This sign used to welcome fans to the track. The late Otter Creek veteran Dick Hawkins [shown at right] ran there and built cars for competition.
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An aerial shot of the still-visible Otter Creek race track. Coming from lower left is the road that used to lead, down the hill, from the Monroe family house and barn to the pits. The black object is the middle is a pond that was always located there.
| CHECK OUT MY PAGE ON A RECENT PHOTO VISIT TO THE SITE |
OTTER CREEK SPEEDWAY
1961 to 1971
| Otter
Creek Speedway
1961 - 1963 |
Hillside
Raceway
1964 |
Rainbow
Ridge Raceway
1970? |
The Otter Creek Speedway promoter, Hi Monroe, had done himself a big favor picking up a Nascar's sanction for the little race track in the pasture beside his farm. Monroe apparently partnered with Lee Tucker, a noted builder from a little further North in Vermont. Together, they carved out a little speedway that would change hands several times - and even change names three times.
The "fields" of cars were very unusual, to say the least. The track drew a strange brew of new locals, veterans from the race track in Malletts Bay, near Colchester, Vermont, some cars that were also running the newly re-opened Fairmont Speedway in Fair Haven, Vermont, the occasional Thunder Road car, and even a New Yorker or two.
The race for the National Sportsman championship was very controversial in 1961. It came down to two Upstate New Yorkers, Bill Wimble of Lisbon in the Dave McCready #33 cars, and Dick Nephew of Mooers Forks in his own #6. Both men were racing almost every night somewhere on the Eastern Seaboard to gain more points than the other.
Monroe grabbed at an opportunity to have such a points-counting race late in the season [November to be exact]. With snow actually flying in the air, a number of Nascar's sportsman coupes from New York showed up, including Nephew. Wimble may have been running elsewhere, as his name does not appear on the Otter Creek program as one who appeared at the track that year.
The championship chase ended in a tie, which was very controversial and cries of "foul" were heard - especially from the Nephew camp. But, that little cow pasture track in Vermont may have played a pivotal role in the naming of those National Co - Champs that year.
Judging from the two Jack Dubrul action photos, the track had very banked turns and dipped down to the straightaways, ala Lebanon Valley. Also like The Valley, it had a pond in the infield. Unlike the Valley, I never heard of any car ending up in the pond. However, I do remember the management going through a period of time where they had trouble with water running across a protion of backstretch, near turn three. Otter Creek Speedway was described by Buddy Bardwell as "A real dust bowl". One Jack Dubrul photo below seems to bear that out.
Check Out These Interesting Point Standings From the NASCAR Media Book
Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of John Rock and Bobby Castine
A 1962 field thunders out of Turn Four at Otter Creek. I
recognize 30, Ed Foley; 95, Jack Cutter; 115, Bob Russell [inside two other cars
in turn]; 88, Ernie Reid; 111a Kenny Shoemaker.

Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of John Rock and Bobby Castine
Hi Monroe's pace car from Vergennes Pontiac.
Of Local Interest - The Hobby Standings
Ballard Photo Courtesy of Cho Lee
Keith Ballard, Hinesburg, Vermont [He is in the white 1932 Ford Coupe at right]

In this heat picture, we can see Vince Quenneville [00], Phil Russell [Checkmate], and the purple roof is probably Herbie Swan. Most likely, the red 1932 Ford roof you see is Rex Shattuck. The white coupe could be Beaver Dragon, but it is unlikely, as he had a Buick and that looks like a Ford.
In this heat other picture of the same heat, we see Quenneville, the white roof is that of Hobby Champ Keith Ballard, Martin is in the silver - roofed car, Bob Russell is the black and red 115. I believe Bill Bigelow might be the 1950 Chevy on the inside pole.
ACT Archives Courtesy of Cho Lee
In another heat, another day, you can see Beaver Dragon [white coupe near front], Harland "Red" Dooley [white coupe near back], and Ollie Wescott [12], another regular who apparently didn't score points, for some unexplained reason. I firmly believe these other cars should have had points, and I can't explain why they don't: 2+1 - Jim Hampton, #5 [3rd car] Chet Streeter, Jack DuBrul* [1], and Jack Anderson #5 the 1950 Chevy . Don't know much about that huge Pontiac in the rear.
