Readfield History Walk #4 ~ Fogg Farm Conservation Area

Fogg descendants (at front of the line) Bonnie Lash and
Joanne Fogg-Fournier joined us for this History Walk.

 

History Walkers hiked the Fogg Farm Conservation Area on Fogg Road. This 15-acre gem was part of the Fogg Farm for nearly two centuries. In the early 1990s, after the farm was subdivided, the land was donated to Readfield with a conservation easement to the Kennebec Land Trust. An easy loop trail winds through mixed forest uplands for 0.4 mile.  Following this we watched the "FOGG Farm video"  made in 1989. In the video Barbara Fogg (wife of Sam Fogg, Jr.) led us through a tour, room by room, while sharing history and showing historical items that were collected by members of the Fogg family for nearly 200 years. A year later the property was sold, the land subdivided, and most of its contents auctioned. The barn was torn down but the original house still stands and is occupied. Walkers also learned about the nearby Gove homestead, Marston Cemetery and the Theodore

Fogg homestead in 2012.

Marston Homestead.

Readfield History Walk # 3 ~ Torsey Pond Nature Preserve

Annette Donaghy at our destination in
Torsey Pond Nature Preserve.

Milt Wright, Dale Potter Clark, Bonnie Gilman-Parlin
Eileen Gilman-Lord, Annette Donaghy and Brenda Boutlier-
Deojay. Barbara Clark-Gilman took the photo.

History Walk #3 was Torsey Pond Nature Preserve. This series of trails wanders through 92 acres of woods, over and alongside a curvy, babbling brook and ultimately comes to a wildlife observatory at a marsh on Torsey Pond. The serene trails are very well marked and skillfully maintained.  The historical background on this walk was the Goucher farm, of which this preserve was once a part, and the transitions of Torsey Pond in name, use and appearance over the past 250 years.

Readfield History Walk # 2 ~ Old Readfield Fairgrounds

We entered the Old Fairgrounds trail from route 17 near
the Maranacook Community School. L to R: Annette
Peterson Donaghy, Betty & Richard Mason, Gary &
Ann Keilty, Barbara Clark Gilman, Milt Wright,
Bonnie Gilman-Parlin, Brenda Boutlier Deojay
and Dale Potter Clark. Photo by Harv Boatman.

History Walk #2 was from the Readfield Town Office via the new sidewalk on Main Street to the Lower Fairgrounds Trail and other trails in the Fairgrounds Complex. Co-stewards Gary Keilty and Milt Wright shared the evolution of that trail and some goals for future expansion and improvements. The walkways are wide and easy to navigate as they wind through woods and fields. Our history on this walk was Kennecook Farm, the old Readfield Muster Grounds, Readfield Agricultural Fair and Readfield Grange Fair. Stories and pictures were shared by those who remembered the Readfield Grange Fair. One walker brought blue ribbons she had won at the Fair as a child. We returned via the old Readfield Memorial Day Parade route (Church Road) and reminisced about the parade and people who used to live along that street.

Readfield History Walk # 1 ~ Macdonald Woods and Readfield Town Forest

These "History Walkers" joined us on our maiden voyage! Brenda Bouthlier Deojay, Annette Peterson Donaghy, Nathalie Giles, David Libby, Barbara Clark Gilman, Eileen Gilman Lord, Bonnie Gilman Parlin, Evelyn Adell Potter, Milt Wright, Gerry (visiting from CA) and Dale Potter Clark. Photo by Harv Boatman.

We kicked off the "Readfield History Walks" in late October with a walking tour of the Readfield Town Forest and the adjoining Macdonald Woods owned by Kennebec Land Trust. Historical features on this walk included: Huntoon Cemetery; the site of District #6 schoolhouse at Palmer Corner; the Seldon Smith (formerly the Macomber) homestead farm foundation; and the Readfield Town Poor Farm & Forest property. The area was settled early on in Readfield’s history and includes North Wayne Road - one of the first roads built in town (in 1776); impressive stone walls; a wide and lengthy sheep / cattle walk; and a very large Town Poor Farm house and barn as evidenced by the foundations. One walker remembered this property when it was still open farmland and some of the buildings were still standing. He also shared that his aunt was one of the many Readfield Corner (Gile Hall) School children who helped plant White Pine there sometime in the 1930’s. FMI about this property visit www.tklt.org 

Readfield History Walks are Reborn!

Milt Wright and Dale Potter-Clark

In October 2012 a group formed that calls themselves “The History Walkers.” Some members also participated in the Bicentennial walks of the 1970-80’s. The “History Walkers” have been fortunate to hike some of Readfield's and the Kennebec Land Trust’s nature preserve trails while learning and sharing some Readfield history. Milt Wright, steward of numerous trails in town, guides the group on the hikes while Dale Potter Clark provides historical background of the area, with input from others. On occasion the History Walks are led by guest tour guides and / or historians. We welcome residents from Readfield and surrounding communities as well as those with family roots in Readfield who wish to participate in any given History Walk. Suggestions are welcome for future tours - email Dale at crossings4u@gmail.com