It was brutally cold and windy but I had to get out of the house so I ventured north to our future stomping grounds for a couple of hikes. After dropping off some things at our storage unit in East Hartford and grabbing a pizza and two absolutely delicious "citrus" beers for lunch in Manchester, I hiked a loop at Case Mountain. I wanted to get to know this park better as it--along with Trumbull/Pequonnock Valley--is considered one the the best places to mountain bike in Connecticut.
Case Mountain
Its a huge place - the parcel the town of Manchester owns is 640 acres which is only a portion of the entire riding area. I only explored this small area and followed a Yellow-Black to Yellow-Red Blazed loop - sticking to the hiker double track. But "I'll be back" many times in the future, hiking and biking for sure!
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| Start of hike |
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I stayed on the Double Track
(Yellow Black Blazing) |
By the tracks in the snow, there was a clear distinction between the biker single-track and the hiker double-track.
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Once again, I stuck to the double track
(Yellow Red Blazing) |
It maybe hard to discern in this photo--there's a footbridge and the trail curves nicely down and up the slope...
Back at the parking lot - I arrived at the opposite end!
Cotton Hollow Preserve
This is very near where we'll be moving and I was very curious about the historical ruins I just had to check it out ! :-)
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| Roaring Brook |
Old foundations. - ooo yeah...
Remnants of a bridge...
Climbing towards the mill ruins...
At the Mill site |
| It was a steep and slippery descent :-) |
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| Yep - there's remnants of a second dam - Next time! |
The hike back...
Historical Info
About the Mill
The was built in 1814 by the Hartford Manufacturing Company, who owned it until the mid-1800’s. After that, the mill changed hands frequently and by 1920, the era of industry within Cotton Hollow came to a close. At its height, the mill employed 350 people, many of which lived in the nearby housing on Cotton Hollow Road and the Cotton Hollow mill houses.
The mill was powered by two large dams, rising 25-feet and 40-feet, respectively. Three stories of the facade of the mill still remain, although Mother Nature has taken its toll on the ruins over the years. It is an impressive architecture feat, as it was built directly into the side of the hill.
South Glastonbury
You gotta love a town that devotes so much research to its past - there's so much detail here its astounding!
Beautiful hike, Rich! Thanks for the great photos!
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