the south end. Source: Claudia Andrade / Facebook Boyden ParkĪ five-minute drive southwest of Taunton Green and you’ll come to this densely wooded sanctuary on the east bank of Three Mile River. There’s much more going on here, especially for families, thanks to an entire inflatable indoor park, with bounce houses, slides and obstacles.Īdded to all that you’ve got a year-round indoor driving range, open seven days a week, with a large bucket costing $12 at the time of writing. Mainly oriented towards soccer, Fore Kicks is a 180,000-square-foot megaplex, with 11 indoor multi-use sports fields, as well as facilities for futsal, basketball and volleyball. Taunton has one of the largest indoor sports facilities in New England. Source: Damix / shutterstock Basketball Event Taunton Green is the canvas for endearing light displays during the holiday season, beginning with a lighting ceremony that has been celebrated for more than a century. One of the most recognizable is a copy of The Hiker, by Theo Alice Ruggles Kitson, paying tribute to the soldiers who fought in the Spanish-American War.Įast of Taunton Green, you can head along Main Street, which has stores for antiques, musical instruments, clothing, shoes and flowers, complemented by a handful of restaurants and local services. Attesting to Taunton Green’s long-standing military connection is a cluster of monuments honoring soldiers. The linchpin is Taunton Green, which has had roughly the same dimensions since it was laid out in the 1740s as a military training ground.ĭecades before, an early meeting house had been built at this very place. Taunton has an animated downtown area, combining impressive architecture, history, commerce and dining. Source: Faina Gurevich / shutterstock Taunton Green There’s a guided tour of the museum at noon, while the museum organizes a range of workshops, lectures and field trips. There’s also a fabulous collection of 29 historic portraits on view, as well as constantly changing temporary exhibits.
The museum has recently renovated its exhibits, dealing with topics like 17th-century settlement, immigration, transportation, industry in Taunton, fashion, society and the military. The society’s museum in Taunton is set in the former Bristol Academy school, an Italianate building from 1852. Source: Faina Gurevich / shutterstock Old Colony History Museumĭocumenting southeastern Massachusetts, which was part of Plymouth Colony in the 17th century, the Old Colony Historical Society was founded in 1853, making it one of the oldest historical societies in New England. This is an especially heartwarming scene in December, with light displays that have earned Taunton another nickname, The Christmas City.
Some 200 years later, Taunton is still known as the Silver City, and has a busy downtown area beside a town green that was first plotted in the 1740s. The excellent Old Colony History Museum shines a light on that history, and charts different aspects of the region’s development, from Taunton’s time as a hub for the silver industry in the early 19th century. One of the oldest towns in the United States, Taunton was founded in 1637 by members of the Plymouth Colony.
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