Greater Easthaven

Outside of the city, reaching into the suburbs and the immediate area around, there are several sights to see. There is limited public transport access, primarily using busses while the subway stops at UMass Easthaven.

Named Locations

Forum Industrial Park

Declining industrial area. Empty warehouses or big box stores. People go to the Forum looking for the miscellaneous things you can't find in the city's small stores, and they don't want to brave the crowds of Kingslane.

UMass Easthaven

UMass Easthaven, part of the University of Massachusetts university system, can be found on the peninsula outside of town. The subway line has its last stop here, and to go any further along the peninsula, you need to take the bus or walk. The university itself is a collection of buildings and looks like a typical public university. The university library, Billingham Library, is connected to the inter-library loan system and provides students with everything they need. Of course, anything wanting something exotic might have to go to Aston Public Library. There is also on-campus housing for students.

Easthaven Lighthouse

On a clear day, Easthaven Lighthouse can be seen across the bay, a silent watchman that's been there since before Easthaven was a city. Sitting on the point of a barrier peninsula, it has a long history of safely guiding ships through storms and the pitch-black darkness, but it hasn't always been a boon. There are stories of the lighthouse going dark, the keeper having disappeared. The bodies of a few keepers were found floating in the harbour, but some vanished without a trace. Even today, with the light retrofitted to be powered by electricity, there are days where it simply won't work, even when everything's in working order. It's the rats in the walls, obviously. There's a commonly observed visual trick on foggy days where some imagine they see the shapes of tall ships passing by the barrier peninsula's point.

Fort Aston

Built before the American Revolution, Fort Aston was a smaller British fort that guarded Easthaven's bay until the Patriots overran it and wiped out the garrison. The bastion fort, shaped like a star, has been well maintained through the centuries and is an active tourist spot, but it is also known to have a grim past and grimmer stories connected to it. On some nights, one might imagine one can hear the old battle songs of both the British and American troops, the whole area unsettling and dark.

Northrop National Park

Northrop National Park, named after the famous transcendentalist author who used to call the area home, is a sprawling expanse of woodlands and mountains, with a few small lakes and little waterfalls. A river cuts through the area, making it a beautiful hiking area. There are hiking trails suitable for beginners and more experienced hikers, clearly marked if you follow the paths. Some are interspersed with information boards about the area, the transcendentalist movement and the local author William Northrop, who mostly enjoys local fame centuries after his death.

Northrop Hot Springs

The best-kept secret of Northrop National Park is the hot springs located higher up the mountains. It's a protected area, important for the local ecology, and incredibly dangerous if someone steps into the superheated pools found around the centre of the source of the water. There are plenty of warnings posted around, clearly informing wayward hikers to watch their step or be boiled alive. However, the pools furthest from the hottest spots provide comfortably heated water, with steam billowing upwards and making it a good spot for a dip both in the summer and winter.

Northrop Botanical Gardens

Between the city and the national park are the Northrop Botanical Gardens, a large compound dedicated to the area's flora and fauna and more exotic collections. The greenhouses, shade houses, and herb gardens are supplemented with educational displays and art exhibitions. The butterfly dome is a sight to behold as well. The entire area is artfully laid out and carefully maintained.

Stoddard Stables

Stoddard Stables is a large but old stable with modern attitudes; the buildings are well maintained and range from modern architecture to the 19th century. The oldest buildings are the stables, while the riding hall and other facilities are updated and modern. It serves both private customers and hosts a riding school, offering classes and horse rentals for people who want to hike in Northrop National Park. The stable itself covers a large area, separated into two campuses. One serves privately stabled horses of both professional riders and hobbyists, while the other is dedicated to the horses owned by the riding school and their facilities, although both are within walking distance of each other. Around the stables they have inside and outside arenas that can be equipped for most equestrian disciplines

Easthaven Downs

The local racetrack, Easthaven Downs, has a long history of making and ruining lives. The draw is often the gambling, with a few special events that can pull in a modest crowd during the year. They do flat races and steeplechase. It's a hot spot for racing enthusiasts and gamblers, but it's a common spot for protests for animal welfare activists.

McCoy Apple Orchards

The McCoy Apple Orchards are a loved establishment in the Easthaven area. A pillar of the community among the farmers is known for encouraging local business and luring willing customers to the countryside with clever marketing. Each autumn, they open up for visitors to come to pick apples and enjoy some hot cider, making a whole event of it. They also host the yearly harvest festival.

McCoy Farmer's Market

Close to the apple orchard is the gravel parking lot that's the home of the farmer's market each Sunday. On every other day, it's simply a bare patch of gravel, primarily used as guest parking for the apple orchard. On Sundays, it's teeming with activity, trucks and vans arranged in an organised fashion with tables weighted down with their selection of produce. They have tents to keep the sun or rain off on hot days and rainy days.

Pebbleway Cove

Pebbleway Cove is a rocky beach north along Easthaven's coast. It's an idyllic little strip of coastline that takes a tremendous battering during local storms. Because of this, it's usually strewn with debris from the sea, both ancient and modern. The occasional whale beaches itself, with one having died and been left to rot quite a few years ago. The remnants of its skeleton can still be seen on the far end of Pebbleway Cove.

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