5 



liness. Way back in the early fifties the "Boston Traveller" 

 published an interesting article on the Cascade, and the drive 

 through Wyoming, and around Spot Pond, with a glowing de- 

 scription of its beauties, and declared that if it were a hundred 

 miles or more away, it would become the " Mecca " of summer 

 resorts. 



In 1856, that charming writer on rural subjects, Wilson Flagg' 

 published an article in Hovey's Magazine, entitled, "A Forest 

 Preserve, a Proposition to State and City Governments," in 

 which he advocated the setting apart of the wild region extend- 

 ing from Stoneham to Salem, for the purpose of one or more 

 " preserves." 



In 1869, Elizur Wright published a pamphlet in which he 

 urged the setting apart of "The Five Mile Wood," by which 

 name the Fells was then known, as a public park, under the 

 name of " Mt. Andrew Park," with a system of "Schools for 

 the study of Natural History." 



Again, in 1872, Wilson Flagg renewed his suggestions, and In 

 those delightful essays on the " Woods and Byways of New Eng- 

 land'" urged anew the selection of "The Five Mile Wood" for a 

 " Forest Conservatory. " 



Then came some unsuccessful efforts to secure favorable legis- 

 lative action, followed by a long period of discouragement until, 

 in 1879, Sylvester Baxter, of Maiden, published in the "Boston 

 Herald," an article on "Spot Pond and its vicinity," which at- 

 tracted wide spread attention, and revived once more the waning 

 interest in the movement to secure that region for the purpose of 

 a public park. 



In this article Mr. Baxter brought forward for the first time in 

 this country, the old Saxon word, "Fells," which had long been 

 in use in England to designate just such wild hilly country as 

 that he was describing, and suggested its application to the ter- 

 ritory he so vividly portrayed. 



The appropriateness of the name was so apparent, that it was 

 at once accepted, and at the first regular meeting of the Middle- 

 sex Institute, of which Mr. Baxter was a member, held there- 

 after, it was formerly voted that all of that portion of the Middle- 

 sex Hills surrounding Spot Pond, and lying within the limits of 

 Maiden, Melrose, Stoneham, Winchester and Medford, be called 

 ,, The Middlesex Fells." 



