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Photo: Rabin Karki from Worcester, USA., CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
A folly built to commemorate the achievements of George Bancroft by Worcester's richest man at the time, Stephen Salisbury. Bancroft Tower sort of looks like it belongs in an old castle. It is in a wooded park at the top of a hill. Usually the interior of the tower is closed to the public, but occasionally it is open and the view from the top looks out over all of Worcester.
Bancroft Tower is a 56-foot-high (17 m) tower of granite and natural stone, which looks like a miniature feudal castle. It is in Salisbury Park, in the city of Worcester, Massachusetts. The folly was erected in 1900, in memory of George Bancroft, a native of Worcester and a politician, historian, and statesman. The tower was designed by Worcester architects Earle and Fisher, and cost about $15,000 to build. Bancroft Tower is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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The older parts of this campus are perched on a ridge line between Highland Avenue and Institute Park.
Sweeping park overlooking Institute Pond, built on donated land in 1887. Holds many festivals and concerts throughout the summer.
The grand old lady of Worcester parks. The land the park sits on was purchased by the city in 1854 making it one of the first purchases of land to be set aside for a public park in the U.S. The park is undergoing renovations, but the old iron bridge over the pond in the middle has been restored.
Part of Elm Park, but you must cross Park Ave to get to it. Newton Hill has a disc golf course and trails leading to the top. The view would be impressive if not for the trees.
Historic house museum that is part of the Worcester History Museum. Admission to the house is included in admission to the history museum, just keep your ticket and present it at the mansion. Former home of the Salisbury family, once the wealthiest in the city. The house is now the oldest structure in the city, having been built in the 18th century. The tour covers the history of the house and the family who built it, but also touches on aspects of life in the very early history of Worcester.
The Worcester Art Museum (WAM) is one of the most under-rated attractions in New England. If it weren't for its proximity to the much better known Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, WAM might get more recognition. WAM is the second largest art museum in New England, covering four floors and every period from ancient Egypt to today. The museum acquired the collection of the defunct Higgins Armory museum, giving it the largest collection of arms and armor in the United States. While WAM does not have the space to display the whole collection, they do put on a series of rotating exhibits featuring pieces from the collection integrated with other related art.