On December 12, 2010, the Hartford Courant published an article about the open spaces along Guilford’s East River.

The Guilford Land Conservation Trust’s 95-acre Eastwoods and 48-acre Nut Plains Trail connect to the 624-acre East River Preserve, acquired by the town a year ago and protect nearly 2 miles of the East River. Farther south along the river is the 121 acres of Old Scrogie Pond. And before the river empties into Long Island Sound it passes through the National Audubon Society’s Guilford Salt Meadows Sanctuary.

To read the full article, click here.

Based on Interview with Bob Sperry, June 10, 2010

Bob Sperry was born in New Haven, CT in 1921. His grandfather, William Leete Stone, owned land in Guilford at the intersection of River Street at Broad Street. This property had been in his family since John Leete sold it to Caleb Stone in 1714 for 30 pounds silver money. Caleb Stone was Bob Sperry’s grandfather of seven generations. Caleb Stone’s grandfather was John Stone, a signer of the Guilford Covenant. The property owned by William Leete Stone included the homes at 6 Broad Street and 22 Broad Street as well as the cider mill on River Street, the field around it, and the former marsh north of the field. William Leete Stone sold the marsh to the Sullivan family who subsequently filled it in and turned into a field. At this writing, it is used as a playing field. William Leete Stone operated the cider mill until about 1915. The mill was operated in a barter system in which residents would bring him apples which he would mill and turn to cider and they would pay him with other goods. [Read more...]