Grave/memorial marker on Pleasant Mountain

[csprague]

A friend of mine climbed Pleasant Mountain via the Ledges trail on Saturday, and when we were discussing it I asked her if she'd noticed the grave marker at the first set of ledges. She had, but like me, had some questions. Sorry if I have no picture or few details right now, but perhaps other people can fill in some details, and hopefully, provide some backstory as I've been completely unable to uncover anything in Google.

First of all, the name escapes me, but I vaguely remember it saying something like "Arlynd" or "Arlyndie" or something like that.

Second of all, the years. They are inscribed as 2-digits, I believe '54 - '92. The font looks 19th century, but the fact that it's wood would lead me to believe that it's much more recent, as I don't think wood would last 118 years up there.

So was someone buried up there in 1892/1992, or is it just a commemorative marker of some kind, perhaps to someone who leapt to her death there?

I've wondered about it for awhile, so if anyone has a clear picture and better info, I'd be grateful.

 

[PETCH]

Arlyne Prime 1954-1992

I remember googling this a while back......didn't find much

Petch

 

[csprague]

I just found this by Google, this time armed with the full, correct name:

From an article dated 12/7/1992, "LYNN -- A 38-year-old woman was killed early yesterday in a one-car accident, police said. Arlyne P. Prime of Danvers was driving north on Western Avenue about 6:15 a.m. when her car slammed into a telephone pole and a guard rail. …"

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8770853.html

She must have had some connection to or love of the place to have a memorial up there.

 

[1HappyHiker]

Judging from the photo I took of that memorial in August 2010, it looks like at one time there might have been a photo (or some other info) attached to the bottom of the marker. Also, just as an FYI, I had (but now cannot find) the actual Boston Globe article about Arlyne P. Prime's fatal accident. However, as I recall it, there were only a few additional words beyond those contained in the "highbeam" link that you posted.

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

Ten years ago when I first moved to Bridgton that memorial was in much better shape. This is the oldest digital picture I have of it, it was taken in 2006:

I do have some prints but it will take some work to go back through them to find one of the older shots taken here. I do think there was originally a picture there.

I've asked about it and was told that this was a spot that Arlene particularly loved. So the memorial was placed there. As you know it is a particularly lovely spot there on the ledges with beautiful views to the south and east.

Every Thanksgiving day morning for the past ten years I've climbed Pleasant Mt. although not always by that trail. Here's a picture taken from the spot of the memorial on Thanksgiving Day 2008

It is indeed a wonderful spot.

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

Here's another from that same spot.

 

[peakbagger]

While on the subject of Pleasant Mountain, does anyone know when and where the "AMC reservation" on top of Pleasant Mountain (mentioned in older guide books) was located and when it ceased to exist?.

Just curious.

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

Most of the history accounts of the top of Pleasant Mt. speak of the hotel that was on the top which burned down around the turn of the 20th century if I remember correctly, I'll have to look it up. The AMC may still own the top of Pleasant Mt. I know that the Loon Echo Trust recently purchased most of the east side of the mountain to protect it from development. If the AMC reservation actually had a structure up there I've never heard of it. But it would appear that the AMC reservation dates begin not that long after the Hotel burned down. The AMC trail crews still look after many of the trails there so I would surmise that they still own the reservation. The AMC also seems to be closely linked with the Loon Echo Trust but I admit I don't really know how that connection works.

What interests me now is the mention in the guide book of the Mt. Acqua Cottage which I had never heard of before. I don't believe there is anything like that around now. I'd love to know where it was situated.

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

Marita Wiser in her little trail guide: Hikes in and around Maine's Lake Region, states that "The second hotel closed in 1903 and was torn down in 1908." She goes on to say that "The 48 foot fire tower, which was erected in 1920 was manned until 1992 when the state switched to aerial surveillance."

As no mention was made of anything else having been constructed up there I would assume that the AMC Reservation did not involve a structure of any sort.

 

[csprague]

I've asked about it and was told that this was a spot that Arlene particularly loved. So the memorial was placed there. As you know it is a particularly lovely spot there on the ledges with beautiful views to the south and east.
It is indeed a wonderful spot.