* [If recent findings bear out true, then this probably DuBrul because Dutch Reed might have been the first driver of the 7 VT, not Jack].

ACT Archives Courtesy of Cho Lee
A good look at Chief Starter Archie Blackadar, and at Beaver's, Jim's, Ollie's ,and Chet's cars. I have found out that the Pit Steward at the track during its NASCAR days was Kay Hanson, who also worked at Airborne, according to Jackie Peterson. Jackie ran here , too but not in these hobbies. He may have had a turn in Tucker's 7VT, along with Dutch Reed.
To sum up the rest of the guys in those points standings: the late Aimer "Sonny Gover" ended up running in Catamount's Hurricane and Grand American divisions. He used # AAA at Vergennes, for his name, brother Alvin, and the third brother whose name I don't know. Ansel Quintin had an odd - looking 1949 Ford and that's all I know. Eddie Foley turned out to be quite a sportsman and modified star - especially at Devil's Bowl He ran a gold #30 at Otter Creek. I don't know anything about Homer Hamel, but I will ask Dick Hawkins, who should have been in these standings, too.
Courtesy of the Nephew Family
Kay Hanson [2nd row] was the NASCAR Chief Pit Steward at Otter Creek.
McIver Photo Courtesy of Cho Lee
Archie Blackadar [above] flagged at Otter Creek, as did Bucky Barlow.
I knew Jack Anderson at Catamount, I now know what he drove at Otter Creek - a 1950 Chevy Sedan #5. Steve Phillips probably drove the same car that former Fonda driver Ken DeLong drove. I believe it was #54. George Pritchard, a veteran from the early 1950's, had a gold #9 1938 Chevy [check out the Fairmont page]. Jack Cutter, whose name had eluded me until I saw this list, had a really slick-looking blue #95. There are a million pictures of Ted Brown [some right on this page], who was an absolute terror on this track the following year. His first wife told me that this place was one of the few where she didn't see him race [good thing]. I have no idea who Poirier was, or what car he owned.
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Norm Vadnais Photo Bob Russell, Shelburne, VT |
Norm Vadnais Photo Ansel Quintin, Charlotte, VT Bob Frazier Photo Courtesy C.J. Richards |
Norm Vadnais Photo Jack Cutter, Essex Jct., VT |
Courtesy of Norm Vadnais Kenny Martin, Fair Haven, VT |
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Norm Vadnais Photo Ed Magoon, Middlebury, VT Bob Frazier Photo Courtesy C.J. Richards |
NASCAR SPORTSMAN POINTS FROM 1962
For a better look at them CLICK HERE

Ken Shoemaker, in his ride of that era - the Chris Drellos 111 out of Glens Falls, NY
I have a photo of almost everybody in these standings except: Bill Chepulis, a complete mystery. He might have been someone's mechanic, sneaking turn at the wheel at Otter Creek. He is no one who ran at Fonda that year, as near as I can ascertain; I also don't have Gahan on the page. So, here are two possible cars from approximately that year below; Nelson Moore, probably driving the Allie Swears #51; and Fred Fuller. I remember seeing him, but I have no pictures. I also saw Fred Sit in with the Clayton Ryan "Shelby Cobra" #11 at Fairmont in 1965.


Photo Courtesy of Bob Novak
Jim Koehler, Coventry, Conn.

A SECOND YEAR PROGRAM FROM OTTER CREEK SPEEDWAY
Monroe always stuck with NASCAR. This enabled him to land the occasional big name driver from New York. The NASCAR sanction disappeared with Richards by 1964.
FRONT COVER
INSIDE PAGES
An Explanation of Some of the Entries
Some are linked to thumbnails of the driver or car.
