PARK SITES CHOSEN 125 
to the centres of population of the county, was thus lost 
to the public; and the value and loss to the park system is, 
T believe, difficult to estimate. 
SOUTH MOUNTAIN RESERVATION. 
Large reservations of natural scenery have become one of 
the attractive features of a modern park system. Nor is 
the movement confined to localities especially acquired or 
reserved for park uses. The general government, and many 
of the States, have of late years included in their forestry 
reservations large areas of timbered lands, with the object 
at the same time of conserving also the feature for recrea- 
tion and attractive natural environments. The movements 
toward the preservation of the big trees (Sequoia Washing- 
tonian) of California; for a natural park and forest re- 
serve along the Appalachian Mountains; and the White 
Mountain forest reservations in New Hampshire, are some 
of the better known efforts 1n this direction. In the Massa- 
chusetts Metropolitan Park’s system the great Blue Hills 
reservation, with its more than 4,000 acres of beautifully 
wooded slopes and valleys; and the Middlesex Fells on the 
other side of Boston, with its 1,800 acres of timber lands, 
lakes, open fields, etc., are recognized as special attractions 
there, as have become Van Cortland and Pelham Bay Parks 
in New York, Epping Forest, outside of London, and the 
many other outlying natural reservations lying wholly 
without the large cities. 
The Essex Park Commission of 1895, like the preceding 
commission, was in favor of a liberal acquirement of these 
lands in such a reservation for the park system here. There 
was but one location which in size, relative convenience, 
varied topography and attractive natural and wooded feat- 
ures, seemed to meet the requirements. That was the exten- 
sive tract between the apex of the First and Second Moun- 
tains, and principally south of the Northfield road. Former 
Commissioner G. W. Bramhall had always advocated this 
proposed reservation. In September, 1895, he was requested 
to assist the commission. Up to that time it had not been 
