Questions about MA (Boston, Worcester, Cambridge: houses, colleges, living in)

[writer_girl]

Hey, can anybody give me a hand?
I am writing a story that I would like to place in Massachusetts, but i have never been in that part of the country. If you can tell me anything about the area, weather, trees, plants, animals, ect..
this would be a great help, I know i can look online but i would rather hear it first-hand, from somone who lives or has lived there.

[Dragondog]

Writergirl

you might try visiting New England- attemting to paint a picture of a region so colorful and rich is just very difficult. To get a true sense of the region, check out Yankee magazine- which has great forums and information on the region.

In short New England is split. You have northern New England; the states of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. These states are sparsely populated, with farms, hills and mountains, lakes and forests. There are small towns with classic Main streets, center greens, white steeple churches, and much history. Maine has its rocky coast, and lighthouses.

Southern New England is more densely populated,the states of Massachussetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island have cities, Providence, Worcester, Hartford, New Haven and of course the 'Hub' - Boston, an elegant and gracious city, with history, great colleges, and culture on a European scale. In southern New England there are still the town greens with white steeple churches. Rolling green hills that turn vibrant colors in the autumn, with rocky coves and sandy beaches. There is Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard. In the fall there are pumpkins in the fields, and in late winter maple syrup. New England is a region of the country with a long history, and has a 'Euro' feel to its culture. Progressive in its politics and social ideas, its long history belies its forward futuristic thinking. The regions famous colleges, Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, Providence College, MIT all foster education, research, science and innovation.

The four seasons also color the regions 'feeling'. The proximity of the ocean has always played a part in the regions persona; from fishing to sailing, to the weather. Try visiting Fenway Park to see the Red Sox, or visiting Provincetown at the tip of the Cape. Or visiting Connecticuts 'quiet corner' to see the farms, small towns and history in the autumn. There is so much here. Visit the witch museum in Salem on Halloween.
Or visit the Yale art gallery in New Haven, and walk across the Yale campus where state hero Nathan Hale did 250 years ago.

And the food; Seafood of course, lobster, cod, salmon, scallops and those fried whole bellied clams- incredible! Walk the freedom trail in Boston.

And of course try living in a small town, where there may be a 'haunted house' or visiting the autumn fairs, sipping on hot cider. Or in the winter skiing in Vermont and staying at the Von Trapp family resort.

[writer_girl]

WOW, you should be a writer! I wish I could visit, but right now, that just wont work, (and now I REALLY want to go!!!) I'll keep your message; I think that you have given me someplace to start on my research.
Thank You
Writer_girl

P.S. if all goes well I’ll put you in the bibliography

[Kmommy]

I think a great setting for a story of any kind would be Nantucket Island, just off the Cape. The center has a great feel, with it's old-timey shops and cobblestone streets. Drive down the beach and observe quaint cottages set along the beach. Watching the sun set over the ocean on that Island is amazing. Every color you can imagine is in that sunset, surrounding a sun that is a molten ball of gold, while flecks of light sparkle, reflected in the water. A light breeze rustling your hair and clothes, and the smell of the sea air brings the whole thing together with a wonderfully relaxing vibe.

[winnie]

I can speak for Western MA..

Think trees and hills, rivers and lakes, old town squares that still remain though a city has grown up around it, Emily Dickinson's homestead in the beautiful town of Amherst. Quaint Historic Sturbridge and the main street where life goes on just as it did in Colonial America. Candlemaking and poetry, scenery that would remind you of a Kinkade painting.

The most sensational time in NE is fall. The air is cool and crisp, the leaves turn brilliant yellow, orange and red. It is "winterish" about 8 months of the year, followed by a hot and somewhat humid summer. Common fall activities are going to fruit stands, apple orchards, getting apple cider and pumpkins, baking apple pie and pumpkin pie and of course, going to fairs and hayrides. Winter brings a nearly continuous cover of snow, and it is not uncommon to see snowmobilers or even the occasional horse and sleigh off in a field.

There are not that many animals - northern parts may see the occasional moose, deer are very scarce in southern MA. Rarely you will see a fox. Rabbits,raccoons, possums, beavers, squirrels and chipmunks are common, as well as woodpeckers, bald eagles (at lakes), golden eagles and of course, crows. The lakes and rivers are packed with fish. Oh, and don't forget the ducks, swans and geese..

Common trees are dogwood, sycamore, elm, birch (my favorite), ash and oak. Up north you will see some pine trees, but not till you get in VT will you actually see whole forests of them. The grass is GREEN. Really GREEN! There are a lot of wild rhodedendrons sp??? and people commonly have tulips, roses or peonys in their yard, and tend to have nice, simple manicured yards. Nice open fields, though most of Western MA is pretty heavily wooded. Old farms, old houses - really old white colonial houses with black shutters are very stately up there.

Common food is seafood, chowder, clams, scrod, and lobster. There are fine resturants like the Log Cabin, Salem Crofts Inn, Hadley house, and the Delaney house. Many towns enjoy a large Polish population, I would say that a lot of people up there are European descent, though Russians and Greeks are becoming more common.

If you look at a map of Western MA, you will see the CT river valley, that stretches north and south. To the west are the Berkshires, very, very rural with the exception of Pittsfield, and to the east is more hilltowns.

[writer_girl]

WOW!!!
That is all I can say, thank you all so much!!!! Now I have an idea what I'm talking about, I would really hate to write my book and be wrong about such a beautiful place!!!! When I can travel($$) I'm going up there in the late summer or the fall. (I'm in Kansas, so MA is a quite a trip)
Again, THANK YOU writer_girl

[Cam]

Writer Girl: I'd be happy to fill you in on some specific spot in Massachusetts. However, The Bay State, tho small, is quite diverse.

What kind of story are you writing? Are your characters aristocrats found on Boston's Beacon Hill, high tech types out in the western suburubs, Cape Coders or Islanders or academics in Cambridge or New Bedford fishermen or...well, you get the picture: give a little more sense of your story. I'll be happy to supply all the "local color" you'll need.

Just narrow things down a tad, OK?

I was raised and live just outside Boston and know the state and indeed all of New England quite well.

[jessy01010]

Originally Posted by Kmommy

I think a great setting for a story of any kind would be Nantucket Island, just off the Cape. The center has a great feel, with it's old-timey shops and cobblestone streets. Drive down the beach and observe quaint cottages set along the beach. Watching the sun set over the ocean on that Island is amazing. Every color you can imagine is in that sunset, surrounding a sun that is a molten ball of gold, while flecks of light sparkle, reflected in the water. A light breeze rustling your hair and clothes, and the smell of the sea air brings the whole thing together with a wonderfully relaxing vibe.

You are sooo right about nantucket. I used to live there and miss those beautiful sunsets all the time! There is no comparison.

[writer_girl]

Cam, Jessy, thank you for writing.
at this time my story is called "Black Cat Curse" it is a fiction magic/horror/history thing right now. I was thinking along these lines for the area:

(Setting) Massachusetts, rural area, old two story farm house, several acres, partly overgrown, barn falling down, foundation of previous house (burned down 100 years ago)small orchard, small grave near orchard, marked but unreadable,

I mean RURAL, like less than 1000 people, or it might not be a real place, I'm thinking of wooded farmland, away from the sea, not many people, dirt roads, stuff like that, ya know?

thank you for any help you can give me!! (I wish i could come see it for myself, but i can't right now sad)

[winnie]

west brookfield, barre, pelham, sunderland,

All areas that your requirements could be met.

Middlefield, Peru areas have a lot of dirt roads and are pretty and secluded. There are barns all over western MA. Not sure about orchards for those two towns tho.