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|
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| U2 | Howie Miller | Founded Miller Chevrolet - now Denecker, In Vergennes, VT | |
| 111's |
Ken Shoemaker,
Schenectady, NY Schenectady, NY |
Owned by Chris Drellos of Glens Falls,
NY- Big at Fonda
Marshall actually drove the Allie Swears #51 then. |
|
| 75 |
George Baumgardner,
Saratoga, NY |
Started in 1940's in open wheel cars; apt to drive a bit "fortified" | |
| C37 | James "Sapphire" Leclair | Painted to look like Buck Holiday's then-famous C-38 | |
| 6 |
Dick Nephew,
Mooers Forks, NY |
He was to become the 1961 NASCAR National Sportsman co-Champion | |
| 3's | Red Dooley and Wayne Chandler | Malletts Bay Sunset Speedway Cars | |
| 6 PAC | Actually Eddie Baker | A rare Hudson - powered car. Mostly a Fairmont car | |
| Me 2 | Actually Len Baker | ||
| 8 Ball |
Herby Swan, Jr.,
Middlebury, VT |
Car went over to Joe D'Avignon, one of Otter Creek's most successful drivers and a future promoter there. | |
| 33 |
Art Cody,
Keene, NH |
One of best from Claremont Speedway | |
| 66 | Bob Bruno | One of Airborne's best drivers | |
| SOME DRIVERS WHO APPEARED AT OTTER CREEK AND DIDN'T MAKE THE PROGRAM | 90 |
Dutch Reed,
Glens Falls, NY |
The Tom Hammond 90A |
Eddie Pieniazek, Schenectady, NY with the potent Welch '37 Ford |
30 |
Ed Foley,
Leicester, VT |
Although not mentioned on the program, Ed ran Otter Creek that year. |
|
Tom Kotary, Rome, NY, with the Joe Romano 97. |
88 |
Ernie Ried,
Massena, NY |
Ernie favored strange powerplants. This car had a Studebaker engine. |
The Royce and Lee Tucker car out of Burlington had assorted drivers, but most notably Ernie Reid. This particular time, Wayne Chandler might have been driving. |
1 | Hank Smith | Future CVRA Official |
Rex Shattuck, shown here at Thunder Road, drove a #19 coupe at Otter Creek. |
S29 |
Bill Stevens
West Sand Lake, NY |
Often appeared at tracks with an immaculate '40 Ford. Seldom actually raced it. |
|
Wayne Coon, Delanson, NY. Appeared once at Otter Creek in 1962. |
49 |
Doc Blanchard,
Gloversville, NY |
A Whites Beach and Fonda competitor |
| 115 |
Bob Russell, Shelburne, VT |
He must have also run at Malletts Bay. A fast car ! |
LIST OF EVERY DRIVER'S NAME I CAN COME UP WITH FOR THOSE FIRST TWO YEARS
| 5, Jack Anderson 6 PAC - Baker, Ed Me 2 - Baker, Lennie 75 - Baumgardner, George D9 - Bigelow, Bill 92 - Russ Blake 95 - Blanchard, Doc 92 - Brown, Ted 66 - Bruno, Bob U21 - Chamberlain, Harley 3 Sr - Chandler, Wayne 33NH - Cody, Art 74 - Coon, Wayne 95 - Cutter, Jack 3 Jr - Dooley, Red 7VT - Dragon, Beaver 7VT - DuBrul, Jack 30 - Foley, Ed U7 - Fuller, Fred U8 - Fuller, Leo 13A - Gauthier, Roger AAA - Gover, Sonny 10 - Hamel, Homer 2 + 1 - Hampton, Jim 17 - Hawkins, Dick 31NH - Howland, Leo 31 CT - Koehler, Jim 97 - Kotary, Tom C37 - LeClair, Jim "Sapphire" 111A - Marshall, Paul
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49 - Ed Magoon 10-10 - Michaels, Mike [ Mike Suraske] U2 - Miller, Howie 6 - Nephew, Dick 44 - Notte, Fireball 7- Peterson, Jackie 44 - Owen, Gordie 77 - Pieniazek, Eddie Checkmate - Quenneville, John 00 - Quenneville, Vince 30 - Quintin, Ansel 90A or 7 - Reed, Dutch 88 - Reid, Ernie UP2 - Rogers, George 115 - Russell, Bob Checkmate - Russell, Phil Saltus, Jimmy 1 - Schmidt, Hank 19 - Shattuck, Rex 111 - Shoemaker, Ken F80 - Smith, Don S29 - Stevens, Bill 5 - Streeter, Chet 8 Ball - Swan, Herbie Swintin, Jack 91 - Tatro, Gene 12 - Wescott, Ollie 33NY - Wimble, Bill |
This is a points standings list mimeographed and put into a Fonda track scorecard in 1962. It shows many of the cars and teams that appeared at Otter Creek Speedway in its first two years. The right hand thumbnail can be clicked to try and expand the list for better reading.
