When in Worcester, this is one of those 'Roadside America' type stops you can make. Bancroft Tower…read morea giant 'folly' built to look like a castle. Located at the top of a steep hill, in a neighborhood, it's a pretty impressive site. There was snow on the ground when we visited and the pathways are not shoveled so if you go in winter, wear appropriate footwear. I'm not sure when the gates are unlocked to climb to the top, but there is a staircase and I bet the views from the top are stunning. A small parking area is across the street from the structure. A small sign limits parking to one hour and there is one trash can should you need it. There is also a sign that appears to be at a trailhead but with all the snow it's hard to tell. One word of caution: when we arrived there was one car in the parking area with two persons inside. When we got out of our car they got out of theirs. We walked toward the folly. They walked toward our vehicle. I took photos, but remained near the parking lot because suede shoes and snow do not make a good combination. After taking my photos, I turned around, they were just standing next to my car. As I stared at them, they turned and looked over the edge of the lot down the hill. I walked down the road a piece to get a different angle of the structure and always had my vehicle in view. They eventually got back in their car and drove away without visiting the folly or really even looking at it. After they left I walked over to see if there was anything they could actually be looking at down the hill and no, it was someone's home and a wooded hillside. Nothing there to attract attention. Just a situational awareness 'head up' to visitors. Otherwise, the folly really is lovely and it was decorated for the holidays too. It was a quick visit overall and we were on to the next stop. In summer it might make a good spot to family photos and perhaps a picnic if you bring a blanket to sit on.

A beautifully preserved piece of history! I would've liked to see a bit more information on a…read moreplaque to learn more about it, but it was still very beautiful! I'm very happy I went here, it's one of those things you stop for a few minutes just to stare at and then carry on with your drive. Not much to look at and it wasn't open to walk inside, but it's super admirable how well kept it is!! I'd love to come hang out here again

I visited this station for it's historical significance. Although not the original station (built…read morein 1875 ) in town, this building was completed in 1911 for the Boston & Albany Railroad. At it's peak, 140 trains were making there way through this station, daily. Over the years it has served a variety of railroads and switched hands multiple times. As routes were moved away from Worcester, ridership decreased and in 1972 Amtrak boarded up the building and began to use a much smaller brick building nearby as it's station. By 1992 a group of locals began efforts to rehab the old station to it's original beauty. After several years of effort and planning, during which the building was purchased by the Commonwealth of MA, the building finally began restoration and in 2000 the building reopened to railway passengers. A small part of the station is set aside for rail passengers. Here you'll find a map of commuter rails and a MBTA ticket kiosk. There is no Amtrak customer service available here. You can purchase Amtrak tickets originating at this station through their web site. There is a small waiting area, a Worcester public library book vending machine, a police substation and a QR code that will link you to a walking tour of the Blackstone canal area. There is an elevator up to the platform level and ramps down to the bus level. Three vending machines are available for snacks and beverages. Public restrooms are older but clean enough as public restrooms go. The main part of the building is a beautiful vaulted hall that can be rented out for private events. This area is closed off during event and open to the public when not in use. There are also two dining areas off this main hall and a parking garage next door. The official website has information about renting the event space. Another example of the beautiful historic architecture you will find in this historic city.

I have been going by this train depot my entire life ...like 100's of thousands of times. I lived…read moreright up the street for a few years in my childhood and most of my life it was boarded up and in disrepair. About 20 years ago they decided to remodel it and spent millions of dollars to renovate it and bring it back to its glory. Every time we would drive by I wondered what it looked like inside and think that I needed to check it out someday. So a few days ago as we drove by my husband said "do you want to stop and check out Union Station?" YES!!!! There is a parking garage directly behind it with easy access into the station. The station is HUGE (well, not as big as the NYC!) and we walked throughout checking everything out. The station was pretty quiet on a Saturday afternoon and everything was closed (restaurants, coffee shop, police station etc), there was just a handful of people either waiting on a train or bus. The architecture was absolutely beautiful as most buildings built in this era were. I have no idea how well the ticketing and schedules work, but it is definitely a beautiful building worth checking out.

It's just a single monument but it's history. If you don't…read moreknow it's there you will miss it.

"We could of been perfect If you let it"…read more(Lady Gaga) "Perfect". It's a word we hear all the time, but what exactly does "perfect" mean? Doesn't every "perfect" thing have some tiny room for improvement? If only there was a way to measure perfection, to define absolute perfection. In the world of baseball, there is such a thing, and it's called a "Perfect Game". Twenty-seven batters come to the plate, and twenty-seven batters return to the dugout. No one reaches base. Not one. It has happened just 23 times in Major League History. The first time it happened is commemorated on this monument. It happened on June 12, 1880 when pitcher Lee Richmond of the Worcester Worcesters (or Brown Stockings or Ruby Legs, depending on your source) retired twenty-seven consecutive Cleveland Blues batters. It's a simple gray granite monument located at the center quadrangle at Becker College, the former location of a stadium on the old Worcester Agricultural Fairgrounds. There is an etching of a baseball diamond on the top, with an inscription below. The inscription reads "On June 12, 1880, the first perfect game in professional baseball history was pitched on this site (the former Worcester Agricultural Fairgrounds) by J. Lee Richmond of Worcester against Cleveland in a National League game." Perfection indeed...

I had two prints I wanted framed but had no idea where to start. Norman was SUCH a huge help and…read moredid an amazing job. Can't recommend this place enough!

Store clean and everybody is masked. Free disposable gloves if you want to take a closer look at…read moreall the treasures. Christine Ringdahl helped me match colors. My wife loved her anniversary tokens.

"Coffee cups on the counter, jackets on the chair Papers on…read morethe doorstep, you're not there Everything is everything But you're missing" (Bruce Springsteen) This is my 36th blog post of a memorial dedicated to that terrible day. This pentagonal memorial was dedicated in May 2017. You'll see the distinctive steel beam salvaged from the World Trade Center rubble as you drive down Route 135 just outside of Westborough Fire Headquarters. The seven foot tall piece of steel steel is ringed by five engraved stones that each tell a chapter of the day's terrorist attacks. "Our First Line of Defense" Dedicated to the First Responders in NYC, Washington DC, and Shanksville, PA "We Will Never Forget" Brief description of the two flights that left Boston and crashed into the Towers in NYC. "Washington D.C. Under Attack" -The attack on the Pentagon that claimed 125 lives. "Westborough's Loss" Dedicated to the town's two victims when their plane crashed into the North Tower. They were en route to Los Angeles on a business trip. "Let's Roll -Dedicated to the heroic passengers who perished when they stood up to the hijackers before their flight crashed in Shanksville, PA. I always get choked up when I view these landmarks, look at the imagery, read the heart wrenching inscriptions, and remember the horror of that terrible day over 20 years ago. It was no different for me today.