Great Blue Hill
Encyclopedia
Great Blue Hill is a hill of 635 feet (194 m) located within the Blue Hills Reservation
in the eastern part of the U.S. state
of Massachusetts
, 10 miles (15 km) southwest of Boston. It is the highest point in Norfolk County
. The modern name for the hill was given by early European explorers who, while sailing along the coastline, noticed the bluish hue of the exposed granite faces when viewed from a distance (due to Riebeckite
). The Blue Hills's eastern slopes face the ocean and lie within Quincy. The area attracted quarrying for its desirable "blue granite".
The name of the Massachusett
Indian tribe and their language (and thus the name of the Bay, Colony, state, etc.) derive from the Massachusett name of the hill: massa-adchu-es-et, where massa- is "large", -adchu- is "hill", -es- is a diminutive
suffix meaning "small", and -et is a locative suffix, identifying a place.
, and thence into Boston Harbor
. The south and east sides of Great Blue Hill drain into the Blue Hill River, thence into the Farm River, Monatiquot River
, Weymouth Fore River
, and into Boston Harbor.
Its summit is the highest point in Norfolk County
and also the highest within 10 miles of the Atlantic
coast south of central Maine
. For this reason, American meteorologist Abbott Lawrence Rotch
chose Great Blue Hill as the site for an observatory, which became known as the Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory
after its completion in 1885. Rotch conducted ground-breaking studies of the atmosphere at Blue Hill for many years, and the National Weather Service still gathers data at the site. From the Eliot Tower at the summit, city of Boston and many of the surrounding hills of the Milton
and Canton
area are visible.
Great Blue Hill, and the Blue Hills Reservation in general, is a popular hiking destination, valued as much for its splendid trails and views as for its proximity to the metropolitan area. There is also alpine skiing
available at Blue Hills Ski Area
, consisting of eight trails served by a double chair and two surface lifts.
The well-known Boston public television and radio station WGBH
takes its call letters from Great Blue Hill, the original location of the station's FM
and TV
transmitters. WGBH-FM still transmits from the site. The TV station moved its antenna to a taller tower in the 1960s. Also, the NOAA Weather Radio
station serving Metro and Greater Boston
and adjacent coastal waters, KHB35, also transmits atop the hill.
Blue Hills Reservation
Blue Hills Reservation is a state park in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. Managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, it extends into Milton, Quincy, Braintree, Canton, Randolph, and Dedham south of Boston.-Description:...
in the eastern part of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, 10 miles (15 km) southwest of Boston. It is the highest point in Norfolk County
Norfolk County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Adams National Historical Park* Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area * Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site* John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site-Demographics:...
. The modern name for the hill was given by early European explorers who, while sailing along the coastline, noticed the bluish hue of the exposed granite faces when viewed from a distance (due to Riebeckite
Riebeckite
Riebeckite is a sodium-rich member of the amphibole group of silicate minerals, chemical formula [][Na2][32][2|Si8O22]. It forms a series with magnesioriebeckite. It crystallizes in the monoclinic system, usually as long prismatic crystals showing a diamond-shaped cross section, but also in...
). The Blue Hills's eastern slopes face the ocean and lie within Quincy. The area attracted quarrying for its desirable "blue granite".
The name of the Massachusett
Massachusett
The Massachusett are a tribe of Native Americans who lived in areas surrounding Massachusetts Bay in what is now the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in particular present-day Greater Boston; they spoke the Massachusett language...
Indian tribe and their language (and thus the name of the Bay, Colony, state, etc.) derive from the Massachusett name of the hill: massa-adchu-es-et, where massa- is "large", -adchu- is "hill", -es- is a diminutive
Diminutive
In language structure, a diminutive, or diminutive form , is a formation of a word used to convey a slight degree of the root meaning, smallness of the object or quality named, encapsulation, intimacy, or endearment...
suffix meaning "small", and -et is a locative suffix, identifying a place.
Geography
The north and west sides of Great Blue Hill drain into the Neponset RiverNeponset River
The Neponset River is a river in eastern Massachusetts in the United States. The headwaters of the Neponset are at the Neponset Reservoir in Foxborough, near the Gillette Stadium...
