Home

The Friends of Borderland is a non-profit organization formed in 1972, dedicated to preserving and maintaining the Borderland property, the Ames mansion, and the heritage of the Ames family that created the Borderland Estate. We provide for the general public an interesting, informative and fun schedule of events to help them appreciate the natural and cultural resources that are available at Borderland State Park.

Programs begin at the Visitors Center unless otherwise indicated. All parking lots have a $2 parking fee payable at the yellow machine in the Visitor Center parking lot. All dogs must be on a leash. For accessibility information call (508-238-6566). Note: Calendar is subject to change without notice.

Borderland State Park Events 2009

Revised July 1, 2009

Craft Time. Wednesday, July 1, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Park Interpreter and visitors make a craft project. Materials supplied by the park and the Friends of Borderland. $1 donation per child requested. For the young and young at heart. Meet at the Visitor Center. Reasonable accommodations available upon advance request. All children must be accompanied by an adult. $2 per car parking fee. Rain or shine.

Hike to Health. Friday, July 3, 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Join the Park Interpreter for a recreational, four- to five-mile hike along moderately difficult trails. Wear sturdy shoes, bug repellent and bring water. For adults and older children. Meet at the Visitor Center. Reasonable accommodations available upon advance request. All children must be accompanied by an adult. $2 per car parking fee. Rain cancels.

Nature Exploration: Squirrels & Chipmunks

Saturday, July 4, 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Prepare to use sketch pads, binoculars, hand lenses, field or pond nets, and field guides while discovering the natural world of Borderland State Park. This week, learn about squirrels and chipmunks and look for them in the park. For adults and school-age children. Meet at the Visitor Center. Reasonable accommodations available upon advance request. All children must be accompanied by an adult. $2 per car parking fee. Rain cancels.

Ames Mansion Architectural Tour. Saturday, July 4, 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Learn about the history, construction and historic preservation of the 1910 Ames Mansion with the Park Interpreter. For adults and school-age children. Meet in front of mansion. Reasonable accommodations available upon advance request. All children must be accompanied by an adult. $2 per car parking fee. Rain cancels.

Sing into Spring - July 5 (Sunday) at 1 p.m.

Join Tina from Tina’s Tunes and Tales to sing into Spring. Families with young children welcome. Free! Sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Friends of Borderland.

Craft Time. Wednesday, July 8, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Nature Exploration: Dragonflies. Saturday, July 11, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Prepare to use sketch pads, binoculars, hand lenses, field or pond nets, and field guides while discovering the natural world of Borderland State Park. This week, learn about dragonflies. For adults and school-age children. Meet at the Visitor Center. Reasonable accommodations available upon advance request. All children must be accompanied by an adult. $2 per car parking fee. Rain cancels.

Ames Mansion Garden Tour. Saturday, July 11, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Explore the grounds and the exterior of the historic and stately 1910 home of the Ames family with the Borderland Park Interpreter. For adults and school-age children. Meet in front of the mansion. Reasonable accommodations available upon advance request. All children must be accompanied by an adult. $2 per car parking fee. Rain cancels.

Craft Time. Wednesday, July 15, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Park Interpreter and visitors make a craft project. Materials supplied by the park and the Friends of Borderland. $1 donation per child requested. For the young and young at heart. Meet at the Visitor Center. Reasonable accommodations available upon advance request. All children must be accompanied by an adult. $2 per car parking fee. Rain or shine.

Hike to Health. Friday, July 17, 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Join the Park Interpreter for a recreational, four- to five-mile hike along moderately difficult trails. Wear sturdy shoes, bug repellent and bring water. For adults and older children. Meet at the Visitor Center. Reasonable accommodations available upon advance request. All children must be accompanied by an adult. $2 per car parking fee. Rain cancels.

Nature Exploration: Pond Life. Saturday, July 18, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Prepare to use sketch pads, binoculars, hand lenses, field or pond nets, and field guides while discovering the natural world of Borderland State Park. This week, learn about critters that live in ponds. For adults and school-age children. Meet at the Visitor Center. Reasonable accommodations available upon advance request. All children must be accompanied by an adult. $2 per car parking fee. Rain cancels.

Ames Mansion Architectural Tour. Saturday, July 18, 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Learn about the history, construction and historic preservation of the 1910 Ames Mansion with the Park Interpreter. Outdoor tour. For adults and school-age children. Meet in front of mansion. Reasonable accommodations available upon advance request. All children must be accompanied by an adult. $2 per car parking fee. Rain cancels.

Bristol Chamber Orchestra - July 26 (Sunday) (Call for time)

Free summer pops concert on the lawn in front of the Ames Mansion. The Bristol Chamber Orchestra is a virtuoso chamber orchestra including strings, keyboards, woodwinds, brass, and percussion, both acoustic and electronic. Bring a blanket or lawn chair, sunscreen. Call for time.

Meteor Shower Bath - August 12 (Wednesday) 8:30 p.m. to Midnight

Telescopes set up in the mansion field to view the stars, Perseid meteor shower. Astronomers Steve Clougherty and friends present this evening program, park will be open this evening for this event only. Bring a lawn chair or blanket, jacket, bug repellent. Sponsored by Friends of Borderland.

Birds in their Habitats - September 6 (Sunday) at 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Henry Lappen uses masks and comedy to inspire an appreciation and understanding of the ways birds adapt to their environment. Sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Friends of Borderland.

Annual Classic Car Show -September 27 (Sunday) at 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Classic cars built before 1980 shimmer on parade in front of the Ames Mansion! Sponsored by Friends of Borderland. From 11am to 3pm, see the cars free after the usual $2 parking fee. Show your car and have it professionally photographed for a small registration fee. Proceeds from the event assist, promote and protect historical and open space preservation as well as public programming for all to enjoy.

Tennis on the Ames Mansion Court. Daily, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Play tennis on the refurbished court on the back lawn of the Ames Mansion. Bring your own rackets and tennis balls. Park at the Visitor Center, walk to the mansion. Proceed to the right of the mansion and follow the curve of the mansion to the courts. First come, first serve. Free - just come and play! $2 per car parking fee.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The mansion will be closed for tours until August due to ongoing restoration.

What's Up With the Mansion?

The Ames Mansion turns 99 years old this year. Oakes and Blanche Ames hired an architect and then fired him, resulting in a lawsuit which they lost. So Blanche took over the drawing of the plans and overseeing the construction, which took two years.

You may have noticed the Lodge down by Lower Leach Pond is similar in construction.

It was the test for the concrete and mortar. The mansion was the first house in North Easton to have a motor car garage, and had electricity and a coal fired furnace.

So now we face continuing upkeep on the house this year focusing on the south side of the mansion. The past two years the Commonwealth has repaired every window in the mansion, numbering about 100. There have been repairs to the mansion apartment, basement, and garage. This past year work began on the masonry issues and a section of the east side of the house was repaired, as well as plastering and painting inside the mansion on the south side. Most recently the Commonwealth has awarded a contract to begin this spring to replace the roof on the two bay windows on the south side (near the hill) and repair masonry on the enormous chimney near the rock garden. So watch out for the work to begin as soon as the weather warms.

Volunteers are always welcome. If interested please send e-mail to janlcan@yahoo.com .