CHARLES  RIVER  PARKLANDS  UPDATE
February 2001
Archives—Table of Contents

The Spirit Endures...

As you may have already noticed in reading the enclosed Cambridge Chronicle article "Along the Charles, a past reclaimed for posterity and nature," there was an unseen presence at the January sixth meeting. While Annette Cottrell is a name long known to residents of the "Marshes" neighborhood along Mt. Auburn Street, her move to New Hampshire and subsequent passing many years ago has dimmed the memory of an intrepid defender of Cambridge greenspace.

In the late 1950s, Annette and such allies as the eloquent Bernard DeVoto struggled valiantly with state authorities to halt the building of Greenough Boulevard. They found the construction at the newly created conjunction of Fresh Pond and Memorial Drive redundant. Annette was tireless, organizing the community to attend hearings and write letters while even going so far as to meticulously document the bird and plant species of Hell's Half Acre.

For anyone who has reviewed the letters and newspaper articles of that time over 40 years ago when the fate of Hell's Half Acre was in the balance, the spirit of this outstanding Cambridge citizen shines with special brightness. In recognition of her contribution, which informs and energizes all of us, we feel strongly that a celebratory occasion and recognition award ceremony should be undertaken in her memory.

Copyright © 2001 Charles River Conservancy.