CHESHIRE LINEAR PARK WALK (10K-EC98/1339)

Connecticut Valley Volkssport Club, AVA-784

DIRECTIONS

COMMENTARY

  1. Leavine Richlin Department Store and the shopping plaza, turn left onto S. Main, which is Rt. 10. Proceed for 0.7 km., passing several professional buildings on the loeft and the Cheshire Parks and Recreation building, temporarily being used as the public library.
  
  1. You will pass Cheshire High School on your left. (If you wish to visit Bartlem Park on the other side of the srteet, use the walk button at the traffic light across from the entrace to the school.)
 Rest rooms are available in the park, as is a playscape for children.
  1. Continue walking north 3.6 km. On Main St. (Cross to the right side of the street at the light at Lanyon Drive.) You will come to the Cheshire Town Hall, on the corner of Main St. and Wallingford Rd. Turn right on Wallingford Rd. for a very short distance, then left on Elm St., which quickly meets Academy St. The Cheshire Academy will be in front of you.
 Note the 19th century Cheshire Town Hall (1867). Cheshire Academy is a private school that is 101 this year.

Along the way you will find food and veverage at The Blue Bottle (delicatessen), Friendly's and the Cornwall Pub - all located on the right side of S. Main St.
  1. Return to Main St. and cross it at the intersection of Academy St. Turn left, heding south. (Walk aroudn the green on the rigtht, passing the Cheshire Historical Society and Congregational Church.) CHECKPOINT #1: Note the year that New Cheshire was incorporated as a town (on the bloue sign) on your Walk Card.
 You may want to visit the Cheshire Historical Society (1795) and Congregational Church (1827). For history buffs, note the sign describing Cheshire's beginnings. Lambert Hitchcock, the famous chair maker, was born here. Painst for his fruniture were brought up to central Connecticut from New Haven on canal boats.
  1. Main Continue south on St. to Cornwall Ave.
 At the end of the green, you will pass the former Abijah Beach Tavern (1750) on the right.
  1. Turn right onto Cornwall Ave. and walk 1 km. Down the hill. The downhill trek has sections without sidewalks, so be cautious. Cross the street to the Linear Park at the bottom of the Hill (at Willow St.), A pay phone is located in the parking lot to the right in the small group of businesses.
 Enjoy both the old and contemporary homes on Cornwall Ave.
  1. Walk south on the path for 2.5 km. Until you reach No. Brooksvale Rd. Cross over the road and continue walking on the paved path, south 0.4 km to Lock 12. Then, proceed another 1 km. Until the path meets a road (this is So. Booksvale Road). The Linear Park continues on to Hamden, but our walk only goes as far as this point.
 Enjoy your stroll on the towpath of the Farmington Canal passing through wood just as it did 150 years ago. Linear Park is a part of the national Rails-to-Trails program. In the future, this segment known as the "Farmington Canal Heritage Park" (originally a waterway and then railroad will be a continuous greenway from Hamden (including the trail system of Sleeping Gian State Park) to the Massachusetts Line.
  1. Stop, turn around and return to Lock 12. Near the foot bridge at the lock, turn right off the paved path and continue north along the gravel road back to No. Brooksvale Rd. You'll pass through a small parking lot.
 Lock 12 was origainlly used for raising and lowering the water level for small boat transportation along the Farmington Canal, which operated between 1828 and 1847. This was a major trade route between Northampton, MA and New Haven, CT
  1. At No. Brooksvale Rd., turn right on the sidealk and walk east. Checkpoint #2: Note the name of the elementary school on the left side of No. Brooksvale Rd. (For your safety, cross the street at Long Hill Rd. to the sidewalk on the left side of No. Brooksvale.)
 Look for flora and fauna in the wetlands on the left.
  1. At about 1.7 km., you will pass behind the shoppping plaza, located on the right side of the street, and go past Dunkin' donuts to the Shell Station and traffic light on S. Main St. (Rt. 10). Turn right onto S. Main St. and return to Richlin department store.
 We hope you enjoyed your visit to Cheshire! If you have any comments, please pass them on to us;

Lee & Deb. MacDonald, 41 Rosemont Dr. Plainville, CT 06062 (860) 747-0487.

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Last Updated: 04/23/1999
© Copyright 1999 Bob McDougall