stated that he appealed to the previous Land Use/Planning/Public Works Committee (
LUPPW Committee Meetings 10/10/2023 & 11/6/2023) to consider seeking a
historical designation of a 2-3 acre area of the Spicer Ruins, which was located
within Clark Farm Property (1025 Colonel Ledyard Highway).
Mr. Lamb provided some background noting that based on the Tri-Town Trail
Association (TTT) approaching the Historic District Commission to solicit their
interest to preserve and to seek a historical designation for the Spicer Ruins from the
State that the Historic District Commission has been doing some research to
determine whether it was a viable project. He went on to stated that the Historic
District Commission has included on their December 18, 2023 Agenda an item to
consider whether they would accept the Spicer Ruins parcel, should the Town
Council Assign the Administrative Control of the parcel to them.
Councilor Dombrowski stated the Town Council would not assign the Administrative
Control of the Spicer Ruins parcel to the Historic District Commission until after the
town received the Historic Designation from the State.
Ms. Karen Parkinson, 55 Rose Hill Road, Ledyard, Tri-Town Trail Association
(TTT) President, stated that she has been working with Mr. Lamb on this initiative to
obtain a Historical Designation of the Spice Ruins property from the State. She
questioned whether Councilor Buhle and Councilor St. Vil have walked the
Tri-Town Trail that runs from Bluff Point to the Preston Plains Park. Both Councilor
Buhle and Councilor St. Vil responded that they have not walked the Tri-Town Trail.
Ms. Parkinson stated that she would be happy to take them on a walk of the Trail and
to the Spicer Ruins site, noting that it would give them a better understanding
regarding this historic designation project. She also stated walking the Tri-Town Trail
would give them some history, which has become common knowledge of the
Tri-Town Trail.
Ms. Parkinson went on to state in working to construct/develop the Tri-Town Trail,
they discovered a very old forest near the boarder of Mr. Bill Geer’s property. She
stated in the forest they found a very old large “Erratic Road”. She stated in talking
with families who have lived in town for many generations the Tri-Town Trail was
told that there was an old homestead in that area. She stated in researching the area
they found an old dug well, and the remnants of a homestead house where the center
chimney was. She stated because the Tri-Town Trail Association did not want to go
through the homestead they rerouted the trail to go around the parcel. She went on to
note that the Spicer Homestead dated back to 1650 at which time Peter and Mary
lived in the home with eleven children. She stated to put this into perspective that it
was 100 years before the Revolutionary War and 110 years before the Historical
Nathan Lester House was built on Vinegar Hill Road. She stated five generations
lived at the Spicer Homestead. She stated in in the 1780’s the property was divided
and sold, and they now have Spicer Hill Road and other places. She stated the
Spicer’s were one of Ledyard’s Founding Fathers that settled in the area between
1650 - 1700 (Allyn Family, Geer Family, Spicer family, and others). She stated the
Clark Farm was bought in 1889 from the Geer Family and used as a major Dairy
Farm.
