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VISITOR COMMENTS
Re: Walk Across a Beaver Dam, Douglas, MA -- 2/25/12 by sugarsoakermd
This is awesome and very historical, keep up the great work!
Re: Old Connecticut Path through Tolland, CT -- 2/20/12 by TimG
I've been researching the ancient road(s) through Tolland for years, and have long contended Thomas Hooker passed through here, not Bolton Notch. I'm thrilled to find Jason has researched the route from Mass. and can't wait to have further discussions about it! The routes through Woodstock, Ashford, and Willington coincide with everything I've presumed, but found little information about.
Re: Great Wall of Westford -- 2/20/12 by TimG
I just found your video on the “Great Wall of Ashford”, and I’m very excited to see someone making this information readily available. I’ve been researching the location of a major ancient road through Tolland for years, and believe it crossed the Willimantic River near Rte. 74 and passed through Willington, eventually connecting to The Old Connecticut Path. It never made sense to me that the trail turned south back to Rte. 44. Any information you have on this would be greatly appreciated.
Re: Mt. Hope River Crossing, Westford -- 2/20/12 by ChanceB
I happened to stumble upon your series on the Old Connecticut Path while searching the internet yesterday. I have enjoyed the segments which Ive watched so far, although, its difficult to determine in which order one should be viewing the video's. Is it possible for you to number them so one knows in which order they are best viewed?
Also, regarding the trail marker on route 89 in Ashford, I grew up on the farm where the marker is located (the old colonial house on 89 100 ft to the east of the marker). There were always cars stopping on 89 to view the marker when i lived there. As a child I remember trying to find the old path and had heard about the stepping stones which were used to cross both branches of the Mt Hope river. We were never sure if the old trail actually passed at that point on 89 and crossed our property, or, if the marker was placed there out of convenience. Thanks for helping solve this mystery from my youth.
And thanks again for putting together this video.....
Re: Quinebaug Crossing -- 2/19/12 by jiamartino
I've looked at several of your videos. You certainly are a dedicated researcher.
You have found the resources that we could have pointed to. There is only one or two other pieces of information that might be valuable to you. I can't say for sure that there will be new info for you but I have found info in the: The Vade Mecum for America: or, A Companion for Trades and Travellers (travel guide) - 1731
By the Vade Mecum 'telling me' the licensed innkeepers every few miles, I was able to very accurately trace lanes and obscure roads. I don't have a copy but used one in the Boston Library or the Am. Antiquarian Society when I was doing research for a book years ago.
The other source that was great help to me was the Bureau of Public Roads - Dept of Commerce. They had several interesting documents that was done by Federal Researchers years ago that might aid your search.
While there have been changes and alterations to many paths, my research almost always finds that today's back roads usually sit right on top of the Indian or early roads developed by 1870 and almost never later than that. For example, here in Thompson, we had many districts or subvillages (No. Grosvenordale, Wilsonville, Fabyan & Quinebaug, formerly New Boston etc...). Way back when, there were people responsible for highways in each district and we have some of the booklets of work on these roads. Men would be required to work several days per year, or less if they brought oxen or mules to help with the heavy work. This work was partially documented. Later, people were allowed to pay hard cash in lieu of manual labor and the town would hire road specialists to do the work. When this happened, it would be documented in the town annual accounts. We have town accounts in the mid 1850s for example the tells us each bridge, each road that was worked on. I am sure this is well known to you. My point is that for Thompson and likely for the other NE CT towns, our towns went backwards from the 1870s on, when the railroads bypassed the town centers and passed thru the mill and valley regions instead. So, a great map like the 1869 Grey's Atlas or the 1856 Woodford Map of Windham County would have the best and most accurate paths at the peak of the path period. From that point on, the roads development in NE CT declined as the towns' populations declined as settlement to the Midwest and California grew. Some estimate that NE CT lost 30-40% of its 1830s population by 1880. That's why I use the period 1855 to 1870 as the best period of road & path research. I too have walked those areas in Quinebaug and Fabyan but I was looking to pinpoint the Indian riverside praying villages. The routes of the Praying Villages were on the Indian paths and again I am sure you know this too but what is not so well known is that these paths also passed the holy regions of the Indians which were fixed in ledges overlooking certain year-round swamps. The Indians asked for their praying villages to be near their holy grounds which had well beaten paths. Our colonists certainly took the easiest routes, the established trails, as the indians put in weirs not only to channel fish in the rivers but also to aid crossing the rivers. Several weirs in Eastern CT still exist and it doesn't take much to figure out that these weirs with some stickwork made great paths across rivers. I've attached 2 things to help here. The proximity to the flat land adjacent to the rivers for the village work as well as easy enter and exit to the river matches your thinking well shown in your video.
