23 Walks: Charter Oak Park

A small group of walkers gathered under the pavilion at Charter Oak Park at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 7, 2023, for a history walk. After viewing some historical pictures and maps, we set off on the walk in the rain.

The walk followed the above route along the East Coast Greenway. It included stops at the fish ladder, under an overpass, by an East Coast Greenway Sign, near some condos, the Rogers Corp building, the CT Fireman’s Historical Society, and a bridge on the Great Lawn.

Looking at the Corner of South Main St and Charter Oak St Over the Years

Beginning about 12,000 years ago, the Podunk Indians lived in this area. The Globe Mills were built along Hop Brook when European settlers moved in. The Cheney Brothers bought the mills because they needed more power from the water. New jobs at the Cheney Mills made up for the jobs lost from the mill closings. From the 1920s to the 1940s, there was a field with an Auction Shed for farmers. The land became a park in 1948(?)

Along the way, we heard stories from group members who had lived near the park or worked in a Cheney Mansion.

The next walk is this Saturday, October 21 at the Corner of Comstock and South Main.