The Black Swamp of Chepachet: Part 10

There are a few modern day places in the wet areas of Chepachet that may have led to the legend of the Dark Swamp. CM Eddy and Lovecraft had gotten about 3 miles down Putnam Pike and saw a number of farms before they stopped looking.

HAWKINS POND (On Putnam Pike (Rte. 44) in West Glocester)

How To Get There: Head west on Route 44 and continue approximately 6 miles from northern junction of Routes 44 and 102 in Chepachet; right onto Pulaski Road; use trail on immediate left.

Hawkins' Pond, nearly 10 acres in extent, and its system of streams are the most prominent features of this 71-acre site. There are also areas of mature pine forest, with some exceeding 75 feet in height. (80 years ago, these may have not been so pronounced - CP) At the upper (northeast) end of the pond, there are extensive wetlands which support an impressive variety of plant species. Below the spillway are numerous natural seeps which have been enhanced by the impounding of the pond to a depth exceeding 22 feet. These seeps cause local variation in the habitat for both plants and animals within a relatively small area, and they support a diversity of ferns and flowering plants which bloom in succession from early spring well into the summer.

The pond features an abundance of fish and water fowl, and its environs are frequented by deer, fox, coyotes, porcupines, raccoons, otters, muskrats, woodchucks, and opossum. Pheasant and partridge are present, and wild turkey thrive at the pond.

Beginning around 1750, the water provided by the pond powered a sawmill. (This makes it of antiquarian interst, too - CP) In 1873 a cotton mill was erected on the property. Succeeding years saw the pond used to power a woodworking mill and, again, a sawmill. Around 1924, Walter A. Hawkins, a self-educated mechanic, fashioned a generator and electrical system, and generated electricity for the area until 1936. (Perhaps this also intrigued Lovecraft in late 1923 had he heard about it).

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ROBERT HUCKINS WOODLAND

How To Get There: Head west on Route 44, passing Pine Orchard Road; the area is across from pole #458, approximately 1/2 mile east of Sprague Hill Road.

On Route 44 in ChepachetThis 176-acre area abuts both Sprague Farm and Burton Woodland. Many of the trees have reached full maturity, resulting in a canopy that reaches 100 feet in some places. Dotted with streams and ponds, the area features a variety of habitats for both plants and animals, including the Blackthroated Blue Warbler, long thought to be extinct in Rhode Island.

Within this three-site area a pristine glacial fen and other wetland support many flowering plants which bloom in succession from early spring through fall. At three different locations, these trails cross permanent streams via beautifully constructed stone bridges. The immense capstones of these structures are testament to the skill and ambition of the early settlers.

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SPRAGUE FARM

How To Get There: Head west on Route 44 and continue approximately 2 miles from northern junction of Routes 44 and 102 in Chepachet; left onto Pine Orchard Road; use Haystack Trail on right at Pole #33.

On Pine Orchard Road in Chepachet( at telephone pole #33, across from 162 Pine Orchard Road) Sprague Farm abuts both Burton Woodland and Robert Huckins Woodland. It includes within its nearly 250 acres a variety of habitats for both plants and animals, including the Blackthroated Blue Warbler, long thought to be extinct in Rhode Island. Many of the trees have reached full maturity; among these is an impressive stand of Striped Maple. A pristine glacial fen and other wetland support many flowering plants which bloom in succession from early spring through fall. A grove of Atlantic White Cedar occupies a permanent swamp in the north-central region of the site.

Approximately 200 years of agricultural activity (which may have been of antiquarian interest to Lovecraft - CP) has left several open fields which help to diversify the habitat, as well as a clearly defined set of trails. At three different locations, these trails cross permanent streams via beautifully constructed stone bridges. The immense capstones of these structures are testament to the skill and ambition of the early settlers. (Definitely antuquarian -CP)