Exploring Invisible North Reading

Have you ever wondered what lies hidden in the woods out behind your home? The answer, as Matthew T. Page tells us, may surprise you.

Thanks to LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging)—a remote sensing technology used to examine the surface of the Earth—it is possible to see even the smallest elevation differences on a map. Unlike optical satellite imagery (like the kind Google Maps uses), LIDAR sees through vegetation and tree cover.

Invented in the 1960s, LIDAR first gained notoriety when the Apollo 15 astronauts used it to map the surface of the Moon. Nowadays, aircraft-mounted instruments collect LIDAR data.

In 2021, Massachusetts commissioned a full LIDAR survey of the state. Your friends at the Society recently   downloaded some LIDAR images of North Reading, including the one below, which shows the area between Mount Vernon St (to the north) and Chestnut St (to the south) and Haverhill Street (visible in the top left hand corner of the image).

Notice the lumps and bumps in the woods behind the houses and the extensive network of stone walls that marked 18th and 19th century field boundaries. You can also see how Whittridge Place (top right) was built on fill deposited in a wetter, lower-lying area to the east of the higher ground toward the middle-bottom of the image.

For comparison, here is a regular satellite image (from Google Maps) showing the same area:

Maureen Doherty (Editor of the North Reading Transcript) recalls exploring this wooded area as a kid:

“I grew up in the house directly across the street from Parsonage Lane. Except neither Parsonage Lane nor Whittridge Place existed. It was all woods. In fact, we would enter the woods from what is now the parking lot for Trinity Church but back then was an open field with crab apple trees waiting to be climbed! And from there we could follow all of the footpaths throughout the woods on foot, horseback or dirt bike! (We didn't have horses, but had friends who did). And we also would walk on top of the stonewall that began before where you see the end of Parsonage Lane and followed it to the top of the ledge outcropping behind the circular road of the present-day Whittridge Place, which we called "The Cliffs," with our picnic lunches! This was behind the Mugford's house that became the Whittridge Place condos....We entertained ourselves for HOURS on end…Ours was a tactile world filled with fresh air, sunshine & rustling leaves under our feet looking for frogs, toads, salamanders and garden snakes in the swamps... and skating on those swamps in the winter. Picking blueberries & blackberries in the summer, collecting colorful leaves and chestnuts and piles of pine needles to stuff into scarecrows in the fall.”

Maureen’s reminiscences show how personal local history—and the changes to local landscapes over time—can be. Another example of historical changes in local geography can be clearly seen in the LIDAR image below. Can you guess what part of town and what defining geographical feature it shows?

To those who know North Reading like the back of their hand, the triangular town common in the bottom left of the image will look familiar. It is the Historical District.

The Ipswich River is also clearly visible in the bottom right hand corner of the image; its modern-day course can be seen snaking tightly behind the shopping center. But the center of the image shows us two distinct historical paths of the Ipswich River—one smaller oxbow can be seen south of Willow Street, while another much larger oxbow can be seen between Elm and Willow streets. Both are much harder to see on a regular satellite image (see below):

Take a closer look at the northernmost oxbow pond (pictured below), and you can see a few other historical features:

A: Connecting with an old lane that branches off the east side of Haverhill Street, this appears to be a causeway or dam that connects the riverbank to the high ground in the middle of the old Ipswich River oxbow.

B: Linking Willow and Elm streets, this feature appears to be an abandoned lane or right-of-way, perhaps connecting the old Gowing Farm to the river.

C: This area looks like area used for growing cranberries —many of which are marked on old maps of North Reading.

Hopefully you enjoyed exploring ‘Invisible North Reading’ as much as we did. These images are a good reminder that the Society’s efforts to preserve local history and share our insights extend well beyond our collections, properties, and even our individual memories of days gone by. The landscape itself reflects the history of our town—taking the time to explore and interpret it is well worthwhile.