Ken Paulsen Photo Art Cody, Keene, NH |
Photo courtesy of Otto Graham's Website George Baumgardner, Saratoga, NY The Young/Vine #75 |
Ken Shoemaker, Schenectady, NY |
Eddy Baker, Warrensburg, NY |
Dutch Reed, Glens Falls, NY |
Herb Swan, Panton, VT |
Art making a "pit stop" at Otter Creek. That meant driving up a hill and into the promotor's farm yard for welding. Future CVRA star Russ Shaw is leaning on the car, wearing the white sweatshirt. |
Ed Foley, Leicester, VT |
Dick Nephew, Mooers Forks, NY 1961 NASCAR National Sportsman Co-Champion The Allie Swires #51 |
Paul Marshall, Schenectady, NY |
Photo courtesy of Otto Graham's Website Ernie Reid, Massena, NY |
Lennie Baker, Athol, NY |
Hank Smith, Gansevoort, NY |
The Welch's #77 made an appearance at Otter Creek driven by New York
legend Eddie Pieniazek, a Pete Corey protege. |
The Jim "Sapphire" Leclair C37 looked a lot like Buck
Holliday's C38, a really famous car in the North Country. Both cars had
zebra stripes across the roof. |
Photo courtesy of Yves LaDouceur, ANCA A very early photo of Melvin "Bob" Bruno, who had been featured on the cover of Nascar's official newsletter in 1960. |
This car is photographed at Otter Creek, but it known as the winner of the first feature at Fairmont. Bardwell usually had the Hudson coupe with the bullhorns. Promoter Hi Monroe's family car, all lettered up to advertise the track, is in the background. |
Courtesy of Darell Tucker Red Dooley, with the 3 Jr., watches warily as the car next to him starts to burn at Otter Creek. The other car might be the 3Sr. of Wayne Chandler. |
Courtesy of Howie Miller |
|
Courtesy of John Grady |
Photo courtesy of Otto Graham's Website The legendary Cliff Kotary with Mike Michael's 10-10. Michaels [whose real name was Mike Suraske] drove the cat at Otter Creek.
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John Quenneville, Whiting,
VT |
![]() Russ Blake Collection Russ Blake, Pittsfield, MA |
THE SECOND YEAR - OTTER CREEK SPEEDWAY
The track operated under Hi Monroe for two seasons or so. Although the track had a few more famous visiting drivers in that first year of 1961, the second year was more successful because Monroe was able to draw from a number of Fairmont Speedway cars, which filled the fields much more. Many of the very substandard locals who had struggled around the track in 1961 faded from the scene in 1962. Few Malletts Bay cars were seen any more, and that was too bad.

View of Otter Creek Speedway from the bleachers on the hillside. This is the more successful second year. Note how the track, which was probably in excess of a half mile, has been shortened. The old banking is still visible.

An Otter Creek Speedway heat, in the more successful second year, lines up on the front stretch. The red 00 is the late Vince Quenneville, Sr., and the yellow and black Checkmate was driven alternately by Quenneville's brother, John and by Phil Russell. The white coupe is unidentifiable; the red flattop coupe is the Norm Cyr - owned #19 driven by Rex Shattuck; the maroon coupe in the back is probably future track promoter Little Joe D'Avignon. In the right photo, Quenneville is visible, as is the black and silver #6 of Kenny Martin. The black car in the front may have been Bill Bigelow, an employee of the Barcomb family who owned Malletts Bay Speedway.

The Massachusetts Sportsman team of George Stevens packs up to leave the track in 1962. This is shot from behind the grandstands. The third and fourth turns are barely visible over the car, in the distance.
