Hoyt-Hall Preserve History Tour

Eskers

At the end of the Winslow House Trail, keep right to travel counterclockwise around the Main Loop Trail. Throughout your hike, you will notice long, winding ridges that rise out of the ground alongside the paths. These may look like railway embankments, but they are actually eskers, geological features formed by glaciers. The varied topography of Hoyt-Hall Preserve was shaped by the same retreating glacier that carved out the Cape Cod and Islands some 14,000 years ago. On your walk, keep an eye out for other glacial formations, including lowlands, uplands, and depressions. 

Bog Boards

As you hike, take note of the various forms that trails take throughout the preserve. These different approaches to trail management, from footbridges to berms to bare paths, require varying levels of human interference and interact with the local landscape in varying ways. Choosing which approach to take can involve a difficult balancing act of multiple conservation values. In areas that periodically inundate with rainwater, bog boards—planks of wood laid parallel along the trail—can provide visitors with safe, comfortable access without significantly altering the hydrology of the area. By allowing water to flow freely across these paths, bog boards enable local wetlands to retain their habitat value and continue to prevent flooding.

Invasive Plants

Just as cranberry farming once disrupted the natural hydrology of the preserve’s wetlands, landscape disturbance of any kind can fundamentally alter the state of local ecosystems. One of the most common and potentially devastating impacts of human modification of natural areas is the proliferation of invasive plant species. In a native ecosystem, plants spend millions of years co-evolving, resulting in highly specialized relationships upon which the rest of the food web, from insects to raptors to bears, depends for food and shelter. As humans spread farther and faster across the globe, they both intentionally and unintentionally introduce new plants to these intricate systems. While most plants fail to survive when relocated to an unfamiliar environment, a select few possess just the right characteristics to thrive in non-native contexts. The ability to outcompete native plants in disturbed landscapes—such as sides of roads and intensively farmed fields—is a common trait of invasive plant species, as ‘winning’ a place in these unoccupied areas earns them a foothold in the ecosystem and a chance for further spread, with potentially grave repercussions for the native flora and fauna they displace. 

Even if you are not a plant identification expert, spend some time observing the plant assemblages in disturbed areas of the preserve and beyond. Are there plants that you see over and over again in these environments? They might be invasive. If you want to brush up on your plant ID skills or quickly identify plants in the field, smartphone apps like Seek by iNaturalist are an excellent place to start. 

Pictured here alongside the trail is common mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), an invasive perennial forb that is native to Europe and Eastern Asia and has spread throughout the Northeast U.S. as an accidental transport on ships and nurseries. 

Milkweed

Despite the accelerating spread of invasives, native plants are still abundant at Hoyt-Hall Preserve and throughout our region. In fact, take just a few steps down the trail from the common mugwort to find milkweed, a prime example of the ecological importance of native plants. While toxic to many animal species, including humans, this flowering perennial is vital to the monarch butterfly, which lays eggs and feeds larvae exclusively on plants of this genus. This specialized relationship is the subject of conservation efforts across the continent, with concerned scientists and citizens planting milkweed in “butterfly gardens” to promote breeding and pollination. 

Black Locust Trees

A grove of black locust trees also stands along this stretch of trail. This invasive species is often found in abandoned pasture land as an early successional tree.

The Upland Forest

The Hoyt-Hall land was granted to Governor Edward Winslow in 1636 by King Charles I. As settlers followed and families expanded, the property was subdivided. Colonists cleared the old-growth forests for farmland, building material, heating fuel, and shipbuilding, in which oak and pine were prized for sail masts.

Yet as New England industry shifted from farms to factories, the landscape underwent another dramatic transformation. Fields were abandoned, and by 1838, the entire Hoyt-Hall area had reverted to woodlands. Today, white pine and mixed deciduous trees—primarily red oak and red maple—blanket the preserve uplands. While mature, the forest is still relatively young. A wide variety of insects, birds, plants, mammals, and fungi thrive in the canopy and understory. Previously spotted mammals include white-tailed deer, coyotes, squirrels, mice, rabbits, and red foxes. Birders may be treated to Red-tailed Hawks, Wild Turkeys, Blue Jays, and various migratory songbirds. 

Animal Burrows

What creature do you think calls this burrow home? 

Gall on Red Oak

Tree diversity is often expressed at the species level. But it doesn’t take an expert arborist to observe broad variation among individual trees, even of the same kind. On your walk, take note of how individual trees differ in size, shape, color, and condition. What environmental factors might account for these differences?  

You may notice unusual woody growths on the trunks and branches of some trees. These masses, known as galls, are formed by an immune response in the tree to the presence of insects, fungi, or bacteria. While galls themselves are not harmful to trees, they often indicate some kind of disturbance, either past or present, to trees' health. Determining the specific cause of a gall, however, can be nearly impossible. 

