A Personal Tour of History and Mystery in New England - Atlas Obscura Lists
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A Personal Tour of History and Mystery in New England

How one of our most dedicated contributors finds wonder right around the corner.

by Jonathan Carey, Senior Associate Editor, Places
6 Places

Atlas Obscura would not be possible without the work of our dedicated community, who help us add more wondrous places to the site every day. We want to give some of our most active contributors a chance to share collections of some of their favorite entries, and tell us all a little more about themselves.

Despite living in New England for over 25 years, Josh Woolstenhulme, or @TheDiscoveryService, was born on the other side of the world in Tokyo, Japan. “Ever since an early age I’ve had a fascination with history, the peculiar, and the unknown,” he says “It didn’t take long after moving here for me to realize Massachusetts had plenty of each kind.” 

Woolstenhulme is an avid traveler, always on the hunt for his next adventure, from perusing castles across Europe, to going on safari in Kenya, to venturing to the edges of the Arctic. “The thrill of seeing and learning about new places in addition to sharing my experiences and knowledge with others is something that gives me tremendous enjoyment,” he says. 

Woolstenhulme first got involved with Atlas Obscura in 2021. “I had heard of the site before, but only had a passing familiarity. However, due to the pandemic and international travel to many countries either being extremely restricted or impossible, I decided to start exploring my local community and see what interesting and unique things I might discover,” he says. “Almost immediately, I was overwhelmed by the amount of obscure and fascinating locations in Massachusetts.”

After seeing the various weird and obscure locations we already had listed nearby, Woolstenhulme decided to dig deeper to see what other hidden wonders he could unearth across central Massachusetts. “I searched for areas that had connections to the U.S. and world history, alongside unusual or strange places such as allegedly paranormal locations.” Check out this collection of curious wonders added by @TheDiscoveryService. 

Ashland, Massachusetts

Stone's Public House

“This is actually the first place I added to Atlas Obscura. It’s located in the town of Ashland, very close to where I live, and is well known among locals for being allegedly haunted. It’s also filled with lots of history and I was a bit surprised it wasn’t listed, so I decided to add it myself.”
TheDiscoveryService Added by TheDiscoveryService
Natick, Massachusetts

Henry Wilson Shoe Shop

“Driving around town over the years I’ve seen this small red building numerous times, but I never really paid close attention to it until I began seeing Atlas Obscura locations. It once belonged to 18th Vice President, Henry Wilson, who made shoes at the shop in his youth, and much of the original machinery is still on display inside. Wilson was a very prominent politician in mid-19th-century America and played a large role during both the American Civil War and the Reconstruction era.”
TheDiscoveryService Added by TheDiscoveryService
Ashland, Massachusetts

The Devil's Den

“I discovered this location on Google Maps by accident. I was browsing the site for something else in my area when I noticed this unusual marker on the map. The name definitely got my attention and after doing a bit of research, I learned it’s the name of a small cave that early colonial settlers believed to be the home of the devil himself. It was quite a small adventure trying to find the exact location, and I’m glad many people are interested in visiting it.”
TheDiscoveryService Added by TheDiscoveryService
Hopkinton, Massachusetts

'Spirit of the Marathon'

“This is another location I discovered by accident, while visiting a nursery in Hopkinton. The Boston Marathon is the oldest marathon event in the United States, starting back in 1897, and the statue is dedicated to the 1946 winner, Stylanios Kyriakides. He was a veteran of World War II, fighting for the Greek Resistance, and he ran to raise awareness for the ongoing Greek Civil War at the time.”
TheDiscoveryService Added by TheDiscoveryService
Auburn, Massachusetts

Goddard Rocket Launching Site

“I discovered this location while looking up various places designated as National Historic Landmarks. It’s a fairly unassuming-looking obelisk right next to a golf course, but it holds considerable significance, as it was the testing site of the first liquid-fueled rocket. All other rockets before were propelled by gunpowder, and this one paved the way for the kind that took humanity into space.”
TheDiscoveryService Added by TheDiscoveryService
Framingham, Massachusetts

Grave of Peter Salem

“I live in Framingham, roughly 25 miles west of Boston, and I noticed not a single location from there was initially listed on Atlas Obscura. However, a friend told me she witnessed a Revolutionary War–style ceremony at a local cemetery, and after doing some research, I learned Peter Salem was buried there. An African-American soldier born in Framingham, he participated in several crucial battles, including Bunker Hill.”
TheDiscoveryService Added by TheDiscoveryService