MCC Fitness Trail History
Cultural History
Rich in history, this remarkable site was once home to the Maryvale Seminary, which opened in the fall of 1926, offering educational programs and training for the Catholic priesthood. One priest had a particular interest in the woods and a pond located on this property, and took it upon himself to cultivate these areas. This teacher of Greek and Latin dredged the pond, and landscaped the woods. Students helped with the strenuous work of pulling weed clumps out of the pond to clear it. Even after years of neglect, many of these original trails still exist.
Bay Circuit Trail
The MCC Fitness Trail is directly connected to an extensive trail system named the Bay Circuit Trail (BCT). Proposed in 1929 as an “outer emerald necklace,” the BCT traverses more than 200 miles through 50 cities and towns in Massachusetts, linking parks, open spaces and waterways from Plum Island to Kingston Bay. The MCC Fitness Trail is a small but critical section, providing an important trail link between Bedford and Billerica. Find more information on the Bay Circuit Trail, including a detailed map, at www.baycircuit.org.
Preserving the Trail
To help preserve the trail for years to come A Fitness Trail Preservation Fund has been established by the MCC Foundation.