the blue hill observatory

Thoroughly enjoyed a visit to this observatory with in depth tour. The tour included a couple of videos that originally aired on local tv. Then a great explanation by tour guide of the when's and how's of what is accomplished while touring the facility. Did you know this is the oldest continuously operating weather observatory in the Western Hemisphere?!?! And they are using some equipment in use since 1885 that still works perfectly!!! And the view from the top of the building's turret is awesome. On the day we were there we could see about 65 miles. The quarters are tight and not suitable for large group tours. To me, that is a plus. Also the physical presentation needs mega improvement. But then the lack of slickness kind of makes it real, they are working, not entertaining.

We had a great time on our adventure to The Blue Hill Observatory and Science Center. The Observatory is a mile walk uphill. You can either walk on a road or on one of many trails through the woods. We took the "in-depth" tour of the observatory and it was very interesting and educational. The staff was knowledgeable and friendly. We had a fairly clear day and could see as far as NH and Providence RI from the roof. It was a great adventure!

This place is just 12 miles from Boston, but it seems like a world away. The tower is on a ski resort, so when I say it's an up hill walk, it really is. We parked in the ski resort's parking lot and took the "red dot" trail up the hill. It was a tough walk over boulders and tree roots, but it's clean and well marked. What we didn't know was that there is a road to the top. It is not accessible by car, but you wouldn't have to climb over any of the boulders if you take that route. The tower itself is very interesting. It was founded in 1885 and has been in use ever since. There is even a barometer that has been working since the 1880's and is still accurate. They measure wind, temperatures, barometric pressure, precipitation and anything else that has to do with the weather. There is a fee for the tower, but it is very interesting.