View From Battery Point on 27 December 2021
The History of Battery Point
For health reasons, Charles Bunton, a Manchester blacksmith, gave up his shop and purchased a farm in Auburn that encompassed all of Battery Point. In 1886, he subdivided six 100 by 100 foot building lots on the west side of Battery Point. Henry McAllister, a Manchester police officer, purchased two lots and built on the Point. The cottage was only one room wide but the great wrap-around porch made the building appear much larger. A third floor observation cupola gave fine views in all directions. A stone wall was built to protect the property from ice damage and still stands today.
McAllister also built a boat house. It was a long narrow building with an oversized door leading to a ramp into the lake. With a couple of friends, McAllister started the Nautilus Boat Club. There is a picture of them sitting in the entryway, dressed in “sailor” uniforms with “N” on the tunic, and the “Nautilus” sign in the peak of the building.
In 1895, Sargent McAllister disciplined a patrol man who then threatened to kill his commanding officer. When the patrolman returned to the police station to “clean out his locker,” he shot McAllister, killing him. (Sargent McAllister was the first Manchester policeman to die in the line of duty.)
The Manchester Water Works (MWW) purchased four of the lots that Bunton subdivided around 1900. McAllister’s sister sold her two lots to Frank J Connor. Connor allowed his daughter to use the second lot. (Did Connor build the pillars that still stand along the shore wall?) In 1925, Connor sold both lots to the MWW for $4000. The Water Works allowed him to remove anything he wanted from the property. Probably within the year, the Manchester Water Works returned the area to the way it looks today.
(Excerpted from a September 2020 article in the Auburn Village Crier, written by Dan Carpenter.)
-------------------------------------------------
Original Cache Description (by the Owenses)
Peninsula, 1.5 difficulty due to tree cover.
The cache is in a medium sized olive drab ammo can and is located on Battery Point, Massabesic Lake (N43° 00.148' W71° 22.153'). The original cache contained a "cache camera" which was removed on 4/25/03.
Bring the kids and dogs, this is a great place for hiking, biking and a picnic. Massabesic Lake is the city water supply for the city of Manchester so no swimming or wading is allowed by man or beast. Nearby is an osprey viewing blind so bring the binoculars and watch the trail signs. The cache is located just off the point to minimize accidental discoveries.
There has been some confusion as to whether bicycles are allowed on Battery Point. My thanks to 'mikes' for making me aware that bicycles are not allowed from the Audubon Society trail head. I contacted the representative of the Manchester Water Works (603-624-6482) and he assured me that bicycles are ok on Battery Point as well as the entire Manchester side of the watershed with the exception of the area immediately adjacent to the treatment plant. Public parking with bicycle access is available at N42° 59.261' W71° 22.507'.
The current Rules of the Massabesic Watershed are available online.
So, bike away...
-------------------------------------------------
Prior Adoption Note Below:
7/25/05 - Cache adopted by T&BLAHEY. Visited cache, all is in good order. Placed a camera for you to record your visits! Please remember to use the flash, and include the photo number when you log your visit. Glad to keep this long lasting and popular cache placed by the Owenses alive!