Friends of Boyden Refuge, Inc.

10/25/2026

10/24/2026

Just a few snapshots from the refuge

10/14/2026

🌿 **DID YOU KNOW? — BOYDEN THROUGH THE YEARS** 🌿

**Part 3 of 6: 1968 — A Wildlife Refuge Is Born!** 🦅🌳

Last week, we introduced you to **Gertrude M. Boyden**, a woman whose passion for conservation and preserving open space helped shape an important part of Taunton's natural heritage.

But how did her vision become the wildlife refuge we know and enjoy today?

**Let's travel back to 1968...**

At the time, the property along the Three Mile River was known as the **Laura Thomas Estate**. It was a beautiful piece of land with woodlands, wetlands, and a rich variety of wildlife. As we learned in Part 1, renowned Taunton ornithologist Arthur Cleveland Bent had even used the area to study birds and their nesting habits.

🌳 **A Gift to Future Generations**

Here's something you might not know!

Private funds had been donated specifically for the purchase of land to establish a **bird sanctuary**. Those funds helped make it possible for the City of Taunton, through its Conservation Commission, to acquire the Laura Thomas Estate in **1968**.

With the leadership of Gertrude Boyden, support from Mayor Benjamin Friedman, and the efforts of others who shared her vision, the property was preserved for conservation rather than future development.

What began as a relatively small protected property would eventually grow through additional land acquisitions and donations into the much larger refuge we enjoy today.

🦆 **More Than Just a Park**

From the very beginning, the vision was about more than creating another recreational area.

It was about protecting natural habitats, preserving open space, providing a sanctuary for wildlife, and giving future generations an opportunity to experience nature right here in Taunton.

More than half a century later, that mission remains just as important.

When you walk the trails, watch the swans along the river, spot a deer in the woods, or listen to the birds in the meadows, you're experiencing the legacy of people who recognized the importance of preserving this special place.

**And that is how the Gertrude M. Boyden Wildlife Refuge came to be!** ❤️

📜 **COMING NEXT WEEK — PART 4: "Growing Boyden"**

Did you know the refuge wasn't always the size it is today? Next week, we'll explore how additional land acquisitions helped expand Boyden and protect more of the Three Mile River's natural landscape.

💬 **NOW WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!**

Do you remember visiting Boyden in the 1960s, '70s, or '80s?

Did you fish along the river, explore the trails as a child, or bring your own children there years later?

📸 **If you have old photographs, stories, or memories of Boyden's early days, please share them in the comments!**

You never know—your memories might help us uncover another piece of Taunton history!

🌿 **Boyden Wildlife Refuge — Preserving Nature, Inspiring Generations.**

Learn more or plan a visit: https://boydenrefuge.org/

09/19/2026

Its scavenger hunt day do you know where I am?

09/14/2026

🌿 DID YOU KNOW? — BOYDEN THROUGH THE YEARS 🌿
Part 2 of 6: Who Was Gertrude M. Boyden?

Last week we traveled back to the days before Boyden was Boyden, when the property was known as the Laura Thomas Estate and noted Taunton ornithologist Arthur Cleveland Bent used the area to study birds and their nesting habits.

But how did this special piece of Taunton become the Gertrude M. Boyden Wildlife Refuge we know today?

Meet Gertrude M. Boyden.

Born in Sherbrooke, Quebec, in 1905, Gertrude Boyden eventually made Taunton her home and became deeply involved in the community. As the conservation movement gained momentum during the 1960s, she developed a particular interest in protecting open space and natural resources.

She didn't just talk about conservation—she became one of Taunton's early leaders in it.

Gertrude served as the first chairperson of the Taunton Conservation Commission and its first Executive Director. She worked to preserve natural areas at a time when communities across Massachusetts were beginning to recognize how quickly open land could disappear if no one acted to protect it.

Her attention eventually turned to a beautiful property along the Three Mile River—the Laura Thomas Estate we introduced last week.

With the support of Mayor Benjamin Friedman and others in the community, Gertrude helped lead the effort to preserve this property for conservation, wildlife and future generations.

And in 1968, that vision was about to become reality...

09/12/2026

Nature Scavenger Hunt with Rob Hellstrom.

September 19th, 11:00 am to 12:30pm

Join us for this interactive and fun challenge on the woodland trails of the refuge. Search for a variety of objects and compete for prizes.

Note: Heavy rain, but no light rain, cancels this program

09/12/2026

Thank you Maria Armour and Jon Roling for leading an informative talk on "How to Co-Exist with our Wildlife". It was so much fun! And we learned a lot! Photos by Debra Botellio