Re: Old Connecticut Path videos -- 2/8/12 by wklein
Thx so much for those wonderful YouTube videos with Jason Newton. I particularly like your scene of the creek running under the two huge stone slabs. I have much affection for New England and it's colonial history - somehow feeling more connected to old cellar holes, stone walls, historic inns and homes - more so than e.g. the Roman coliseum, Notre Dame de Paris or such. Visiting some of the battle scenes of the French and Indian War is sobering as to what decent folks suffer during time of war. Thanks for the tips re the historical societies - Tolland seems also to have such interest.
Re: Quinebaug River Crossing -- 1/28/12 by Jimbosnutz
thank you so much for this information....from what you've told me, i've been in this area many times as a child, and never knew about it....we used to canoe from the bridge on brickyard rd, to the red bridge off raivenelle rd... once again , thank you, and as long as this weather keeps up, we will be checking this out for sure!!
Re: Crossing the Great Wall of Westford --1/28/12 by Samcom57
Jason, I've been watching your series of videos on the Old Connecticut Path. Fantastic!! This particular video provides a very interesting information. John Oldham not only is the first Englishman to travel the path, 1634, he is also the founder of Wethersfield. Pastor Wareham, FOLLOWED in 1635. As you may well know, Wethersfied and Windsor often debate, which town was first...Being from Wethersfield the info here delights me...My wife, from Windsor will not be quite as impressed!! LOL!!
Re: Old Connecticut Path -- 1/27/12 by Jimbosnutz
I was browsing and came across your site, and was very interested...I have lived in Thompson my entire life, and have never heard of The Old CT Path...I am a little upset that we were never taught about this in school....anyway, we are moving to FL at the end of the month, and I would love to take the Kids walking on it....do you know of any place we can legally enter the trail, between thompson, and woodstock?
thank you, and keep up the great info....more people should know the history of the path!
Re: Old Connecticut Path -- 1/15/12 by wwcckk
The new additions and the resource link are great. We will be wandering around the Douglas Woods soon.
Thank You
Re: Old Connecticut Path -- 1/1/12 by wwcckk
Just a note to say thank you for all the great research and presentation. Have you read Robert Gradie's " The Connecticut Path"? He shows the path entering Connecticut on Fabyan Road. I see you think that the path crossed the river down stream from Fabyan.
Re: Old Connecticut Path -- 1/1/12 by joeb500
Great video. I have been researching this trail for a while I have read a couple of books. I am reading the great trail of new england by harrol ayres. I am very interested in the section from framingham to the blackstone crosssing. Have you been able to define the trail in this area?
Re: Old Connecticut Path: Walk on America's Oldest Highway - Woodstock, CT -- 12/28/11 by MarahonTmatt
very interesting. one thing you forgot to mention though, might be the native history perspective of it. I am not an expert, but were parts of the old con. path already established as trails by the native population, and later used by the settlers? you did not really touch on this. i think i remember hearing about that as being the case of salem end rd. in framingham ma. that actually adds more glory than just 300 plus years of use, in reality, the trails been in use much longer.