Scout This! Fall 2009

---

Winners: Cole and Lucus Carey

Cole Carey, 8, and Lucas Carey, 6, are our winners. Their entry, submitted by their mother, Elizabeth Baratta, was randomly drawn from the group of 35 correct answers we received.

The Carey brothers knew that the green jars depicted in our fall issue’s contest are from George Emerson’s pickle factory statue in Powder House Park (aka Nathan Tufts Park).

How did they know? Because they frequently “play army” in the park, according to Cole. Scout promptly dispatched a staff photographer to capture the Carey brothers in action.

For an authoritative history behind the green jars, we turned to “A Visitor’s Guide to Nathan Tufts Park,” which tells this story:

“In the 1870s, a pickle and condiment manufacturer named George Emerson began making pickles nearby, housing his business in a large shed that he moved to the property from another location in Somerville.

“The powder house itself — with its two-foot thick stone walls — was well-insulated and made a perfect place for storing Emerson’s ‘Old Powder House Brand’ pickles. The pickle relish jars in the park are located near the site of Emerson’s shed.”

As for the park itself:

“In 1892, the Tufts family gave this land to the City of Somerville, to be made into a park. The City Engineer, Horace Eaton, planned and built walkways and a carriage way, using crushed stone obtained from the property. The building was repaired and its foundation strengthened. Stone arches were rebuilt, and iron grates were installed in door and window openings for added security.”

You can read more from “A Visitor’s Guide to Nathan Tufts Park” on the the official City of Somerville website.