Bone Ride

Top 6 Spots For 1990’s Keg Parties In Worcester

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I would like to start this blog off by saying that underage drinking is illegal and bad. Even though America is the only country in the world where you can win the Medal of Honor but you can’t celebrate winning it with a victory beer because you’re 20 years and 11 months old, rules are still rules. Even if they’re dumb. I had to wait until I was 21 to drink openly in public without fear, and so do you little twerps.

With that said, we all know kids are gonna drink. It’s a fact of life. But Worcester kids are different. We don’t have parents that go on Sandals trips to Jamaica and leave their kids home for three weeks. Our parents knew better. They knew that if they did so then there was a good chance the captain of the Doherty High School football team was gonna take an upper decker in their house.

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So in Worcester you had to get more creative if you wanted to pound down some $41 Rolling Rock kegs. Usually this involved finding some vagrant outside of Randall’s and pulling a “Hey Mister.” You’d get your keg of beer, he’d get his handle of Poland Sering vodka for a tip, and you’d both be on your way. He of course would pound the whole thing in 20 minutes before a long night of stumbling around and getting kicked out of pool halls. And you’d head off to the middle of the dark as shit woods.

But where did Worcester kids go to party back in the good ol’ days? Well, we’re about to unleash our top six keg spots on you, but it comes with a disclaimer. This blog is extremely biased towards certain parts of the city. I grew up around Lovell Street in the Columbus Park neighborhood. That’s right on the Doherty/South district line. So I knew people from both schools even though I went to South. Now I would’ve liked nothing more than to go to a North High party but I had no idea if they even existed. As for Burncoat, that might as well have been a foreign country to me. Do you realize how far Burncoat is from South? Even when we played them in sports I felt zero connection or sense of rivalry. If anything Leicester was a much bigger rival. At least we knew how to get there – go right.

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I posted earlier today that we’d be writing this blog and a lot of people put Crow Hill on there as their top spot from the 90’s. Sorry, it didn’t make the list. Never heard of it until today. I noticed that 90% of the people suggesting it or liking it have a last name that ends in a vowel. Now I would’ve loved nothing more than to party with some dago Holy Name girls back in 98, but we didn’t have Tinder so it wasn’t in the cards. Back then all you had was AOL chat rooms, and if you didn’t have a scanner then you couldn’t put a pic up online and you were out of luck when it came to scoring with junior smokeshows from other neighborhoods.

Anyway, the two schools that partied the most were Doherty and South and it wasn’t even close. Doherty being #1 by a long shot. I mean, I’m sure people at the other schools all got down on the weekends, but as far as I was concerned Doherty High School was the nation’s finest producer of functional juvenile alcoholics in America. Put it this way. I went to the South and Doherty proms. At the South prom it was customary to get plastered AFTER the prom. At Doherty you got plastered before, during, after, and then the next morning. Walking around the Mechanics Hall bathroom during that thing required careful steps so as to not slip and fall on the hundreds of empty nip bottles everywhere. Those kids knew what they were doing at a young age.

Anyway, here’s the Top 6:

6. Moody Trails

I’d never been to this place before today, and the only reason it’s making the list is because I used to hear about parties there back in the 90’s. I’m pretty sure it was St. Peter Marian/Burncoat spot. I wouldn’t know. I didn’t like those kids for a really good reason – they didn’t live in my neighborhood.

It’s actually a pretty sweet spot I found out today. But the number one thing you have to consider when ranking a keg spot is the 5-0 factor. Because a good keg spot is only a good keg spot until the fuzz shows up. And the number one reason they would show up is because of the parking. Moody Trails is up near the Holden line, and it’s at the end of a dead end street, called Smith. The problem is there’s like 6 houses there and nowhere to park. And this is what you see at the end of Smith:

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And I would imagine that when the good people of Smith Ave saw a million cars parked right here

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the jig would be up pretty quickly. So the next thing you have to factor in is the run factor. Because nothing was more thrilling than running from the fuzz when you were 16 and inebriated. The rookie cops would always make the mistake of using their flash lights. When a bunch of stumbling teenagers saw those things it was like the bat signal for a stampede. And stampeding through this

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doesn’t look like much fun at all. And going the other way

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doesn’t look too promising either. One way in and way out makes for a pretty crappy high school keg spot.

