26 



MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 387 



Most of the recreational land is in the wooded hilly sections of the State or in 

 areas with the least advantageous conditions for agriculture. The use of these 

 areas for recreational purposes, therefore, does not offer real competition to 

 agricultural land uses. Much of this land either never was in agricultural use or 

 was abandoned prior to the advance of the interest in recreation. Some types of 

 recreational land uses, however, expanded at the expense of agricultural land 

 utilization. These are mostly intensive types located near urban centers or areas 

 adjacent to bodies of water. The high desirability of these areas for recreational 

 use brings the land values to a point where ordinary agriculture can not very 

 effectively compete and is eventually driven out. This does not mean, however, 

 that some of the farming areas adjacent to the intensive types of recreational land 

 uses do not actuall)' benefit from the existence of readily available and profitable 

 markets during certain seasons of the year. 



It is possible to conclude, therefore, that some areas previously in agriculture 

 are now in recreational use. This, however, refers only to a very limited amount 

 of land in special areas. 



Because of the endless variety of recreational land uses, including both winter 

 and summer sports and a combined use of land for recreational and other pur- 

 poses, it is extremely difficult to determine exactly what proportion of the State 

 is used for recreation. One thing is certain, that recreational land use is constantly 

 growing in importance and that various communities have considerable amounts 

 invested in recreational property. The survey made in 1930 by the Massachusetts 

 Industrial Commission in cooperation with the New England Council disclosed 

 these investments in Massachusetts communities. The amounts involved show 

 to a certain extent the relative importance of recreational land uses in various 

 parts of the State. The assessed valuation of recreational property amounted to 

 $190,000,000 in the State as a whole. Essex County led with recreational prop- 

 erty assessed at about $48,000,000; Plymouth County, with $44,000,000, was 

 second; and Barnstable County, with $42,000,000, third. The variation by 

 counties is indicated on Map 2. 



MILLIONS OF DOLLARS 

 □ LESS THAN 3 

 E3 3-5.9 



6-9.9 

 M 1 - 24 9 

 ■ 25 AND OVER 



Map 2. Assessed Value of Recreational Property, by Counties 

 Massachusetts Industrial Commission, 1940 



