 Why would Simsbury Land Trust buy an old industrial site? That is what 60 Westledge Road is, although the industrial past of the property and the area nearby is no longer very obvious. You can see remains of that past if you follow the red trail from the parking area. After descending the stone steps and walking through the woods near Hop Brook, you will climb over some stones and then walk parallel to the face of an old stone and earthen dam.
It is not possible to sort out from Simsbury’s land records what the purpose of that particular dam was.  In the 1800’s there were several dams on the property to provide power for a saw mill, a grist mill and a dish mill. There is also a reference in the land records to a dam used to create a reservoir for the “Tullers place”. The land records do show that the property which is now 60 Westledge Road had Asaph Tuller’s mill on it when Tuller sold the property to Curtiss “Preacher” Godard in 1845. Godard conveyed the land to Martha M. Weed of Canton in 1867 “with all the mills and buildings”. The remains of the dam near the red trail are a reminder of that past.
60 Westledge Road has a more recent residential history. When SLT decided to purchase the property in November, 2000, there was “a dilapidated, abandoned cottage residence, a two car garage and a water well” there. Today the buildings are gone, but the well remains, cemented over. If you visit in mid-summer, in the grassy area where the house stood you may find a mother turkey and her poults looking for insects. The land trust plans to keep the grassy area open by mowing it in the late summer.
Whether you are looking for a pleasant family walk or a more strenuous hike, 60 Westledge Road will satisfy your desire. There is a half mile loop trail on the  property, with two sets of stone stairs, one for the descent into the low area where Hop Brook runs, and one for the climb back up to the driveway. The red trail continues across Hop Brook on a bridge, crosses the Master’s School driveway, heads back into the woods, and finally climbs up along the West Mountain ridgeline. You will find maps of both trails at the kiosk near the parking area.
60 Westledge Road is a beautiful piece of land with spring wildflowers, mature second-growth trees, a lengthy stretch of Hop Brook, a new picnic table, and remnants of history. It is also a gateway to the West Mountain trail. You can walk as far as McLean Game Refuge on a blazed trail. There are several loop trail options, and the land trust hopes to develop other trail connections in the future.
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