, and thence into Boston Harbor
Boston Harbor
Boston Harbor is a natural harbor and estuary of Massachusetts Bay, and is located adjacent to the city of Boston, Massachusetts. It is home to the Port of Boston, a major shipping facility in the northeast.-History:...
. The south and east sides of Great Blue Hill drain into the Blue Hill River, thence into the Farm River, Monatiquot River
Monatiquot River
The Monatiquot River is a river in Braintree, Massachusetts, formed by the confluence of the Farm River and Cochato River in the Braintree Municipal Golf Course, flowing in swampy meanders to the northeast, and emptying into the tidal Weymouth Fore River estuary. Its drainage area is .The river...
, Weymouth Fore River
Weymouth Fore River
Weymouth Fore River is a small bay or estuary in eastern Massachusetts and is part of the Massachusetts Bay watershed.The headwater of Weymouth Fore River is formed by the confluence of the Monatiquot River and Smelt Brook in the Weymouth Landing area of Braintree...
, and into Boston Harbor.
Its summit is the highest point in Norfolk County
Norfolk County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Adams National Historical Park* Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area * Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site* John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site-Demographics:...
and also the highest within 10 miles of the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
coast south of central Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. For this reason, American meteorologist Abbott Lawrence Rotch
Abbott Lawrence Rotch
Abbott Lawrence Rotch was an American meteorologist and founder of the Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory, the longest continually operating observation site in the United States and an important site for world climatology....
chose Great Blue Hill as the site for an observatory, which became known as the Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory
Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory
The Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory, also known as Great Blue Hill Weather Observatory, Blue Hill Weather Observatory, or simply the Blue Hill Observatory, in Milton, Massachusetts is the foremost structure associated with the history of weather observations in the United States...
after its completion in 1885. Rotch conducted ground-breaking studies of the atmosphere at Blue Hill for many years, and the National Weather Service still gathers data at the site. From the Eliot Tower at the summit, city of Boston and many of the surrounding hills of the Milton
Milton, Massachusetts
Milton is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States and part of the Greater Boston area. The population was 27,003 at the 2010 census. Milton is the birthplace of former U.S. President George H. W. Bush and architect Buckminster Fuller. Milton also has the highest percentage of...
and Canton
Canton, Massachusetts
Canton is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 21,561 at the 2010 census. Canton is part of Greater Boston, about 15 miles southwest of downtown Boston.- History :...
area are visible.
Great Blue Hill, and the Blue Hills Reservation in general, is a popular hiking destination, valued as much for its splendid trails and views as for its proximity to the metropolitan area. There is also alpine skiing
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
available at Blue Hills Ski Area
Blue Hills Ski Area
Blue Hills Ski Area is located on the western face of Great Blue Hill in Canton, Massachusetts. This land is part of the Blue Hills Reservation, a state park managed by the DCR....
, consisting of eight trails served by a double chair and two surface lifts.
The well-known Boston public television and radio station WGBH
WGBH (FM)
WGBH is a public radio station located in Boston, Massachusetts. WGBH is a member station of NPR and PRI. The license-holder is the WGBH Educational Foundation, which also owns WGBH-TV and WGBX-TV....
takes its call letters from Great Blue Hill, the original location of the station's FM
Frequency modulation
In telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant...
and TV
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
transmitters. WGBH-FM still transmits from the site. The TV station moved its antenna to a taller tower in the 1960s. Also, the NOAA Weather Radio
NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards
NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards is a network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information directly from a nearby National Weather Service office. It is operated by the NWS, an agency of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration within the United States Department of...
station serving Metro and Greater Boston
Greater Boston
Greater Boston is the area of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts surrounding the city of Boston. Due to ambiguity in usage, the size of the area referred to can be anywhere between that of the metropolitan statistical area of Boston and that of the city's combined statistical area which includes...
and adjacent coastal waters, KHB35, also transmits atop the hill.
External links
- Blue Hills Reservation, information from the Commonwealth's Department of Conservation and Recreation
- Great Blue Hill, technical data from mountainsummits.com
- Blue Hills Ski Area Official site
- The Blue Hill Observatory homepage
- The Blue Hill Observatory, a history of the observatory
- Friends of the Blue Hills, a community preservation group