 

5. Ludlow

This was a South High backup plan if the normal keg spot was too hot – AKA cops came on back to back weekends. It was a deep wooded area near the Leicester border that had tons of places to run in case the po-po came. The problem was that the po-po came a lot because there was nowhere to park on Ludlow Street. Today it’s a Worcester Academy field complex:

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What kind of country are we living in where high school drinking spots are being replaced by athletic fields? Stupid progress!!

 

4. Cook’s Pond

I don’t know how Doherty kids got away with having so many kegs at this spot. It was a perfect place to get broken up. First of all, it’s on a dead end street in West Tatnuck that’s really narrow – Tory Fort Lane:

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Seeing that many cars driving down this road and kids decked out in Abercrombie jumping out of them was a dead giveaway that West Side kids were being naughty. Another reason this seems like a bad idea in hindsight is that it was private property and had a gate:

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and it led to a members only island club fort house:

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The good thing about this place was the fact that the kegs were kept in a World War 1 style trench:

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Somehow this was the only spot that never seemed to get busted by annoyed cops who didn’t wanna be bothered with a bunch of drunken teenage dooshnozzles.

 

3. Chandler

This was another west side Doherty spot. There were three ways you get in. 1) Through Chandler Magnet school, which was a big no-no on account of cops often being in that parking lot. 2) Through Dellwood, which was a big no-no on account of a certain someone’s Mom would yell at you. 3) Through Brantwood Road, which was the preferred method of entry.

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It was all dependent on whoever lived in this house. Apparently back in the 90’s the person who lived there didn’t care that a bunch of 15 year olds were drinking warm foam and making out in the pitch dark.

Unfortunately it appears as if the new property owner doesn’t want kids discovering themselves back there anymore because this is all that’s left of it:

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Ehh, who am I kidding? That’s all that was there back in the 90’s. See back before we had cell phones that could launch a rocket ship kids used to look at this sparce piece of woodland and think of the limitless ways in which they could experience debauchery. I mean look at that log. Do you know how many future city councillors have fallen on their face tripping over that log when they saw those flashlights coming? Tons.

Oh yea, and that reminds me, I remember some kids used to bring flashlights to parties. Those kids were huge dicks.

 

2. Newton Hill

It was hard to pick #1, but this one lost out because after 1999 the cops had this place on lockdown to avenge a murder. For a while it was a common scene to see high school kids walking up and later stumbling down this hill:

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But unfortunately in the summer of 99 there were a series of robberies, one of which ended in a homicide in Sutton. When it was discovered that all five of the defendants were Doherty High School students or recent graduates who were no strangers to this hill, it all came crashing down.

But until that happened it was nothing but good times. It was the perfect location because there were so many ways in and out of the place.

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When you’d see those flashlights coming up Newton Hill it was a free-for-all extravaganza. Kids running straight downhill in all directions, not knowing if they’d end up on Park Ave, Highland, or Pleasant street. The downside of course was that it’s a big ass hill and a keg weighs a lot of pounds. Luckily there was a $2 discount on red solo cups for anyone who lent a hand dragging it out of the 78 Malibu parked in the Doherty High School parking lot and up the hill.

And the cops must’ve hated going to this place. I know I would if I was them. It’s a big ass hill. Usually they’d yell “don’t run.” But you ran anyway. The fact of the matter is you just didn’t wanna find out if they would let you go like they claimed they would. But because Worcester cops have always been decent and fair people they’d let you go unless you ran. That was generally the rule of thumb. Because the last thing on earth they wanted to do on a Friday night was run up and down a hill after a bunch of teenagers. If they had to run then they were in a bad mood.

Either way, the thing about Doherty kegs was the beer went fast and the parties started early. If you got there at 7 you were out of luck. After that you’d have to buy warm Keystone Lights off of the smart Jewish kid who anticipated this situation playing out from years of experience.

