Norwich bulletin., 1921-10-29
SOME OF voLUNToWN's ArTRAC-
 FTnNa

IIONCs
 Dear Editor and Sisters: E. NJ. R. P. c. writes truly when she writes of the beauties of the, drive across Ekonk hill | and through the wilderness" to Beach | Pond from the Junction House, Plain | field After crossing the railroad you | go past the beautiful statue recently un- yelled to commemorate the bravery of the men who went to the World war | from St. Johns parish. From the end of Railroad avenue you are on the 1 Hartford and Providence pike until you get to the four corners west of Steri ing Hill going past Lafayette Inn where Washington and Lafayette are said to have stopped. Thence up Bradford hill where there is a@f1ne view of Plainfeld village and the surrounding country. From the top of Bradford hill to Ekonk brook near the home of Walter Davis there is a grand descent From there it is a gradual ascent until the chest of the hill is reached just north i of the home of Ed. Stewart Gallup. This is 660 feet above sea level and is the highest part of the ridge. Here there is an unbroken view into the sur rounding towns and villages also over to Rhode Island. Just at present the l eye is entranced by the beauty of the | foliage with it's bright colors. The view
 
 Going south the highest point of land, l $40 feet above sea level, in New London county is on Bear hil, just southwest | of Ekonk Grange hall, in the town of l Voluntown.
 E M. R. PC. speaks of two cemeter- les that can be seen. The most north ern and eastern one is known as the Gallup cemetery and near the south
 eastern corner in 1723 was built, after much controversy, the first Presbyterian lchureh in eastern Connecticut. Here
 lies the Gallups, Kasson, Wylies, Fen
 ners and Stoyals, all names common in
 the earlier history of the town of vo.- untown, for Sterling was then included
 in the town of Noluntown. Near here
 was built the first schoolhouse in town. The other cemetery on the road east of the four corners north of the church is known as the New Yard' and Is of recent origin.
 F. NJ. R. P. c. is mistaken as to the : two-story house near the schoolhouse where the road turns to the right to go to Voluntown. It was built about twen- ty years ago by Silas L. Barber, now . living in Plainfeld. and was never a l tavern, It was built on the site of the old WyIe house and no stage coach , ever ran past it although a star route
 
 < from Sterlng Center to Voluntown, and l the post office, Campbells Mills was kept f in the old as well as the new house.
 Now for our plunge into the wilder I ness" From here we go easterly past t the road leading to Campbelrs Mills t where Dixon and Potter wove 'fNigge1
 Cloth" before the Civil war and made a filling for army blankets during that , war Past the ruins of the old water e power sawnill where R. H. Dixon put ir e operation the first circular saw that was n operated by water power in this section : | of Connecticut. Over Great Meadow - brook up the hill and past the Kennedy y cemetery where the Gordons Campbells F Wylies, Alexanders and Kennedys, al n | old names in >our town history and aE
 families extinct lie Buried, to the foul S corners where the road crosses the She. < tucl1et turnpike. Thence south past the 6 farm owned by the heirs of Charles Bit
 good and the birthplace of Elmer Bit. 6 good "the strongest man on earth" SC k his signs read the last time 1 was past
 Campbell farm with it's large elm or
 the east side of the road. (The elm is
 said to be the biggest tree in town) tc
 ''the brook running vest known as the iPachaug river. The sandy hill that YOU s speak of Is Forge HilI' and gets its T name from the forge of Bassett's Iror | Works that was located on the east side of the hin.
 : Who can write of the history of tht e iron works?
 Il I think that I have given you somt
 idea of the route. Drive over it and Set r it's beauties for yourself and then sa, l. if E. M. R. P. c. Or myself have ever g rated them.
 C sunbonnet Sue: Can you tell what be
 eame of the stone. that Elder sloeur
 broke out and was going to carve ;
 coffin from for himself about forty year ago?
 r. Can you tell the readers of the So
 cial Corner about the lasts -Saturday-in l. June gatherings at Beach Pond and th IF origin?
 I Silent Reader: I have been told tha d seventy-fve years ago a man by tn
 name of Burdick occupied the Swam1 g. meeting house as a dwelling. At on -s time Mrs. Paul with her son and . 1t widowed daughter, Mrs. Bently. and tw ar sons, occupied it.
 Can you tell some of the legends q se the Bye swamp?
 ut HISTORIAN.