By ANITA PHILLIPS

Recorder Staff

For those who live in Franklin County, it is no surprise that the Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory and Gardens in South Deerfield, Poet’s Seat Tower in Greenfield, Lake Wyola State Park in Shutesbury and the Quabbin Reservoir in New Salem made the state’s list of 1,000 Great Places to visit in Massachusetts.

And they weren’t the only ones to make the list.

Eric Turkington, a former Cape Cod legislator and chairman of the commission that chose the 1,000 places, including 48 sites in Franklin County, said hopes are to give a boost to tourism and give local residents something to brag about.

“It will give everyone the opportunity to learn more about lesser-known historic, cultural and natural sites located in their area and across the state,” said Turkington, who said the commission was born from a “piece of legislation passed in 2008 and signed by the governor in 2009.”

The 12-member commission, which consisted of three state representatives, three senators, three representatives from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and three representatives from travel and tourism, was charged with identifying 1,000 historic, cultural, artistic or natural places, said Turkington.

“Distinctive places,” he said.

The Pumping Station Bridge, a pedestrian bridge that crosses the Green River on Eunice Williams Drive in north Greenfield, was one of the two sites in that town to make the list. The 95-foot-long bridge is the second covered bridge to be built at that location. It replaced a bridge destroyed by arson in 1972.

In Montague, the Turners Falls Downtown Historic District, which was built as a planned industrial community, and the Great Falls Discovery Center made the list.

“They’re just parts of a bigger package of the fruits of our downtown revitalization efforts,” said Town Administrator Frank Abbondanzio.

Also on the list from Montague is the 1834 Montague Mill, a former grist mill which now houses a used bookstore, a cafe and a fine-dining restaurant. “It’s an attraction for people from all over,” he said.

The commission chose Crumpin-Fox Golf Club located on Parmenter Road in Bernardston. It was rated first in Massachusetts for 2010 in “Golfweek” magazine’s “Best Courses You Can Play,” which lists the best public golf courses in the country.

Another of the commission’s choices, Notch Mountain in Northfield, is a summit with a maximum elevation of 1,276 feet above sea level.

The area around the mountain has many trails leading to other hills and to conservation areas, including the Satan’s Kingdom Wildlife Management Area.

How were the places chosen?

Tu r k i n g to n said the commission requested nomination submissions from local and regional cultural councils across the state, as well as regional tourism organizations.

He said there was also a spot on the state’s tourism Web site where people could nominate their favorite places.

Turkington and the 11 other commissioners worked for more than 18 months on the project.

“It wasn’t easy,” he said. “We got 13,000 nominations on the Web site and hundreds from cultural councils and tourism organizations,” he said. When asked why 1,000 places rather than 100 places, he said, “It was difficult enough choosing 1,000 — 100 would have been impossible!” Turkington said the commission had a “universe to pick from.”

First, the commission got rid of all duplicates, he said. Then, it began the task.

“It seemed like at least one person on the commission heard or had been to at least several of the places,” he said. “If someone knew a place was great, they had to convince us it belonged on the list. If someone knew a place wasn’t so great, they had to convince us it didn’t.”

At least one place is listed from each of 294 of the state’s 351 towns and cities. There are places listed from 23 of Franklin County’s 26 towns.

“Some of the smaller places that aren’t big on outreach will get a little help now,” he said.

Turkington said he wants the list to show the people of Massachusetts how great their backyard is and also hopes it will draw people from other states.

“These towns and cities need a boost in these economic times,” said Turkington. “It also gives them some bragging rights and a boost of pride.”

Greg Liakos, spokesman for the Massachusetts Cultural Council, said the council got involved because it believed a “list like that would be good for Massachusetts.”

Liakos said the state council worked with local and regional councils, making sure they all had their say on what should be on the list.

“I hope this list reminds residents what’s here and what an amazing state we live in — rich in arts, culture and natural places,” said Liakos. “Many of these places are supported by our grants.”

Liakos said the list will especially give a “boost of visibility” to smaller, off-the-beaten-path places that otherwise wouldn’t get the recognition.

He said local, regional and state cultural councils and travel and tourism organizations will be promoting the places on the list.

“The list is just the start,” said Liakos. “We need to take advantage of this.”

The complete list of 1,000 great places to visit in Massachusetts can be found at:

www.massvacation.com.

Other Franklin County places

◆ Ashfield: Ashfield Plain Historic District and Double Edge Theatre

◆ Buckland: Route 112 historic rural landscape and Wilder Homestead

◆ Charlemont: Bissell Covered Bridge, Mohawk Trail State Forest, The Charlemont Inn and the Deerfield River

◆ Colrain: Arthur A. Smith Covered Bridge and Colrain Center Historic District

◆ Conway: Burkeville Covered Bridge

◆ Deerfield: Historic Deerfield village, Memorial Hall Museum, the Zoar Gap and Yankee Candle

◆ Erving: Erving Castle-Hermit’s Cave, Erving Engine House Museum and Laurel Lake.

◆ Gill: Barton Cove and Songline Emu Farm

◆ Heath: The Benson Place

◆ Leverett: Rattlesnake Gutter-Brushy Mountain and The Peace Pagoda

◆ Leyden: Frizzell Hill

◆ Montague: Montague Book Mill, Great Falls Discovery Center and Turners Falls Historic District

◆ New Salem: Bears Den and Prescott Peninsula

◆ Northfield: Main Street, Route 63 and Schell Memorial Bridge

◆ Orange: North Quabbin Woods

◆ Shelburne Falls: Glacial Potholes, Memorial Hall Association and the Trolley Museum

◆ Sunderland: Mike’s Maze

◆ Warwick: Mount Grace State Park

◆ Wendell: Wendell State Park

◆ Whately: Nasami Farm Native Plant Nursery and Sanctuary

Reporters George Claxton and Arn Albertini contributed to this article.


“ I hope this list reminds residents what’s here and what an amazing state we live in — rich in arts, culture and natural places.


spokesman, Massachusetts Cultural Council

Greg Liakos”