Pilgrim Trail

Before European settlers arrived, the Wampanoag Nation lived in villages throughout southeastern New England. Those who spent winters near present-day Lakeville and Middleboro made their summer encampments in the general area of Hoyt-Hall Preserve. Many well-used trails crossed the area; some later became colonial roadways.

One such route is the Pilgrim Trail, which skirts the border of the preserve. Originally a Wampanoag coastal route, this trail led from North Plymouth, along the edge of Plymouth Bay, through present-day Kingston, Duxbury, and Marshfield, and finally to present-day Scituate. In 1637, the Pilgrim Trail became the first court-ordered road in Plymouth Colony—and possibly the entire country. At the time, the Pilgrims knew it as Green’s Harbor Path because it led to Green’s Harbor, an early name for Marshfield. It was eventually widened to accommodate cattle, horses, and carts. For many years during the colonial era, the path was used as a main road between Marshfield and Plymouth. Neighborhood signs mark the trail’s former route. Many sections are still intact and walkable.

Lightning-Struck Tree

Struck by lightning in 2016, this white pine tree provides visitors with a distinctive landmark off the left side of the trail. It may be dead, but it still plays a valuable role in the forest ecosystem as a food, shelter, and nesting resource for diverse bird species, including Pileated Woodpeckers and Black-Capped Chickadees. 

King Phillips Path

Originally used by the Wampanoag People to reach shellfishing grounds at Wharf Creek, King Philips Path once cut through the preserve. It was named after Metacomet, the Wampanoag Chief who adopted the English name “King Philip.” 

Long Tom Pond

Pause your hike near the southernmost point of the Main Loop Trail to take in expansive views of Long Tom Pond. This freshwater pond and marsh ecosystem supports a wide array of both aquatic and terrestrial plant and animal species—possibly including the rare American Bittern. 

Prior to European colonization, this glacially formed pond and its marshes were a continuation of tidal Duxbury Bay. Settlers then built a dam to impound the northern part of the freshwater-fed pond. Later, the construction of Careswell Street isolated both parts from the salty bay, creating the freshwater system that exists today. According to local lore, the name “Long Tom” comes from a Wampanoag who was killed at the site in 1675 while fighting in King Philip’s war. King Philip’s war was fought between European colonists and Native Americans over land rights in 1675-1676.     

Today, this rich historical site serves as a popular spot for birders and other nature enthusiasts. Great Blue Herons, Snowy Egrets, Belted Kingfishers, and Red-tailed Hawks have been known to take advantage of this lush breeding habitat. 

Berm Trail

As you cut across Long Tom Pond along the Main Loop Trail, imagine the pond as it was before European colonization. Where you stand now would have gotten you quite wet then, as this path would not have existed. Settlers built a dam here to separate the pond from the salty Duxbury Bay, creating a freshwater supply for agricultural irrigation. A berm over the dam grants visitors walking access today. How does this trail compare to the bog boards you traversed earlier in terms of impact on the landscape?

Marsh View

Look south (i.e., to your right) along the berm trail for a gorgeous view of Long Tom Pond’s marsh habitat. This section of the pond features a distinct plant composition from the northern section. On this side of the pond, water lilies are replaced by reeds. What other differences do you notice? 

The Town of Marshfield owns and protects a 9-acre parcel adjacent to Hoyt-Hall Preserve that supplies some of the town’s drinking water. Unfortunately, climate change poses unique threats to freshwater resources in our coastal region, as sea level rise can cause saltwater to spill over into these supplies. As we have seen, engineering natural systems to serve our needs often comes with unintended consequences for us and the environment. Therefore, proactively working to avoid the worst climate change scenarios is critical.

Old Careswell Street

Named for Edward Winslow’s ancestral home “Kereswel” in Worcestershire, England, Old Careswell Street was the first connection to Duxbury south of Long Tom Pond. It fell out of use when the road was improved and straightened in the 1930s. Where it diverges from the current Careswell Street, vestiges of the old road can be traced through Hoyt-Hall Preserve. A section of the defunct roadway makes up the raised causeway that runs along the ponds. 

Well

On the eastern edge of Long Tom Pond, a circular stone-lined well reminds visitors of the preserve’s agricultural past. The well was likely built to capture water for irrigation and household use. Groundwater filled the well from below. A windmill uphill from the well then pumped this water into its internal reservoir for final distribution. The stone well kept the water free from mud and debris that could clog the pump. (See our next stop to learn more about the windmill.) 

Old Windmill Site

Just up the hill from the well, ruins of a wooden windmill (often obscured from the trail by trees) offer clues about the irrigation methods of the old farm. Water from the well was likely pumped up the hill into the rectangular reservoir inside the structure and distributed from there. Situated on the highest point of the slope, the windmill would have been ideally positioned to catch the prevailing winds. The pump was originally powered by wind and later by electricity. Windmills were once common in Massachusetts. Although most were utilized for milling grain, a number of them, especially on Cape Cod, were put to work pumping water.