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Walker Road provides a gateway to the Yale Forest and Natchaug State Forest in Eastford. This old roadway provides a short mile long walk that follows stone wall lined roads to the Bigelow Brook and Connecticut Path crossing. Along the way, cross an ancient box culvert that is typical of the stone bridges found along the route of the Old Connecticut Path. Walk right up to a beaver dam and peer over the top to see the beaver lodge and pond surrounded by Yale Forest. Explore the "Shippey Place", a colonial era home site, and visit the site of the one room school house attended by Charles and David Chism during their school years in the 1860-70's. At the end of an easy mile walk on old roads, discover the bridge site and the Old Connecticut Path crossing on the Bigelow Brook that the Chism brothers crossed on their way to school.This walk requires no bushwacking and is suitable for families with small children as a place to explore the Connecticut woodland in an area that is directly connected with the route of the Old Connecticut Path. The mile traveled brings you back a century or two in time.
To view the video, click on the picture (above) or the link Walker Road to Bigelow Brook Crossing
Click on the link below to see an excerpt from Harral Ayres The Great Trail.
To see the map drawn by David Chism, click on the link Chism Map
Click on the link below to see the Eastford Historical Society Quarterly, September 2011.
Read Dagmar Noll's articles on the Old Connecticut Path in Eastford, CT.
USGS topographic maps showing the route of the Old Connecticut Path across Eastford and Ashford may be viewed in the Maps section.
Walker Road to Yale Forest & Natchaug State Forest - Eastford, Connecticut
4. Yale Forest/Natchaug State Forest
The 1.0 mile walk along old Walker Road (closed to vehicles) takes you deep into Yale-Meyers Forest and Natchaug State Forest where the Old Connecticut Path crossed Bigleow Brook on large stepping stones. A beaver dam on Walker Road, stone remains of the Twelfth District School site and the Shippey farm await exploration along the way.
The route of the Old Connecticut Path as mapped by Ellen Larned on the "Map of Ancient Windham County" passes through Yale-Meyers Forest and Natchaug State Forest in this area to reach the ancient crossing place on Bigelow Brook.
Walker Road leads from Westford Road. Park on the right side of Kozey Road and walk to Walker Drive (first driveway on right). Pass the one house on Walker Drive to continue onto the old Walker Road. Click on the map (above) to enlarge. A sample of views along the walk is shown right (click to enlarge).
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