Pat Flinn moved to Stockbridge with her parents in 1959 when she was 15 years old. She graduated from Williams High School and earned her BA from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College. Pat has been on the board of the Laurel Hill Association for 40 years, the last 36 as Recording Secretary. Her home on Park Street abuts Laurel Hill Park, and is down the street from the Mary Flynn, Ice Glen, and Laura’s Tower trails. Pat grew up surrounded by the natural and historical setting of Laurel Hill. The keeper of deep knowledge, Pat is known as the institutional history of the Laurel Hill Association.

We are happy to release our annual newsletter, Laurel Leaves. Download a full downloadable PDF version.

Laurel Hill Day started out a reasonably warm, but overcast day. The precipitation forecast for the afternoon was 20%, but we were confident it would not rain on our big day. As 2:00 PM approached, attendees arrived and took their seats. The chairs had been spread wide across the grassy glen so as to be “Socially Distant” on account of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some people wore masks for additional protection. (The Delta Variant had caused a surge of infection recently.) The landscape clearing done as part of the Park Restoration Project allowed the chairs to be spread out easily. For the first time, an effective loudspeaker system had been installed for the day. All attendees could hear, no matter where they were seated.

We are excited to announce that Hilary Somers Deely was recently selected to serve as President of the Laurel Hill Association, beginning in January, 2021.

LHA acknowledges Indigenous Peoples Day and supports the bills to change the MA state flag, seal, and motto, and ban Native American sports mascots in public schools.

The Laurel Hill Association recently installed signs at two of our properties: Lower Bowker's Woods and the Chestnut Preserve.  Keep your eyes for trail signs at LHA's other properties soon!  

Lionel Delevingne's Photography Exhibition entitled “From Paris to Stockbridge, via Fukushima” will be featured at the Stockbridge Station Gallery from October 9 – 25, 2020. The gallery proceeds of this exhibit will be shared with the Laurel Hill Association.

The Laurel Hill Association is happy to have a Greenagers trail crew make a necessary safety improvement to the uphill trail near the Goodrich Memorial Bridge this summer. They made enhancements to divert water runoff that freezes in the winter and creates a safety hazard.

On June 26, Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Kathleen Theoharides issued a Level 2: Significant Drought for the Commonwealth’s Western Drought Region, which includes Stockbridge.