Carvers Pond | Iron Works Park | Stiles & Hart | Titicut | Tuckerwood | Wyman Meadow

Carver's Pond ---- Map | Top | Plans
Two major aquifers underlie the entire town center in a continuous layer of fresh water. The 35-acre pond is part of the recharge area above one of those aquifers, which in turn support five wells as part of the town water supply. In the 19th century, before refrigeration was common, this pond was a valuable source for ice harvesting.
Recommended Uses: Picnicking, community events, hiking, cross country skiing, ice skating, nature study, walking dogs, fishing, canoeing.
Directions: From Bridgewater Center, follow School Street (to the right of Town Hall) past the Fire Department to the stop sign at the bottom of the hill. Turn right onto Summer Street. Continue 0.7 mile. Parking lot and park signs are on the right.

Iron Works Park ---- Map | Top | Plans | Website
Established in 1691, the Bridgewater Iron Works at Stanley was the first to produce iron in the American colonies and by 1860 it had become the largest producer of iron in the U.S. During the Civil War it manufactured ammunition and iron siding for our ships. The Iron Works industrial site was abandoned in 1988 and the land donated to the Town of Bridgewater. Today it is a National Historic Site where a new forest is establishing itself on and around the ruins of the old stone and slate foundry building.
Recommended Uses: Historic tours, field activities, picnicking, nature study, canoeing, fishing.
Directions: From Bridgewater Center, go north on Route 18 for 1 mile. Turn left onto High Street. Continue 0.7 mile. The entrance is located inside the Highway Department Headquarters, behind the parking lot across from the private club named 49ers.

Stiles & Hart Conservation Area ---- Map | Top | Plans
This 75-acre site was an agricultural fairground with a grand exhibition hall from c1820- 1875. In 1895, a local teacher, Mr. William Basset, Sr., purchased the land and founded the Bridgewater Brick Company. The company mined clay and produced bricks on the site. In 1913, Stiles & Hart Brick Company purchased the operation. Due damage to buildings in the hurricane of 1938, brick production ceased, but clay mining continued until after World War II. The site has been recommended as a National Register District by the Massachusetts Historical Commission.
Recommended Uses: Community events, hiking, picnicking, cross country skiing, field activities, nature study, dog walking, fishing, canoeing.
Directions: From Bridgewater Center, go north on Route 18 less than a mile, passing the McDonald's and Decelle's on the right. A small parking area is available just past the bridge over the Town River.

Titicut Conservation Area ---- Map | Top | Plans
Once home to the Wampanoag Native Americans, this 33-acre National Historic and State Archeological Site contains remnants of village activity dating back thousands of years ago. Titicut was also a shipbuilding yard in the early 19th century. The original dry docks can still be seen today. During the 1950s Titicut served as a summer camp. The Town of Bridgewater purchased it with a Self-Help grant in 1976.
Recommended Uses: Tenting, hiking, walking pets, field activities, picnicking, nature study, canoeing.
Directions: From Bridgewater Center, follow South Street (which passes between the Academy Building and the Public Library) for 4.1 miles to its end. Turn right onto Green Street for a short 0.3 mile. Turn left onto Beech Street. Park entrance is on the left after an even shorter 0.2 mile.

Tuckerwood Conservation Area ---- Map | Top | Plans
Tucked away in a quiet, residential ,neighborhood, this conservation site is 32 acres of wooded wetland, which for the past 50 years have remained undisturbed. It was acquired by the Town of Bridgewater in 1998. The filtering of water through this wooded terrain helps o protect the quality and availability of the town's water supply.
Recommended Uses: Hiking, bird watching, evening events, picnicking, fishing, canoeing, hunting, cross country skiing.
Directions: From Bridgewater Center, go north on Route 18 for 1 mile. Turn right onto High Street. Continue through the Haywood Street intersection, for a total of 1.2 miles. Right-of-way is on the right, posted with a sign reading Tuckerwood Conservation Area.

Wyman Meadow Conservation Area ---- Map | Top | Plans
This 55-acre site borders the old stagecoach route from Boston to Plymouth and served as a stop for fresh horses. It has a long agricultural history as a dairy farm. It became part of the Wyman Farm Complex in 1954. The Town of Bridgewater purchased the property with a self-help grant in 1999.
Recommended Uses: Hiking, picnicking, hunting, horseback riding, tenting, public events, nature study, dog walking, mountain biking, fishing, canoeing, sledding.
Directions: From Bridgewater Center, go north on Route 18 for 1 mile. Turn right onto High Street. Continue to end and stop sign (2.5 miles). At the stop sign, continue across Route 104 onto Plymouth Street. The total mileage from Route 18 is 3.2 miles. The field is on the right, a large open meadow with a road through its center.

Because these sites are in various stages of development, parking, trails, and handicap accessibility may be limited.