Historic site · Massachusetts
The Gazing Ball
The Gazing Ball is a historic site in Massachusetts, at a modelled elevation of 9 m. Great Blue Hill stands 193 m to the west-southwest, 6.3 miles off. The nearest named place is Hancock Adams Common, a park less than a tenth of a mile away. Revolutionary Heritage Byway passes 6.5 miles off.
What to expect
- Access
- Yes
How to reach it
Coordinates42.25112, -71.00399
- 6.5 mi off the Revolutionary Heritage Byway, National
- 13.1 mi off the Battle Road Scenic Byway, National
- 28.6 mi off the Essex Coastal Scenic Byway
Overlooks nearby
- Skywalk Observatory · 8 mi
- Sunset Ledge · 20 mi
- Lookout Point · 23 mi
Named places within 25 miles
Parks
- Hancock Adams Common: 0.0 mi
- John Quincy Adams Park: 0.1 mi
- Freedom Park: 0.3 mi
- William H. Flynn Playground: 0.5 mi
- Baxter Street Historic District: 0.5 mi
Artworks
- John Adams: 0.0 mi
- Abigail Adams: 0.0 mi
- John Hancock: 0.1 mi
- Constitution Common: 0.4 mi
- The Lone Sailor: 3.5 mi
Attractions
- United First Parish Church: 0.1 mi
- John Adams Birthplace: 0.8 mi
- John Quincy Adams Birthplace: 0.8 mi
- USS Salem: 1.8 mi
- Pastoral Center: 3.2 mi
Museums
- Quincy Historical Society Museum & Library: 0.2 mi
- Dorothy Quincy Homestead: 0.5 mi
- Josiah Quincy House: 1.5 mi
- United States Naval Shipbuilding Museum: 1.8 mi
- Abigail Adams House Museum: 3.3 mi
Peaks
- Presidents Hill: 0.2 mi
- Mount Wollaston: 1.1 mi
- Penns Hill: 1.2 mi
- Forbes Hill: 1.3 mi
- Babel Rock: 1.8 mi
Nature reserves
- Furnace Brook Parkway: 0.6 mi
- Furnace Brook Parkway: 0.7 mi
- Furnace Brook Parkway: 0.9 mi
- Quincy Shore Reservation: 1.2 mi
- Eaton's Pond Conservation Land: 1.6 mi
Historic sites
- Abagail Adams Cairn: 1.2 mi
- Departed Knights of Columbus Memorial: 2.0 mi
- Military Monument: 2.6 mi
- Moswetuset Hummock Historical Marker: 2.8 mi
- Naval Air Station Squantum Ammunition Bunkers: 3.0 mi
Beaches
- Norton Road Beach: 1.3 mi
- Back Beach: 1.4 mi
- Shea Beach: 1.6 mi
- Heron Beach: 1.6 mi
- Post Island Beach: 1.7 mi
Gardens
- Braintree Community Garden: 2.6 mi
- Fanny Lou Hamer Community Garden: 4.6 mi
- Wheatland Avenue Community Garden: 4.7 mi
- Spencer Street Community Garden: 4.7 mi
- Flower Garden: 4.9 mi
Picnic sites: 39
- Babcock Arboretum: 1.5 mi
- Nature's Pavilion: 5.6 mi
- Oak Lea: 5.7 mi
- Pine Knoll: 5.8 mi
- Stella Tirrell Picnic Area: 6.1 mi
Lighthouses: 6
- Boathouse: 7.8 mi
- Keeper's Dwelling: 7.8 mi
- Oil Shed: 7.9 mi
- Boston Light: 7.9 mi
- Fog Signal Building: 7.9 mi
Rest areas: 6
- Commissioners Landing: 8.2 mi
- Westwood Rest Area: 8.2 mi
- State Route 3 Parking Area Southbound: 14.6 mi
- State Route 3 Parking Area Northbound: 14.6 mi
- Interstate 95 Rest Area: 21.9 mi
Waterfalls: 2
- Rock Falls: 3.5 mi
- Cascade Falls: 13.9 mi
Springs: 2
- Pakomet Spring: 4.4 mi
- Quarry Spring: 13.8 mi
Ghost towns: 1
- Haywardville: 15.4 mi
Summits around it
The highest named summits within 6.8 miles of The Gazing Ball. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.
| Summit | Bearing | Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Blue Hill | WSW 244° | 193 m | 6.3 mi |
| Chickatawbut Hill | SW 236° | 156 m | 3.6 mi |
| Hancock Hill | WSW 244° | 155 m | 5.2 mi |
| Fenno Peak | SW 235° | 151 m | 3.5 mi |
| Buck Hill | SW 235° | 151 m | 4.4 mi |
| Nahanton Hill | SW 235° | 145 m | 3.3 mi |
| Hemenway Hill | WSW 245° | 140 m | 5.4 mi |
| Kitchamakin Hill | SW 235° | 133 m | 3.4 mi |
When to go
Light through the year
| Date | Sunrise | Golden hour | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 06:48 | 18:19 | 18:56 |
| June solstice | 05:08 | 19:42 | 20:25 |
| September equinox | 06:32 | 18:06 | 18:43 |
| December solstice | 07:10 | 15:30 | 16:15 |
Local time (America/New_York).
Climate normals
Months averaging 50–80 °F: May–Oct.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °F | 30 | 32 | 38 | 48 | 58 | 67 | 73 | 72 | 65 | 54 | 44 | 35 |
| Precip in | 4.5 | 4.0 | 5.4 | 4.6 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 5.2 | 4.4 | 5.1 |
1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Hingham, 5 mi away.
Where this comes from
Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.
OpenStreetMapOpenStreetMap element node/13799114017
Day trips start here
- Quincy · 0 mi
- Milton · 3 mi
- Weymouth · 4 mi
- Boston/Dorchester · 5 mi
- Boston Harbor Islands · 5 mi
- Boston/South Boston · 6 mi
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