 

1. The Rez

What else? It was a giant plot of land with many places in which high school kids could gather and be naughty together. So there were a lot of different places you could lay the barrel down. One option was “the pipes,” which were a bunch of industrial sized pipes that apparently the city just said “fuck it” and left there:

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The best part about the pipes was watching people fall down this thing after they walked through the Sullivan Middle School tennis courts to get there:

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Another option was “the pumphouse” which was in a wide open area on Cider Mill pond:

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Plenty of room for running from the fuzz there. But the ACTUAL Rez was this hole in the back of the South High track where the “McGurn car” somehow was parked since the beginning of time, or so the legend goes:

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To this day I still have no idea how this car got down there, but I think a better question is, who the hell stole this Worcester icon? Here’s what it looks like today:

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The downside to this place was that there were very few places to run. The good part was that cops didn’t wanna make the hike down to it and over this magical bridge to get there:

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So there ya go. The top 6 Worcester keg spots from the 90’s. Leave your priceless high school memories in the comments.

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30 Comment(s)
  • Old Man
    October 4, 2016 at 10:41 pm

    Hadwen Park, RootinTootin Newton, 1010 woods

  • btag
    January 24, 2015 at 12:24 am

    My name is written on top of the totem pole at newton hill. It was my greatest accomplishment as a Dhigh grad

  • james Jay
    January 20, 2015 at 12:11 am

    dmhs class of 99 lives on smith ln no one ever called the cops but parking was the major reason we would be busted.

  • January 15, 2015 at 10:33 pm

    South kegs were the best especially when doherty thought they would try to take the keg or take over the party I LOVED THE BEATING THE CRAZY HOODLUMS HANDED OUT!!!! Them FREEMONT BOYS knew how to get down they also threw some ill parties i might say….Who remembers the party they threw at the bandrooms??? That was one epic party they also threw sum great parties indoors at some of there houses but no matter where they were there was always a fight so they were always avoided from being invited but i attended south from 96 to 00 one of the greatest graduate classes ever Rez definitely deserved to be #1 epic

    • Vanderbooger
      January 16, 2015 at 7:51 am

      Yeah those guys attempting to steal the keg weren’t among the brightest… especially since about half of the Doherty guys who went along just started talking to their buddies from South.

  • woostaguy
    January 15, 2015 at 10:19 pm

    Then there was a little known but infamous for those who were blessed with an invitation to the Chester St powelines and the trail to lagoon valley just across the St from Ni**er Jim’s old abandoned house just across the Holden line. lagoon Valley was a perfect spot that was never busted because of the ridiculous 1/4 MI Walk down the winding trail that brought you to a huge fire pit at the top of a ridge that ran above the “lagoon ” below . If you continued the trail it ended in someone’s old farm on Salisbury St past assumption college

    • woostaguy
      January 15, 2015 at 11:01 pm

      DHS class of 93

      • Eric Carson
        January 15, 2017 at 1:24 pm

        Did you know Dan Matthews?

    • October 2, 2016 at 10:47 pm

      Spent many a party at lagoon valley…ricky the cop came out there once

  • Deeznutz
    January 15, 2015 at 10:07 pm

    The pond behind Wawecus school aka The G Spot.
    Run by the Saint Peter Marian crew.
    Also Spider Gates ya’ll.

  • woostaguy
    January 15, 2015 at 9:51 pm

    First off your investigation into moody trails is a little lacking. There is a church with a huge double parking lot just across Holden St from Smith St that kept the getaway cars out of plain sight. Next, if you followed the main trail that used to be accesible with a small truck or SUV ( my 4wd Subaru wagon was perfect ) to the end it would bring you to a small clearing at the bottom of god’s hill which peaked at 122A just across from Venus Dr. (2nd escape route )or you could go the other way and hit the railroad tracks to take you back to Holden St and the waiting getaway cars.

