This month: Exciting progress with "the Sherlock sign"! Pictures of vegetation removal from the Osaki house. Recap of the "Foggy First Day Hike". Reminder that our annual "newsletter holiday" is coming up, so this is the January/February edition and we will see you again in March!
Sherlock sign
We're making progress with
the " Sherlock sign"!

This handsome sign with a silhouette of William Gillette portraying Sherlock Holmes was an iconic photo opportunity for visitors to Gillette Castle for many years. But the installation was plagued with problems, and it was replaced several times. In 2015, the post collapsed with visitors nearby, and it was clear that long-term structural integrity and ease of repair were absolutely crucial for the future.

In Nov, 2019 a member survey identified this as a top priority for the Friends. Thanks to skilled engineering by Friends volunteer and board member George Mattern in partnership with Park Supervisor John "Jack" Hine, a new post design was approved by DEEP at the end of last year.

We are so thrilled to be able to share a series of photographs that are documenting volunteer progress with the re-installation of this structure! The new sign post has a four-foot forged steel support frame in a massive concrete base, and has a mechanism that allows the sign to be raised and lowered for repairs.

Installation is planned for later this month! Click the button below if you want to watch or be involved in the sign-raising!
Vegetation has been cleared from the Osaki House.
The vegetation threatening the riverfront house of Yukitaka Osaki was removed by park staff, supplemented by enthusiastic board member Gail Hanson, who spent New Years Day with her pruning clippers in hand.

If you missed our article about these restoration efforts, check it out here!
Osaki side pre
Osaki side post
Osaki ferry pre
Osaki ferry post
A Foggy First Day Hike
A few intrepid volunteers staffed our annual First Day Hike on a foggy New Year's Day. Serving up hot beverages and our hiking and history maps were (from left to right): Ed Markunas, Lynn Wilkinson, Marianne Westcott and Sarah Lucey. Dot Millen and Gail Hanson were "on the trails" greeting visitors and chatting about the sights.

We had about 140 visitors, which was really remarkable given some gloomy weather. It was a lot of fun chatting with the intrepid hikers and a great way to start 2022.
Sherlock shout-out. Sherlock is thrilled to welcome new member Ben S.!