An Old Stagecoach Road

[Streakerfreak]

A few weeks ago at our training weekend with Bruce Elfstom, we were told about an old road on the other side of the Connecticut River. Upon further investigation, 7wt found out it was old Stagecoach road.

We met around lunch time at a country market in Hadlyme which is in south central Connecticut. It was turning out to be a beautiful day. Driving through some of my favorite areas of New England with the windows down was extremely relaxing. The road starts as a paved residential road, which gradually leads to stone, then an unmaintained road. Surprisingly, this road shows up on many maps as being a maintained road.

This was just a feeler trip so pictures and history of the area are a bit lacking.

Half-way down the road is an old building. A local resident had told 7wt is was the old prison along the stagecoach line. Sounded interesting, so when we reached it I quickly got out to take a look. Upon viewing the building up close, I realized that not all of it was from pre-1900s. The outside of the building had to be within the last 90 years. Why...round nails. If this was an old prison from the 18-19 century then we would have seen square nails. I think 7wt and I both desire to know more though and find out how much of the building is still original and when it was first erected.

 

[Streakerfreak]

Shaky one handed driving pic.

There are some more old roads in the area, so when we both have the free time we will be back to explore even more in depth.
Check back later when 7wt posts up more pics from the afternoon.

 

[HanzoSteel]

Looked like a great time, nice to see that building hasn't been vandalized to much.

 

[Streakerfreak]

Looked like a great time, nice to see that building hasn't been vandalized to much.

Unfortunaly, it has. I hating doing it, but I had to photoshop some of it out as it was really, REALLY not ExPo appropriate. I would not have been able to put up the pic of the backside if I had not.

 

[7wt]

OK, my turn. Nothing to say much, let the photos do the talking.

 

[FlyNdrive]

It looks like you had a good time. Could you share some figures so we can follow in your footprints. Waypoints, mileage, trail ratings.

Thanks,

-Ben

 

[Streakerfreak]

It looks like you had a good time. Could you share some figures so we can follow in your footprints. Waypoints, mileage, trail ratings.

Thanks,

-Ben

Maybe......

We will gladly share these roads and waypoints as we learn more about them.

 

[7wt]

It looks like you had a good time. Could you share some figures so we can follow in your footprints. Waypoints, mileage, trail ratings.

Thanks,

-Ben

The problem is these roads are very short, I doubt todays was more than a mile and a half. We are working on mapping out all these little roads with the intent of linking them into one big trail with camping spots figured in. This is no easy task in CT. When the work is done, we will share. Anything less than that and you would be disappointed.

 

[Streakerfreak]

You hear from a lot of people that there are no places to go "Wheeling" in Connecticut. Well, that is not really true. Yes, there is no place to go hardcore rock crawling or mudding, but there are unmaintained roads like these. The kind of roads that tend to appeal to people on ExPo since they have historical significance, old grave yards, foundations, etc. The trick is finding them since most 4x4 people could care less about them and they are very rarely talked about. Some like this one don't even show up on maps as being unmaintained.

 

[haven]

Thanks for sharing. Exploring old farm roads in my Connecticut hometown got me started in a lifelong interest in abandoned roads, and the vehicles that could traverse them.

Chip Haven

 

[CharlieV]

I bet you guys were excited to learn about an old road like that and then go find and explore it.

 

[Streakerfreak]

I bet you guys were excited to learn about an old road like that and then go find and explore it.

Yes we were, also apparently there is another road on the other side of the CT River, but we can't seem to find it.

 

[Bunny4]

Looked like a great time, nice to see that building hasn't been vandalized to much.

 

[jeepmedic46]

Looks like a great time, Looks like a beautiful area. Is it something that I could take my kids on with a stock Liberty?:smiley_drive:

 

[7wt]

Looked like a great time, nice to see that building hasn't been vandalized to much.

That's called editing and angles. The thing has some really offensive graffiti on it, in it, and under it. Apparently a girl named Lisa W. has entertained a few young men there, or so the story goes.