ROCHESTER — A new walking series hosted by the Healthy Tri-Town Coalition was there and gone in June, wrapping up with a final walk on June 29. 

Coalition Co-Founder Elise Frangos (recently retired as Old Rochester Regional District's Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction) started the series as a way to bring community members out for a healthy educational walk while meeting neighbors. 

Rochester Historical Society (RHS) Vice President, Connie Eshbach and RHS Secretary, Susan LaFleur led the tour. LaFleur’s husband, Herb LaFleur is also a treasure trove of Rochester history and helped to set up the refreshment tent and table.

Stops on the tour included some of Rochester's oldest landmarks, with colorful historical narrative to match.

"There would be no tri-town without Rochester!" said Eshbach. Some of the area’s most vital industries and founding families were based in Rochester when the town occupied the land which is now Wareham, Marion and Mattapoisett.

In the oldest cemetery in town, LaFleur outlined Rochester family and property connections while tour attendees studied headstones and markers spanning many generations. The tour also visited Town Hall and the First Congregational Church of Rochester.

The tour is available to view on Old Rochester Community Television’s Vimeo page.