Bloomfield Ridgeline Hike – Wilcox Park to Stouts’ Fields
Hike Co-Leaders: Kevin Gough, Paula Jones, & Jay Stoccatore. We are all
members of the Wintonbury Land Trust. (Wintonbury (from WindsorFarmington-Simsbury) is the original name for Bloomfield.)
Wintonbury Land Trust: The Wintonbury Land Trust was established in 1982
to preserve the natural environmental resources so important to the quality
of life in Bloomfield. The land trust preserves over 200 acres principally in
the Town of Bloomfield, as well as Windsor, West Hartford and Simsbury. Our
17 distinct properties range in size from less than 1 acre up to 46 acres. Our
hike today will end at Stouts’ Fields, our soon-to-be new acquisition.
Our hike, in reverse order:
Stouts’ Fields – 13 acres at the end of Stone Hill Road, Bloomfield
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Acquisition of this parcel is a collaborative effort among the federal
government, the DEEP, the Bafflin Foundation, and many very generous
individual donors, including the Stouts.
The Land Trust will own the land and the DEEP will hold a conservation
easement, which insures that the fields will stay as grassland in
perpetuity (great for birds!)
The fields provide direct access to Penwood Park’s red trail.
Penwood State Park
Donated to state by Curtis H. Veeder after the 1938 hurricane – it was
his summer farm. Veeder means “Pen” in Dutch, hence Penwood.
 His mansion in Hartford is at One Elizabeth Street, now the CT
Historical Society.
 Veeder was an engineer & inventor; he founded the Veeder
Manufacturing Company, and the successor company, Veeder-Root
Company still exists.
 He invented all kinds of counting devices – his counter was added to
gas pumps, allowing people to “fill ‘er up” without knowing exact
volume needed.
 His unusual road drains are on the east side road of Penwood. They are
centered in the road, better designed to avoid erosion.
 Park headquarters is housed in Veeder’s barn – the only major building
remaining from his summer farm.
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Terry Plains Road/Wintonbury Road – boundary of Wilcox/Penwood
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Pass heavily used by early European settlers; likely blazed by Native
Americans.
Used as recently as 1955 (the flood) by Simsbury when other roads cut
off. Used by settlers fleeing King Philip’s troops, who burned Simsbury
in 1676.
Features include two stone bridges, plus stone wall which parallels the
road.
Wilcox Park – 212 acres – owned by Bloomfield
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Donated in 1975 by Marion E. Wilcox in her will. She acquired the land
between 1945 and her death.
Marion’s maiden name was Knox – she was from the Knox family of
Knox Foundation in Hartford.
Land has a long interesting history – there was once a large orchard
here.
We’ll see a stone chimney on the ridge. It’s believed to be part of an old
cabin or still. Prior to Wilcox ownership, Newell & Charlie “Cider
Brandy” Hoskins had an orchard here supporting a distillery operation.
The 1870 U.S. Census noted production of 1500 gallons. Cider mill
foundation is located on the right side of the Wilcox Park driveway.
Sources:
 “Marion E. Wilcox Park is Rich in History”, Bloomfield Journal, April 28, 1995
 A Shared Landscape, A Guide & History of Connecticut’s State Parks & Forests , by
Joseph Leary