Thursday, September 4, 2008

The Long Crouch Woods



I had heard tales of abandoned bear cages somewhere inside of Franklin Park, but it was always one of those 'to do' things that gets pushed back and pushed back. Well, on Monday we finally found them!!

Apparently the cages were built in 1912 and then abandoned in the 50's. The dens were too too expensive for the city to keep up, and it turned into an illegal dumping ground. Over the years there have been grants to clean the place up and I'd say it looked like it was in pretty good shape!

Except for these guys, but I think the animals are actually my favorite thing about the dens!




There are no clear cut directions on how to get here, and it took the iphone, lots of driving around, and my internal navigation senses to find the place! (thank you dad for passing your keene sense of direction down to me!) The only advice I can offer is that they run parallel to Seaver Street, and there's a parking lot with tennis and basketball courts and a big white stadium near by. Walk away from the the parking lot and towards the stadium the first wide dirt path you see on the right goes into the woods and you'll find it along there. (I think it's the first path, then again - I found it on a pure hunch) It's only a 5 minute walk from the parking lot. I recommend going in the early morning hours or in the late afternoon, that funny orange glow makes the concrete a little more inviting!!













(Or should they now be called the raccoon dens?? harhar. There were three or four of them in there actin' all cute and stuff!)

21 comments:

jessica ann said...

wow so beautiful! i wish i could visit this place! xo

Anonymous said...

oo cool, the grafitti is so cute

Louise said...

Oooh it has a kind of mystical look to it, those animal drawings are really cute! I can't imagine seeing racoons out and about, that seems so foreign to me.

Anastasia said...

how positively gorgoeous! what a great find!

clareassiral said...

the animal drawings on the wall so ultra adorable!

Stella Polaris said...

I adore the first photo. It reminds me of your dream of running away with the circus (and your accordion)!

Encountering Art said...

What a wonderfully bizarre place to find. I'm really glad the authorities have finally cleared it up. It's important to take responsibility for historic areas as oppose to letting them become dumps.
PS- backgrounds works greats with yours clothes

ashley said...

those animals are brilliant- what a perfect spot!

LF said...

Lovin the animals!

april said...

oh wow!
we have an abandoned bear pit in Vancouver too, but it doesn't look nearly as enticing as that!

lisa lindøe said...

just lovely.

Hannah said...

Oh how wonderful! I absolutely love abandoned places, they creep me out in the best possible way! I'd love to come across an abandoned theme park..

The Blonde Duck said...

I love elephants! That's right up my ally!

Emily Rose said...

aw, i love it! i especialy love those paintings. i wish i lived close to something like that. what a nice place to have an adventure

Wild Keiki said...

This location is amazing! I wish I could be there right now.

xo
Jess

Punky said...

That place was on my list of places to photograph once i learn to use my new camera.
I love it!

Thumbelina said...

This is truely incredibly. I love abandoned areas that seem to have stopped in time for decades and when you discover them unexpectedly it as if you are in some magical world that is completely separated from reality. Oh it looks wonderful. And I LOVE the graffiti, it's so so so darling!
And I love your blouse and skirt, so perfect with the setting I think.
Ciao ciao <3
Marisa

Penny said...

wow that is amazing! there is nothing cool like that where i live!
want to swap lives for a week or so??!

loveology said...

Love that outfit! So adorable...
it's a great combination!

Thanks for your comment about my little nephew Isai Manul. :)
I am soo happy!

<3

Jane said...

that's very bizzare
I wonder if there are any places like that where I live hmm

Sarah M. said...

I haven't been to the bear cages since elementary school, when we could just walk to Franklin Park for recess. This makes me wish I was back in Boston instead of at college.

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