Norwich bulletin., 1920-04-27

about 75 years ago, when it began to be spoked of more frequently as the Hop yard road, and was Sc called upon H. F. Wallings Map of Middiesex County" published in 1850 by H. & c. T. Smith of Franklin square, New York.
 The origin of the use of the word Devil in connection with the Hopyard cannot be 30 reasonably explained. It seems to have been first used, not in con- neetion with the Hopyard, but with some of the features of the vicinity. Kettle l Hill took its name from large ifnag- | mary. resemblance to huge kettle. This | was sometimes spoken of as the Devile
 Kettle. Northeastefly of Kettle Hill and
 oh the opposite side of the river is a
 largeeave-like opening in the ledge which | has been called the DeviPs Cave and more l commonly the Devils Oven. Hosford B.
 Niles in his ''Old Chimney Stacks of East Haddam," first published in the East | Haddam Advertiser in 1871, in describing
 the scenery about the falls, spoke of
 'aThe Hopyard with its tall evergreens, it's frowning precipices, and it's Devils Cave" He, however, does not use the
 name Devils Hopyard," but contents
 himself with the simple form, Hop yard.' MT. Niles was the son of
 hood lived in the dwelling house at the falls.
 One of the traditionafy explanations of the use of the term has been that while hops were raised in the little clearing above referred to, tifnid per
 son, somewhat under the influence oi
 New England rum, passing along the
 highway in the night season, imagined
 that he saw many mist-shrouded form;
 of weird shapes leaping from tht hedges and trees and dancing sbodt il
 the hopyard, and fled in terror, de
 claring later that he had seen a mul
 titude of evil spirits and the hopyari must be the devils. No name, date O circumstances of any kind has lent al appearance of truth to this decidedl,
 fantastic tradition.
 Another tradition is that waywar r son of minister in the vicinity, wh
 was given to practirIl jokes, inall f | committed a misdemeanor whic F brought down upon him the wrath C
 the entire community. He was con r pelled to leave hom and go to part - unknown to escape from relentles
 condemnation of public opinion. Afte if the lapse of a number of years he ri n turned secretly and proceeded to eve ,- up with the community by terrorizir l. people in the night. Dressed in E. grotesque costume and wearing a mas l Wita DldCh ldCS anu 0OTl
 he rode on horseback at high spee
 Il along the lonely roads, making hideol . noises to attract the attention of tl
 people as he passed their houses. F
 was the devil" on horseback to pani stricken people who caught glimpses y him, and as he, when observed and fc y lowed, always rode down the highwt j. toward the hopyard in the clearing g 'n ready mentioned it began to be the GU ed tom to associate the name of u se Devil with the hopyard After havil Frightened the people of the vicinity f ne a short time this particular devil d appeared and was never heard of aftt a, wards. AS in the other case. no nan c' date, or corroborating circumstances h P ever been connected with this trat eee ticn. Furthermore, no minister of t lle lle Millingten church and no minister livi . n in that vicinity had a son who co, IA be fitted into this story.