Heritage Farm

Heritage Farm

Bolton Town Park

40 acres in Bolton, CT

Parking:

     At the farm 266 Bolton Center Rd, Bolton, CT
     From the Hop River Trail 29 Steeles Crossing Rd, Bolton, CT

Trail Map            Trails: 2 miles         Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Heritage Farm also alternatively known as Rose Farm has about two miles of trails.  I entered from the Hop River Trail after combining this hike with the adjacent Edith Toomey Clark Property.

Coming from the Hop River Trail a signpost points you uphill to the Rose Trail.  Snow was thick on the ground in February and I was following the tire tracks of some ambitious fat tire biker.  The long gradual uphill seems to be wide an easy to follow though this may have been thrown off by the snow.

Soon enough you breach the woods and enter the farm fields.  Trails here are just a loop around the field perimeter passing the parking area, the barn, and taking “the lane” down to a few large oaks.  The oaks are probably a lovely area to sit in better weather.

History:

Preserved when it was purchased by the Town of Bolton in 2000.

What I find most interesting about this property is Encampment Hill where Rochambeau had his 5th camp in 1781.  Four separate regiments stayed on the property in waves from June 21-25th as the troops made their way down to meet George Washington to help defeat the British.

The campsite is now on the National Register of Historic Places.  An archaeological study in 2001 found regimental buttons, .66 caliber musket balls, period coins, and a lead bar.

George Washington apparently also had lunch here at some point and Jonathan Edwards found happiness and enlightenment “walking out alone in the fields of Bolton” on his way home from Boston.

Links:

• CTMQ – Rose Trail at the historic Bolton Heritage Farm (2020)
• Peter Marteka – A hike through farm fields with stunning views to a peaceful preserve along the Hop River in Bolton (2019)
  
• Peter Marteka – Rose Farm’s Views Proved An Inspiration (2005)

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Last updated February 19, 2019