Friends of Pine Hawk - November Schedule

Please join the Friends of Pine Hawk for more talks, walks and community events as we celebrate National Native American Heritage Month (November). 

Ceremonial Landscapes and the Algonquian Calendar

Thursday, November 5, 7 PM at the Acton Memorial Library

Ceremonial Landscapes mark key events such as annual fish-runs, planting and harvesting corn, storytelling, and maple syrup gathering. The nighttime sky's celestial patterns are encoded in stone features. Cathy Taylor, a former member of the Upton Historical Commission, will talk about these features.

 

Community Service Day at Nashoba Brook Conservation Land

Sunday, November 8, 1-3 PM, in person

Help us remove invasive plant species and clean up the trail at Nashoba Brook Conservation Land. Local Scout troops are also invited to join. The Town of Acton will supply all tools needed. There will also be an optional brunch beforehand at 11:30 AM. Event details are emailed to registrants a few days before.  Limited to ages 13+.

 

The Algonquin Atlantic

Tuesday, November 10, 7 PM at the Acton Memorial Library

Ted Timreck will present the early phase of a research project which will highlight new developments in the discovery of Native American Ceremonial Landscapes in the Northeast. Rather than offering definitive conclusions, he will present multiple lines of evidence that suggest promising directions for further investigation.

 

Fish Weir Creation Event at NARA Park

Sunday, November 15, 1-3 PM, in person

Come to NARA Park in North Acton with the whole family and participate in building a fish weir, a fence-like structure of intertwined wood and brush used by early Native American people to catch fish. The activity will be led by Ian Bergemann, Acton’s Open Space & Trails Manager, with guidance from Strong Bear Medicine of the local Nashoba Praying Indian tribe and Littleton historian Dan Boudillion. Details will be emailed to registrants. All ages welcome with adult supervision. 

 

Boxborough’s Beaver Brook Valley Preserve (Esker) Presentation

Saturday, November 21, 10-11 AM, a talk at the Boxborough Sargent Memorial Library

The presentations will describe some of Boxborough's pre-history and provide helpful context for those who also sign up for the George Krusen Memorial Boxborough Esker walk at 1PM later (below). Geologist Britt Argow will discuss how the local landscape developed over millions of years. Historian and author Brent Ranalli will provide an overview of the local Native American cultural history - especially the critical contact period. Rita Grossman, the Boxborough Conservation Trust's president, will note how George Krusen's efforts were key to protecting this significant geological feature from being fully excavated for gravel to build I-495.

 

George Krusen Memorial Beaver Brook Valley Preserve (Esker) Walk on the trail on the Boxborough’s Esker, Saturday, November 21, 12:45- 2:30 PM,  WAITLIST ONLY

 

All programs are free but require registration. If you haven’t signed up yet, you can register here.

The full Friends of Pine Hawk 2026 Fall Programs are available on our website, and a printable copy of the program descriptions is here.   

The Friends of Pine Hawk 2026 Programs are presented with support from Acton Memorial Library and Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area.

Happy Halloween

Student finds rock piles in Wilmot NH

Reader James O writes:

I have been leveraging my influence as a high school teacher to get the youth out looking at rocks. One student of mine has been investigating stonewalls in New Hampshire. I was quite excited when he came into class today with these photos and asked me what the yankee farmers had been doing here.

Good question! I was amazed to see forms so similar to what I have been observing out in Leominster. I’m seeing what look like hollows in these mounds. Perhaps unsurprisingly, he reported (without my prompting) that they were located near a wet area (perhaps near some springs?) way out in the woods.

I’m curious if others have seen similar things up in NH, I don’t hear too much chatter about that state in the Rockpiles™️ world.

Indigenous Stone Serpent (Woodbridge CT)

 

"In discovering evidence of the past, we often find things in the oddest of places. This is the situation with what appears to be a stone serpent created by Native Americans...The serpent (large stone head about 6 feet in length with approximately a 125-foot tail) faces south, perpendicular to the river, which is typical of ceremonial stonework of the indigenous culture throughout New England. The tail, which looks like a normal but low stone wall, runs up the hill, ending with a yellowish-white stone sitting on top. The tail stone is a mystery, but the rest matches the description of many Connecticut serpent effigies in the State. The straight body/tail, the uphill run, and the facing towards water are all in line with other known Native American works in the region. Note that there are no other “stone walls” in the area; therefore, it is an unlikely field divider."

https://www.woodbridgehistory.org/indigenousserpent/

NEARA field trip to Peppercorn Hill - Oct 24

Peppercorn Hill was once marked as an "Indian Establishment" on a map from the 1800's. There are many stone groupings and other features to explore in the landscape. The walk will be led by Cathy Taylor, an Upton resident, who for over 25 years has been studying ceremonial earth and stone sites identified by Tribal Historic Preservation Officers. This will be a 2-hour, level walking hike. Please wear suitable clothing. The walk is free, but pre-registration is required. Details will be emailed to registrants a few days in advance. Limited to 15, all ages welcome with adult supervision. (Details for email: Peppercorn Hill, Taft St. open space parking lot.  (around 97 Taft St.)

Saturday, October 24, 10 AM – Noon, Upton, Massachusetts walk, in person only

Delisting the Bears Ear National Monument in Utah

An important story for lovers of the desert southwest: The REAL Reason Trump Is Gutting National Monuments in Utah

Notice the drill holes in this screengrab? [right click and open in separate tab to enlarge]

Now THAT is an arrowhead

Ground slate spearpoint from a melting Norwegian Glacier:

In an Exciting but ‘Brutal’ Find, a 5,000-Year-Old Arrow Emerges From Norway’s Rapidly Melting Mountain Ice

2026 Friends of Pine Hawk Fall Program begins Oct. 15

 

Every year the Friends of Pine Hawk hosts a Fall Program of walks, talks and community events during October (Massachusetts Archaeology Month) and November (National Native American Heritage Month).  

The full program and descriptions of this year's terrific lineup are on our website, and a printable copy of the program descriptions is here. 

All the programs are free but require registration. 

Please email questions to friends.of.pinehawk@gmail.com.

The Friends of Pine Hawk 2026 Programs are presented with support from Acton Memorial Library and Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area.

NEARA Conference

You're invited to the upcoming NEARA conference in North Kingston, RI, with a suggested lunch on Saturday, and a biennial ESRARA conference in Ohio, with a new communications app for the MA Chapter.

Note

• Attend the ESRARA biennial conference in Ohio.
• Consider attending the NEARA conference in North Kingston, RI.
• Explore and share ideas/plans for the fall chapter field trip.
• See: https://neara.org/conferences/2026-11-13.html