June 6 – 8, 2014 was an incredibly busy weekend in Guilford with 375th Anniversary related activities. Bewteen Friday and Sunday four significant events unveiled 4 new sites for residents and visitors to enjoy and use.
First – Murals of Guilford iconic spots painted by Guilford school students were dedicated on the bridge over the East River on Sullivan Drive. This bridge is at one of the trailheads for the East River Preserve.
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- South side of East River Bridge
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- Trail head for East River Preserve
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- Hiking through a field on the Preserve
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- Blazes on tree and East River below- just upstream from Foote Bridge
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- Guilford Train Station
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- New England Trail logo
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- Guilford’s Grass Island shack on the East River
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- September Guilford Agricultural Fair parade
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- Long Island Sound, etc.
Second – Rollwood Park at the corner of Stonehouse Lane and Old Whitfield Street was dedicated. This little pocket park was once the site of the home of Governor Rollin Woodruff, 62nd Governor of Connecticut, who held the office from 1907 to 1909. The Guilford Garden Club and the Town have been enhancing it with cleanups and plantings recently. It is a lovely addition to the South Guilford District!
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- Michael McBride, Curator of the Henry Whitfield State Museum, telling about the property.
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- Words from the Guilford Garden Club
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- Flowering beauty
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- The iconic old fire place
Third – The Covenant Stone that has the very powerful Guilford Covenant (aka “The Plantation Covenant”) and the names of our founders engraved in a large slab of Guilford pink Granite was dedicated. Located at “Covenant Point” at the intersection of New and Old Whitfield Streets across from the Whitfield State Museum (i.e. the oldest stone house in New England), the program included speeches and a re-signing of the Covenant by elementary school students. The original signed covenant and deed were on display in Town Hall, making this 2014 event even more meaningful.
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- Guilford’s Stone House Museum- built in 1639 – oldest stone house in New England. It was decorated in a fashion similar to its appearance for our 250th anniversary!
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- Enjoying the roses
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- The soon-to-be 2014 Covenant signers walking from the Stone house
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- Each student laid a rose on the Guilford pink granite stone
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- Raised hands of those whose ancestors signed the Covenant in 1639
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- Carl Balestracci, who successfully carried out his dream to have the Covenant Stone become a reality for Guilford
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- A current day female Guilford Covenant signer
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- On display in Town Hall for one month- The Covenant with all the 2014 signatures
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- The original Indian Deed- Executed on September 29, 1639 and signed by Rev. Whitfield and Squaw Sachem Shaumpishuh, grantor of the deed and chief of the local tribe. Notice her bow and arrow signature.
Fourth- The Southern terminus of the New England Trail – the latest and the eleventh addition to the the Nation’s National Scenic Trail system was dedicated. Located at Chittenden Park, the day included music, speeches and a ribbon cutting for the boardwalk that leads from Long Island Sound to Mount Monadnock in New Hampshire.
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- The Southernmost point of the NET- leading over the beach to LI Sound
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- Dic Wheeler, Executive Director of ARTFARM in Middletown – stilter- with kids
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- Walking on the board walk
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- Standing on the board walk – view from the beach end
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- Local hiker and organizer extraordinaire, Paul Mei, with one of the commemorative New England Trail posters
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- Speaking above one of the NET signs- former Congressman John Olver (D-MA) who introduced the New England Scenic Trail Designation Act in 2007
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- The ribbon has been cut!
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- Some of the joyous attendees, standing on the board walk, for a group photo
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- Local blue grass duo- The Rosenthals- Phil and son Daniel
Thanks for viewing these images from our exciting dedications weekend! Do study the Covenant Stone. Do hike the New England Trail and see the murals done by the students. Do visit the Stone House Museum and rest a bit in Rollwood Park!
Peter
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