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| This visit from the Lockport, NY driver, Kenny Meahl in 1962 is very significant because the car owner was an eighteen year-old named Jerry Cook. Cook would go on to be a two-time NASCAR National Modified Champion. | Invasions from the Keene, NH gang were frequent and successful. This is Leo Howland, team mate of the famous "One Eye" Ted Brown. | Keene, NH's legendary "One Eye"Ted Brown. The team is stopping on the side of the highway after the race to re-adjust the trailer hitch. Brown was unbelievable fast at Vergennes. | Williston, Vermont's Bob Pratt [by the car] brought the former Jack DuBrul Daytona car to Otter Creek in 1962. The heavy Nascar late model was too heavy and overpowered. It was reportedly driven by Gordie Owen, a veteran of Malletts Bay. |
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| Reigning Nascar National Sportsman Co-Champion Bill Wimble and car owner Dave McCready visited Vergennes in 1962. | Veteran Vermont driver and Fairmont star Gene Tatro, Manchester Depot, VT, ran infrequently at Otter Creek. | Veteran Vermont driver and Fairmont star George Rogers, Casteleton, VT | Up and coming Vermont drive, Vince Quenneville of Whiting, Vermont actually started at Vergennes before making his name at Fairmont, Devils Bowl, and other late '60's tracks. This is his second car. |
| THE
TUCKER CARS
An immaculate Nascar Sportsman built by Lee and Royce Tucker of Burlington. They owned this one and had drivers Ernie Ried, Dutch Reed, and Wayne Chandler. The car had a bad wreck at Airborne that year, Ried was seriously injured, Royce suffered a fatal heart attack as a result, and the family never fielded another car. |
THE
TUCKER CARS
Another immaculate Nascar Sportsman built by Lee and Royce Tucker of Burlington. This one was owned and run by "Black Jack" DuBrul of Burlington, VT. It raced at Otter Creek, Fonda,and a number of other venues.
CLICK HERE for a DuBrul page. |
Keith Ballard of Hinesburg, VT- a regular at Malletts Bay and Thunder Road, as well with the red and white #71. |
Granville, New York's Art Visconti bought a Norm Scarborough '37 Chevy that had been driven at Otter Creek by the late Vince Quenneville, Sr. Here, the car is seen at home with son, Mike in attendance. |
ALL - STAR SPORTSMAN SHOWS
The following shots from his own Devil's Bowl programs show some of the competitors who showed up for the extra money. Some of these races took place at Otter Creek Speedway. I am not sure how they ended up in C.J.'s collection, unless he was already promoting the track by then. Others were clearly at Fairmont.
From a Devil's Bowl Program, Courtesy of Ed Fabian
From left - Jean-Guy Chartrand, Ron
Narducci, Ken Shoemaker, and Pete Corey line up in front of the starter's stand
at Fairmont.
Bob Frazier Photo, Courtesy of
C.J. Richards
Ken Shoemaker's car sits in the foreground at Otter Creek as Jack DuBrul [tall man in the center] talks with other drivers, The 14VT in the background is the Tucker car, and the white car at far right is either Harley Chamberlain or Howie Miller.
From a Devil's Bowl Program, Courtesy of Ed Fabian
Will Cagle stands by his 24, behind
Frankie Schneider and Buzzie Reutimann.|
This had to be a Fairmont show as Otter Creek had no night races.
The track operated under Hi Monroe for two seasons or so. The track was inactive for a year or two, then Cornwall, Vermont's Joseph "Little Joe" D'Avignon, a driver who always seemed to flourish on the Vergennes track, took over promoting for a year. He renamed it Hillside Raceway.
