History
A Rich History of Generosity
When Charles Pratt, Mitchell Gratwick and Harold Birchall sat around the kitchen table in Pratt’s Roxbury home in 1970, they may have seemed an unlikely trio to found the Roxbury Land Trust. Birchall was a local dairy farmer and the town’s First Selectman from 1968-1981, Pratt, a nationally known photographer whose family started the Pratt Institute, and Gratwick, a doctor and the retired headmaster of the Horace Mann School in New York.
But the three men had one thing in common: an abiding love of Roxbury’s rural landscape and a deep conviction that something had to be done to preserve the land and the quality of the water in its rivers and brooks. Few could have predicted what this group’s foresight would launch when they signed incorporation papers and began inviting others to join the conservation effort.
The first years of the organization were the hardest, according to those who remember the struggle to get people to understand that Roxbury’s wooded knolls, undulating farmlands and historic sites could be lost forever if not protected. After one director finally “loaned” some land for a nature trail, the Trust began bringing in school children for hikes — a tradition that continues to this day.
The non-profit organization’s first gift of land came in 1974. Dr. Robert and Ruth Sherman donated 56 acres on Squire Road in memory of Brian Tierney, who had given his life in the Vietnam War. As the Trust was building trails on this magnificent property, a second major gift came in. Intrigued by stories in the local newspapers about what the Trust was doing, Natalie Todd Lilly decided to donate 128 acres of her farm in memory of her husband, who had died 25 years earlier. Those two gifts would help establish a pattern of generous donations of land and money by townspeople — often in memory of loved ones — that has continued for decades.
In the fall of 1978, the Land Trust launched an ambitious fund-raising campaign to acquire Mine Hill. David Beglan, a long-time director who was a driving force in the effort, described the property as Roxbury’s “crown jewel” in terms of natural resources, flora, fauna and a rich history entwined with the town since the 1800’s when the iron mine fueled the area’s economy. It took two years for the Trust to raise $350,000 and receive a $105,000 matching grant to buy the 360-acre tract. The preserve, which now encompasses some 450 acres and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, attracts history and nature lovers alike.
Another major undertaking that stands as a testament to the community’s investment in itself was the design, engineering and construction of a bridge over the Shepaug River to connect the River Road and Erbacher Preserves. During six weekends in 1991, more than 80 volunteers brought their own hammers, saws and drills to erect the 100-foot long, 15-foot high span. Now known as “Volunteer’s Bridge,” it cost just $7,500 to complete — far less than the original estimate of $80,000.
The holdings of the Trust continued to grow steadily, but the pressures of development were becoming more and more obvious as houses sprouted in farm fields and along ridge lines. To help preserve the town’s rural heritage, the Trust embarked on its second major fund-raising campaign to save three of Roxbury’s most historic farms. The “Save Our Farms” Capital Campaign was officially launched in 2001. By the end of 2004, $7.1 million had been raised to acquire the Gavel, Orzech and Good Hill farms and preserve in perpetuity 800 acres of prime farmland. The generosity of the farm families, private donors and matching grants by the State of Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection’s Open Space and Watershed Acquisition Fund made this daunting feat possible.
The Roxbury Land Trust now safeguards 18% (15% owned, 3% protected via conservation easements) of the approximately 16,800 acres in the town — beautiful land in a natural state. There are trails for hiking and horseback riding, miles of the Shepaug River and brooks protected for fishing, and tranquil sites for picnics overlooking spectacular vistas. There are farm fields where cattle graze and crops are grown and harvested. There are large swaths of woodlands and wetlands that preserve precious habitat for wildlife. There are historic sites, both hidden and well-preserved.
After 50 years, the Roxbury Land Trust has made significant strides in fulfilling the founders’ original vision. Hard work, an unrelenting “can do” spirit and remarkable gifts of time, talent and money have carried the organization to where it is today. But perhaps more important has been the readiness of people of all walks of life — carpenters, lawyers, farmers, Wall Street traders, artists, bankers, writers, and young and old alike — to work together toward the common goal of preserving Roxbury’s natural splendor. May that continue for generations to come.
Today, the Roxbury Land Trust has close to 450 members and 3,800 acres of land preserved, protected and maintained for public use. Under its stewardship are 32 different preserves with some 30 miles of trails, as well as three working farms, a granite quarry and a 19th century iron ore mining and steel manufacturing site.