♪ TED: THEY LIE LESS THAN A MILE
OFFSHORE.
NOT EXACTLY BECKONING, THOUGH.
NOT WITH A NAME LIKE MISERY.
>> HOW YOU DOING?
TED: BUT THAT’S WHERE WE WERE HEADED, IN SALEM SOUND, ONLY
HALF A MILE OFF BEVERLY, THEY ARE THE MISERY ISLANDS, GREAT
AND LITTLE.
I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS.
I’VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY CURIOUS.
STORIES OF SHIPWRECK, FIRE, A LOST GOLF COURSE, ALL OF WHICH
HAS MADE GREAT MISERY ISLAND MORE ABOUT GREAT MYSTERY.
AND NOW GREAT MISERY WAS LOOMING UP, THANKS TO SH HERITAGE,
THINGS TO THE ONLY PUBLIC BOAT ACCESS, WE PUT IN ON THE WIDE
EMPTY BEACH, THIS SUNNY DAY A FAR CRY FROM WHAT BEFELL AN
EARLIER VISITOR.
>> 1629, ROBERT MULLEN CAME OUT HERE TO CUT WOOD.
AN EARLY SNOWSTORM CAME AND HE WAS STUCK HERE FOR THREE DAYS.
IT WAS KNOWN AS MULLINS MISERY HAND WAS SHORTENED TO MISERY
ISLAND.
TED: A BOSTON BUSINESS GROUP IN THE EARLY 1900S BUILT A RESORT
HERE COMPLETE WITH A GOLF COURSE, PRIVATE COTTAGES, AND A
CASINO.
RUINS REMAIN TODAY, LIKE THE WALL FROM A SALTWATER SWIMMING
POOL, THE CASINO ITSELF, AND MASSIVE SUPPORTS FOR A GIANT
WATER TOWER.
BY THE LATE 1920’S A FIRE AND A GREAT DEPRESSION PUT AN END TO
THE MISERY ISLAND CLUB.
>> THEY TRIED TO CALL IT MYSTERY ISLAND.
TED: A BIG IMPROVEMENT TO A PROMOTION PERSON.
>> I AGREE.
[LAUGHTER] TED: 83 UNSPOILED ACRES AND TWO
MILES OF TRAILS, ALL PROPERTY NOW OF THE TRUSTEE OF
RESERVATIONS.
>> IT’S INCREDIBLY BUCOLIC AND RESTFUL.
YOU CAN WALK THE TRAIL, EXPERIENCE ASPEN GROVES, AND
THEN AN UNBELIEVABLE LANDSCAPE IS JUST REVEALED OFF THE COAST
LINE.
IT’S REALLY VERY SPECIAL.
TED: BUT IT MIGHT HAVE ALL BEEN LOST.
TWICE.
THE FIRST TIME ONLY DECADES AGO.
>> IN 1935 THEY PROPOSED AN OIL TANK FARM THAT WOULD HAVE STORED
12 MILLION GALLONS OF OI HERE ON THE ISLAND.
TED: WHAT COULD GO WRONG ON MISERY ISLAND?
[LAUGHTER] >> AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, NEIGHBORS
BANDED TOGETHER AND RAISED THE MONEY FOR THE ISLAND AND DONATED
IT TO THE TRUSTEES AT THAT TIME.
TED: THE TRUSTEES FENDED OFF A SECOND THREAT IN 1998, A HIDDEN
GEM FOR THE FUTURE.
>> WE ARE SO FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO STEWARD SOME OF THESE
ICONIC PROPERTIES IN THIS ONE HAS A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING.
TED: INCLUDING MYSTERY.
SOME MYSTERIES, IT SHOULD BE NOTED, CAN BE FOUND CLOSER TO
HOME.
FOR YEARS I HAVE BEEN DRIVING BY THIS GOLF COURSE AND WONDERED
WHAT THE HECK IS THAT.
>> IT’S A GREAT TOPIC OF CONVERSATION.
GOLFERS ARE ASKING.
PEOPLE WRITING BY MIGHT SAY, WHAT’S WITH THE STONE?
DO YOU KNOW WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED THERE?
TED: MAYBE.
IT REARS UP NEAR THE 17TH HOLE AT THE HOLLISTON PINECREST GOLF
COURSE.
NEEDLESS TO SAY, AND ON PLACE FOR A HUGE STONE -- AN ODD PLACE
FOR A HUGE STONE MOUND.
>> PEOPLE SAY MAYBE INDIAN BURIAL GROUND, MARKER FOR
SPACESHIPS, GUNPOWDER CASH FOR THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
TED: YOU ARE NOT BUYING THAT?
>> I WOULD GO WITH EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS.
TED: ACCOUNTS RECORD A NEIGHBORING FARMER BRINGING
ROCKS FROM THE FIELD HERE AND IT HAS GROWN EVER SINCE.
>> EVEN NOWADAYS THE FAIRWAY KEEPS BRINGING UP STONE.
TED: THIS HAS BEEN ADDED TO?
>> YES.
TED: FOR THEIR PART, THEY DON’T SEEM TO MIND THE MOUND TO THE
LEFT.
DO YOU EVER HIT THIS THING QUESTION MARK >> KNOW, MY
NATURAL SHOT SHAPE IS TOWARDS THE RIGHT.
TED: SO YOU JUST YOU -- LOSE THEM IN THE WOODS.
IS THIS THE ODDEST THING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN ON A GREEN?
>> YEAH, IT’S MAN-MADE.
WE HAVE ALL SPECULATED WHAT IN THE WORLD DID THEY HAVE IN THEIR
MIND WHEN THEY BUILT THIS.
TED: CLEARLY NOT A GOLF COURSE.
IT’S TOO BIG AND TOO COSTLY TO MOVE NOW.
BESIDES, SPECULATING IS MORE FUN THAN FACT.
CAN YOU DISCOUNT.
THAT ALIENS DROPPED IT HERE?
>> I WOULDN’T DISCOUNT THAT, ALIENS DO AMAZING THINGS.
TED: IT IS PERFECTLY ROUND AND 17 EET HIGH ON THE 17TH HOLE.
JUST SAYING.
ANTHONY: AND AS TED SAID, YOU’LL FIND THE CURIOUS ROCK MOUND ON
THE 17TH HOLE OF HOLLISTON’S PINECREST GOLF COURSE, WHICH
OPENS FOR THE SEASON MARCH 27.
YOU’LL NEED MORE THAN A GOLF CART, HOWEVER, TO REACH GREAT
MISERY ISLAN YOU WILL NEED A BOAT.
HOWEVER, ESSEX HERITAGE IS NOT OFFERING PUBLIC TOURS OF MISERY
ISLAND THIS SUMMER.
THEY ARE OFFERING PRIVATE CHARTERS FOR THOSE WHO ARE
INTERESTED.
WE WILL POST THAT INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE.
UP