  • Chris R
    January 15, 2015 at 6:13 pm

    I remember huge rippers at the Canteen off of Mill St., Logan Field, and The Spot The Spot is up a hill into the woods behind a house on May St. near Tatnuck. It had a stop sign where someone rearranged the letters to Spot. The canteen never got busted, I remember burning Christmas trees in the winter to keep warm as our kegs froze. Logan was prone to cops sometimes.

  • dave pepper
    January 15, 2015 at 2:18 pm

    Partied many times behind freindy house as well as crow hill behind norrh hgh n even behind grafton st school. Nehind comeplay products..woods at miscoe road before. Houses went in

  • Tito
    January 15, 2015 at 12:57 pm

    Some key West Side places missed on this one though. Duffy Field and the Flats up on Airport hill. But had a great time reminiscing and reading this! Great job!

    • jen
      January 15, 2015 at 4:58 pm

      Yes the Flats, that was a huge Doherty spot. I was handcuffed to 4 other people there. Oops.

  • Vanderbooger
    January 15, 2015 at 10:54 am

    Should there be a Turtleboy Sports kegger one of these weekends at some of these spots to see which one is the best now? High school style… cheap beer, making out in the woods, and nothing classy whatsoever.

  • Pam
    January 15, 2015 at 10:12 am

    the Normal which is now city view school was where I always went. Not only was it a great place for a keg, it was also a great place for a giant tee-pee and bonfire. All the hot Shrewsbury St punks hung out there 🙂

  • Hoops Mitchell
    January 15, 2015 at 5:19 am

    Burncoat Park??? Wawecus Road School?? Coes Pond??

  • Tim O
    January 15, 2015 at 3:59 am

    Under the bridge at the summit,at the west Boylston street intersection. they got huge. Or at the Smiths house in Holden. Best parties on the planet.

  • SUL
    January 15, 2015 at 3:58 am

    The seclusion behind Holy Name was always a popular one.

  • David S.
    January 15, 2015 at 2:26 am

    I graduated from Doherty in 2012. There were few keggers on Newton Hill. Boy, we were resourceful though. If we weren’t vandalizing the dumbass’s parents house who let us in, us Highlanders could be caught behind Flagg st School, Logan field on mill st, the fields behind the Jewish Community Center, and of course the afore mentioned Chandler Magnet. Hell you could probably go catch some underaged drinkers right now if you looked behind Flagg st school; that place was a hotspot!

  • KO
    January 15, 2015 at 12:28 am

    Grew up in main south right down the street from South but went to SPM so I went to almost all of these spots and the rez smoked them all hands down. If you were from the neighborhood you knee those woods like the back of your hand…..no flashlight needed lol. I’m fact if you were the jerk off who brought a flashlight that shit was confiscated lol.

  • adam
    January 14, 2015 at 11:34 pm

    I’m a little surprised Hadwen park didn’t make the list, I grew up in the 90’s in Webster Sq and we threw rippers in those woods

    • Tim O
      January 15, 2015 at 4:00 am

      I was there. Had win was a blast

  • Olrandy Sock
    January 14, 2015 at 11:26 pm

    I crushed many a brew at the Res, starting about 1964. We never had kegs, just cases of beer. Narragansett and Schlitz were the preferred brands. Both of ’em godawful piss swill. Never ran from the cops, just the occasional irate neighbor.

    • Wabbitt
      wabbitt
      January 14, 2015 at 11:33 pm

      By the time I was there in the late 90s I think they were drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon, which is also horrible, weak piss. Based on what my teenage coworkers say, I think the kids now are drinking Natural Ice, and sure enough -it’s cheap, weak piss.

      Because of course, cheap, weak piss is all 16 year old borderline alcoholics can afford.

  • Wabbitt
    wabbitt
    January 14, 2015 at 11:15 pm

    The more I read these articles, the more I wonder what year the main dude behind the Turtleboy graduated from South. Because we HAVE to have been there at the same time, even if we weren’t in the same grade.

  • mike
    January 14, 2015 at 10:45 pm

    Why give people a chance to pick spots if you are just going to pick South and Doherty spots…I will put North and Holy Name keggers up against any of those spots. We have the liver damage to prove it

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