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Date: 7/25/2022
WORCESTER – Located in the middle of Massachusetts, Worcester is known as the Heart of the Commonwealth. It is also my hometown. From space and science at the Ecotarium, to the second largest arms and armor collection in the country at the Worcester Art Museum and the plethora of public parks, Worcester has something for everyone.
That said, growing up there does not mean that I am familiar with all the city’s offerings. I decided to return to the city of my childhood to visit some of the sites I had somehow missed.
Salisbury Mansion
For those interested in history and architecture, Salisbury Mansion offers a stroll through the 1830s home of an influential Massachusetts family. Built in 1772 by Stephen Salisbury I, Salisbury Mansion is a Georgian-style home that was extravagant for the rural town Worcester was at the time. Now located at 40 Highland St., it was originally part of a compound of buildings in what is now Lincoln Square. Salisbury purchased land from John Hancock in 1767 for farming and to open a branch of the family’s store.
Two-thirds of the mansion was originally the store, while the rest of the building, including the second floor, were living areas. The store was closed, and the home remodeled in 1813, with walls erected and a main stairway installed in the entry. The museum’s docents walk visitors through the home’s rooms and point out the details of 19th-century life. The mansion displays some of the original furniture, embellished with detailed wood carvings, as well as reproduction wallpaper and hand-sewn carpeting.
The property was handed down from Salisbury to his son, Stephen Salisbury II, and then to grandson Stephen Salisbury III. The Salisburys invested in real estate, railroads and the Blackstone Canal. When Salisbury I died in 1829, his estate was valued at $1 million. In today’s dollars, it would be worth over $32 million.
The two subsequent generations of Salisburys spent their energy and fortunes as civic, cultural and political leaders in Worcester, overseeing the transformation from a rural town to an industrial city.
Portions of the estate were sold over the years. Eventually, the city wanted to sell the land, but preserve the buildings. To accomplish this, the mansion, a building that stored dry goods and an 1830s-era building constructed by Salisbury II were moved up the hill to their current location on Highland Street.
During the months of July and August, there is free admission to Sailsbury Mansion. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and open every fourth Thursday until 8:30 p.m.
Bancroft Tower
It is hard to escape the Salisbury name in Worcester. In addition to the manor, there is a street and a pond named for the family. Then, there is the castle-style tower built by one.
Built in 1900, Bancroft Tower was created by Salisbury III as a monument to Worcester native and former Secretary of the Navy George Bancroft, who founded the naval academy in Annapolis, MD, and was a U.S. minister to Great Britain and Germany.
A short drive up a winding hill just off Park Avenue, one of the city’s busiest arteries, the monument suddenly appears through the trees. The 56-foot-high stone structure sits atop Prospect Hill in Salisbury Park. It is meant to resemble a feudal castle, with its rounded tower, arch and crenellated parapet.
An inlaid piece of granite on the path at the front of the tower, and another at the rear, feature arrows pointing to seven of the famous hills around Worcester – Crow Hill, Dorothy Hill, Pakachoag Hill, Dead Horse Hill, Asnebumskit Hill, Airport Hill and Green Hill – as well as Mount Wachusett and Indian Lake.
The tower, which used to be accessible via an interior staircase, is locked with an iron gate for 11 months of the year to prevent vandalism. On Sundays in October, the tower is open for visitors to explore and take in 360-degree views of Worcester adorned in its fall foliage.
Wormtown Brewery
After seeing historical sites and spending time outdoors, visitors can head to one of Worcester’s half-dozen breweries.
One such destination, Wormtown Brewery at 72 Shrewsbury St., adopted Worcester’s nickname as its moniker. The name was given to the city by a local disc jockey who found the punk scene of the 1970s to be for the worms. It’s also thought of as a spin on Boston’s pet name, Beantown. The brewery leans into its Massachusetts home, too, with beer names like Mass Whole, Blizzard of ’78 and Diner Car, which references the Miss Worcester train car diner. There is also a line of beer based on Worcester-headquartered Table Talk pie flavors.
Aside from beer, the brewery also has a line of hard seltzers and a menu of pub-style food items, including poutine, tacos, chicken tenders and steak fries. Wormtown Brewery’s full selection and menu can be found at https://wormtownbrewery.com.
As with most breweries in the city, Wormtown Brewery offers a relaxed atmosphere. Patrons can sit at counters in the small taproom, or outside on the covered patio. The brewery encourages customers to stay a while by offering board games and even a jumbo Jenga set to use while talking in the bright yellow-cushioned seating area.
What a way to end a day in the Woo.