- City:
- Lunenburg, MA
- Site Type:
- Parks and Recreation, Tennis Courts, Picnic and Other Facilities, Playgrounds, Athletic Courts and Fields
- New Deal Agencies:
- Works Progress Administration (WPA), Work Relief Programs, National Youth Administration (NYA)
Description
WPA Bulletin, 1937:
“Picnic Cave Unusual Feature of Playground
Lunenburg — An underground cave equipped with a fireplace and picnic facilities for 40 persons is the outstanding feature of Lunenburg’s WPA-built recreation centre at Marshall Field. The grounds also boasts a cinder track, a baseball diamond, and two half-completed tennis courts.
But the cave is most popular— especially with the Boy Scouts and other young people’s organizations who have held many meetings and hot-dog roasts there.
As it was not scheduled as part of the project, many of the townspeople and NYA workers pitched in and did the extra work. The cave is about 16 feet square with an eight foot ceiling of thick, reinforced concrete. A huge stone fireplace fills up one corner of this interesting room while stone shelves furnish seats for 40 persons. Candles light the cave when meetings and initiations are taking place.”
Source notes
Works Progress Bulletin, Massachusetts: Jun. 14, 1937 (pg. 3). https://archive.org/details/worksprogressbul3637unitSite originally submitted by Evan Kalish on January 29, 2017.
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Alexander Marshall
gerard
Named After the Locally famous Marshall family that as been present in the region since before the 1770’s and is still residing within the Fitchburg and Lunenburg area to this day.
As a member of the Lunenburg Park Commission I am interested in any and all information relative to this site. Marshall Park will be under going a complete renovation in the coming couple of years. A master plan has been developed and is in the design and funding stage with hopes of breaking ground by 2025.
Having grown up in the neighborhood on the north side of the park I’m working to save historical venues within the park including the cave. Pictures from the early days would be especially helpful as I try to preserve this century plus old feature.
I remember slithering into that creepy space as a child in the 60s, we would light matches to (see). All that I ever could see were the rock bench walls. I often wondered if it was a bomb shelter, similar to what’s underground at the old High school (not the Annex building), with all the civil defense items.