Thanks to Ed'n Lauky and everyone else for the helpful info. I've always sort of wondered what the story was behind that marker, and now I know! I knew someone here would be able to help.

Chris

 

[jjmcgo]

Mt. Acqua Cottage

1922 WMG says that the Pleasant Mt., 2007 feet, summit has a 20-acre AMC reservation donated in 1908 by Winthrop Coffin.
The best way to get there is Maine Central RR then travel 8-9 miles to the Mt. Acqua Cottage in Denmark, Me. It is 2 1/2 miles to the summit and there is a spring about half way up.
There was a Winthrop Coffin who was the President of the West Newton (MA) Railway Company, 60 State Street, Boston. This was a 16-mile trolley line powered by GE. It said the company had two horses and harnesses(?)
The WNRR had 2.6 million passengers in 1901 with 54,000 round-trips in 530,000 car miles run. 60 workers earned $30,000. Gross operations, $120,000.
I got that from the 1901 Annual Meeting of Massachusetts Board of the Railway Commisioner. It said Coffin's address was in Brookline.
The railway had three grades crossings on the Fitchburg line of the Boston & Maine RR, all in Waltham, Moody St., Main St. and River St. That sounds like the old Bemis bus route.
Coffin was on the board of a Brockton trolley line and one in Houston and a director of the Boston Elevated Street Electric Railway and a director of the Brookline Saving Trust and the Boulevard Trust Bank.
Coffin was also an art buyer.
Well, that was fun. I'm going to searched for more. My parents bought a Gothic Victorian in 1957 in Newton what was abandoned for 10 years. It had been built by Newton coal tycoon B.F. Eddy for his daughter. I bet Eddy and Coffin did business.

 

[erugs]

We hiked up this trail yesterday and the memorial marker is now painted BRIGHT ORANGE.

 

[Barkingcat]

We hiked up this trail yesterday and the memorial marker is now painted BRIGHT ORANGE.

As a way of updating the paint job, or vandalizing it?

Either way...

...ruh-roh.

 

[erugs]

This is what we saw. Turn that to your back, though, and there is a lovely view.

 

[NH Tramper]

This is what we saw. Turn that to your back, though, and there is a lovely view.

I must say, that looks like the work of vandals. Scumbags.

 

[erugs]

Agreed! Wish i had noted the names of the volunteer maintainers i think i saw near the beginning. There were some steps lower down that took skill and a lot of hard work to construct. We came down on the Bald Peak Trail, and i didnt give it much thought until today.

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

Lauky and I were back up on Pleasant Mt. again today via the Ledges trail. At the Ledges view point I noticed something different. A picture had been added to the memorial marker. When I saw it I thought of this thread and I took a couple of pictures

I also googled Arline Prime and came up with this link to Mourn Watch. http://www.mournwatch.com/view_profile.php?pid=4343

Which describes her as: A fabulous woman, mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend. She is missed very much. The marker which had been maliciously painted orange was very quickly repainted white. As I mentioned above when I first saw the marker back around 2001 I'm sure there was a photo attached. This photo has been put there again. Obviously someone who cares about her is keeping watch on the site.

I also found this link to an article in the Boston Globe via High Beam Research http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8770853.html The snippet you can read without subscribing to the Globe says: LYNN -- A 38-year-old woman was killed early yesterday in a one-car accident, police said. Arlyne P. Prime of Danvers was driving north on Western Avenue about 6:15 a.m. when her car slammed into a telephone pole and a guard rail. …

I thought those who have the same love for this mountain that I do would like to see this.

 

[erugs]

Thanks for posting more information. I'm glad it is not painted orange any longer, but I do question whether something so obvious should be in a location like this. (I think the same of roadside memorials, that there should be a moratorium on the length of time they are there.) How nice, though, to be honored for something one cherishes, like the mountains. I've seen memorial benches and think they are cool when they blend in with the area. QR codes will be the new way for honoring a person's memory, I bet. (The new graffiti?)