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Joe D'Avignon poses with two of his star attractions on this Hillside Raceway promotional flier. Tatro was from Manchester Depot, while Rabidou operated out of Brattleboro, Vermont. The rest of D'Avignon's fields usually were from either Addison County, where the track was, or nearby Rutland County. Charlie Laduc's first sportsman coupe is shown here. Interestingly, it was an original Otter Creek Speedway car owned and driven then by Dick Hawkins, Ferrisburgh. Program Courtesy of Neal Davis |
The last [and best] car. He had tried running a car from former neighbor Herbie Swan, but this was a far better car. The car is shown leaving Fairmont Speedway, a track upon whose regulars Joe depended on heavily for his participants. Photo Courtesy of Mike Visconti Joe D'Avignon moves up in Turn One at Fairmont after Art Visconti, one of his loyal supporters at Hillside. |
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Joe D'Avignon [far left] leads Sonny Rabidou [far right] through turn four at the Vermont State Fairgrounds in Rutland around 1964. Maybe it was here that he convinced the former state champion to sign up with Hillside. [Rutland Herald Photo] |
Poster Courtesy of Dick Hawkins & Darrell Tucker This is one of the last surviving promo posters from Joe D'Avignon's Hillside Raceway. Former driver Dick Hawkins had this poster in his garage. Every week, the boys at the garage would change the date on the poster to coincide with the following race date. [Look carefully at the bottom of the poster on the right.]
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LaDuc Family Photo
This blurry photo is definitely from the Hillside era. I now
think that white car of Phil LaDuc [Charlie's old hobby Oldsmobile]
is the white car leading the race shown in the big color photo. [CLICK
HERE to see the one I mean]
Bill Ladabouche Photo, Courtesy of Darrell Tucker.
This crudely - lettered sign was nailed
to a tree on U.S. Route 7.
It was given to Darrell Tucker by former track land owner, Hi Monroe.
Very little has been found out about the Rainbow Ridge track operation. It
seemed to depend on a few locals and some Hurricane Division and hobby division
competitors from surrounding tracks like Catamount and Devil's Bowl. The
Rainbow Ridge operation seemed to be around 1969 or 1970. I can only guess who
ran there, until I discover someone who actually attended these races.
A Proctor native and former Devils
Bowl driver named Louie Senecal is purported to have tried the rebirth of the
old track. He apparently added caution lights, a flagger's stand, and a few
other upgrades. Butch Jelley said he ran there and Bruce Keith remembers
attending races with Ed Keenan.
Darrell Tucker, son of one of the
track's originals creators, says he has a crudely - lettered Rainbow Ridge sign
that used to sit down near the main highway, to direct fans up the the South Middlebrook Road.
VIEWS
OF THE TRACK'S REMAINS
Also CLICK HERE to see another page of
remains

This shot was taken at the site of the Otter Creek Speedway about ten years after it had closed. As luck would have it, someone had taken a mowing machine right around where the track surface had been, so turns three and four are visible in the distance. Still standing at the tie were the announcer's tower, a concession stand, and some of the poles left from when someone envisioned lighting the track. Barely visible is the little pond they had in the infield. I have put the other photo next to it for comparison. The tower was barely out of sight to the left.
This shot was taken at the site of the Otter Creek Speedway about ten years after it had closed. Some sort of small structure sits near the track, maybe in the infield. The hay mower's recently cutting makes it possible to see the backstretch. The bleachers would have been directly in front of the camera. The poles that never got lights, are visible. A few of those still stand in 2004. I have put the other photo next to this one for perspective.
This is the single best shot of the track, as it was when C.J. Richards began to operate it [with the shortened length]. In this shot, we can see [from left] Jim Koehler on the infield pit road, Joe D'Avignon's purple tow pickup, Gael Dundon's tow pickup [red & white], someone's late model #77 in the foreground of the pits, and Art Visconti's coupe [orange and white] sitting idle in the infield. In the race, Phil LaDuc's white car paces Russ Shaw's sedan, Charlie LaDuc [maroon car], Ed Foley, Gene Tetrault [sedan inside], Ted Brown [outside], Don Miller, Lefty Casey, Sonny Rabideau, and Vince Quenneville. The race was waiting for a stalled car [out of sight on the first turn] to be hauled away.
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LOCATION OF THE OTTER CREEK SPEEDWAY | |||||||
The track is left of center of photo. Note the back road leading off at an angle from the straight U.S. Route 7. |
Note Rte.7 in photo for track location. | ||||||
The track is roughly between the word "boundary" and the "M" in Waltham - and up a bit. | |||||||
This layout shows the exact location of the track in Waltham, on Terraserver satellite photo, and on two different maps. The upper map is from and the bottom is a Terraserver topographical map.
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