Wheeler Woods

Historical Background

Wheeler Woods was created by combining 13 acres of city owned land with 28 acres purchased from Benjamin Wheeler in 1999. Mr. Wheeler enjoyed the outdoors and liked managing the woodlot and fishing from the shore of Chadwick Pond. Mr. Wheeler later sold the land to the City of Haverhill under the conditions that it be preserved, protected, and remain open to the public to be enjoyed for recreational use.

Environmental Features

The property is heavily forested with the dominant overstory tree being high quality Red Oak. other species of trees can also be found here such as Black Oak, White Ash, American Beech, Red Maple, Shagbark Hickory, and Bitternut Hickory. Due to the property bordering Chadwick, the property’s shoreline is mostly marsh. This area is a great place to observe aquatic mammals such as beavers and Muskrats. In the wooded area it is possible to find more uncommon animals such as Fishers and Southern Flying Squirrels. Like most of the surrounding area, the glacial movement left behind rocks that early settlers used to create the stone walls with. Here you can find a massive boulder that sits around the center of the trail loop.