O'NEIL HILL QUEST, Junior Girl Scout Troop 228
A Quest is a type of treasure hunt. Our Quest will lead you on a walk in the woods, just follow our instructions in rhyme. At the end of the trail you should find a Letterbox---a box that contains a notebook, pencil, a stamp and a stamp pad. When you find this, please stamp and sign the notebook and make any comments or suggestions you would like. If you have brought your own notebook, use the stamp to show that you have reached the end of this Quest. Quests or Letterboxing comes out of a 150-year old tradition in the region around Dartmoor National Park in southwest England. Many Quests have been created around New England since the mid-1990’s.
Junior Girl Scout Troop 228 decided to adopt a trail in part of the Hall Conservation/O’Neil Hill area in 2007/2008. The girls were first introduced to the trail during their summer campout in August 2007. They then spent several work periods during the Fall working with Gwen Blodgett and Diane Merritt of the Williamsburg Woodland Trails Committee helping build the bog bridges and clearing the trail to the large white oak at the top of O’Neil Hill. During the winter with the help of Paul Wetzel and John Hoogstraten the girls helped build the kiosk that is now at the beginning of the trail on O’Neil Road.
They also worked in troop meetings and individually to create the Quest for this trail. Six of the girls each put in at least fifteen hours of volunteer time on this project. This project, along with three other requirements, allowed them to earn the Bronze Award, the highest award available to Junior Girl Scouts.
Clues
1) Come in, come in. It’ll be fun. Your journey for treasure has just begun.
2) Look for me, a tree I be, Marked with different blazes three.
3) Follow the path, don’t cross the brook, But for another kind of bridge you’ll look.
4) Come to a T, and turn to the east, And walk a quarter mile, at least.
5) When four paths meet, just like a street, Keep on straight and move your feet.
6) Up to a pond, softly creep, Listen for sounds like a croak or peep.
7) Pass from dark hemlocks into light green, Now vines and pines are what can be seen.
8) Turn to the right, then left you’ll go, A grand tree you’ll see, when you’re there you’ll know.
9) Behind the oak, find a stone on the ground, Under it, your quest can be found.
Notes
- This is a quest, a treasure hunt in the woods. Follow the clues to the left and see where they lead. Girls Scout Troop 228 created this quest for you in 2008.
- The different blazes and signs give a sense of the history of the trails on this property. This property originally belonged to the Hall family who loved wildlife. The triangle blazes were part of a Boy Scout project.
- The planks on four-by-four blocks are called “bog bridges.” They are used for getting hikers across wet areas without getting wet feet or disturbing the soil.
- Which way is east? The sun rises in that direction and sets in the west. Still can’t figure it out? Try turning left.
- This is a junction of old woods roads perhaps used for harvesting timber or moving livestock.
- This may have been an old farm pond. Now it provides important habitat for many types of animals, including amphibians.
- When you passed through the stone wall, did you notice the difference in the forest? The parcel you just entered was owned by the Northampton State Hospital and used for grazing into the mid-1900’s. Vines and white pines are evidence of pasture abandonment.
- This old oak may be over two or even three hundred years old and was obviously left standing when the land was cleared for grazing
- If you find a plastic box, you have finished the quest. Follow the instructions inside. Can’t find it? Not there? Call 268-0108 or email wwtc@comcast.net.
