Von Dy Rowe 1/2 Acre Conservation Area

Across the Tully River from the Cass Meadow Conservation Area is the Von Dy Rowe 1/2 Acre Conservation Area. This hidden gem is located near 401 North Orange Road. 

The remains of a bridge abutment for the 5th Massachusetts Turnpike which crossed the Tully river at this point and passed through the current Cass Meadow Conservation Area connecting Northfield to Leominster. 

"The second branch of the Turnpike leaving Athol was the Northfield Branch which crossed the Millers River at Crescent Street to Fish Street, Pequoig Avenue and Pinedale Avenue where it headed west crossing the conservation area and then the Tully River. On the west bank of the river, the Turnpike ran north past the Sentinel Elm passing through Orange (now North Orange) on Main Street and entering Warwick on Hastings Heights Road. At this point, the original route turned west crossing what is now Gale Road and then northwest through the present-day Arthur Iversen Conservation Area to the Mayo Inn in Warwick Center. The Turnpike left Warwick on Northfield Road and turned onto White Road then into what is now a wooded area where the old Turnpike right-of-way is now used as a portion of the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail. After crossing the border into Northfield, the Turnpike passed through present-day Northfield State Forest emerging onto Warwick Avenue and then turning north on Main Street where the original charter indicates road terminated at the tavern of Captain Elisa Hunt near School Street. Wood indicates, however, this was changed to Houghton's Corner" citation:  Wood, Frederick J.,The Turnpikes of New England (1919)

The area now offers wonderful views of the Tully River, a nice place to picnic or launch your canoe to explore the lower reaches of the Tully River. White-tailed Deer, Beaver, and Muskrats can be found along the river bank. Catbirds, Common Yellowthroat, and Song sparrows frequent the brushy thickets. This is an excellent place to visit during spring and fall migration for a variety of warblers and other songbirds.  

 Parking for 1 or 2 cars is available at the area's entrance.