the Town Council’s Administrative Control. Therefore, he questioned the process for
the Spicer Homestead Ruins to become a historic site and to assign Administrative
Control of a property that was within a larger property.
Councilor Dombrowski explained that the Historic District Commission would need
to request that a subset of the Clark Farm be designated as a historic area. He stated
based on the Historic District Commission’s recommendation that the Town Council
could provide the local historic designation; and they could assign the Administrative
Control of the defined area to the Historic District Commission. He went on to note
that there were a few properties in which there was more than one town
department/commission that jointly shared the Administrative Control, such as the
Gales Ferry Community Center, which was under the Administrative Control of both
the Library Commission and the Parks, Recreation & Senior Citizens Commission.
Mrs. Karen Parkinson, Rose Hill Road, Historic District Commission Member,
thanked the LUPPW Committee for participating in the May 21, 2024 Site Walk of
the Spicer Homestead Ruins, noting that Connecticut Preservation Archaeologist
Stefon Danczuk accompanied them on the site walk. She stated although they
currently do not have a map of the area that in working on the Tri-Town Trail (Bluff
Point to Preston Plains Park) that some geographical and turbulence of the land was
done, in which they identified the locations of the stone walls and other landmarks.
She described the Trail beginning at the Red Barn, noting that they walked up the
trail, through the meadow, and across the bridge, where the trail split, which was
where they saw the Spicer Homestead Ruins and the large Spicer rock. She stated
initially the Tri-Town Trail was mapped to go through the Spicer Homestand Ruins,
until they realized what they had there; at which time they rerouted the Tri-Town
Trail not to disturbed the Spicer Homestead Ruins. She stated they were talking about
making the boundaries from the creek, over to the town line, and along the two stone
walls.
Mrs. Parkinson continued by stating as of May 2024, the following three steps have
been accomplished, noting that this work was documented in the report titled “The
Spicer Ruins Project 2022”. The site was acknowledged (verified), recognized and
described in the report by Sarah Holmes, Ph.D. (Archaeology Consultant).
1. Acknowledge - The property has been verified, acknowledged providing recognition
that stated the area was actually the ruins of the original Spicer Homestead.
2. Recognize - The property was recognized as being a valuable and historic site. Mrs.
Parkinson stated that there were very few, if any, such well preserved, undisturbed
homestead sites with intact stone walls.
3. Describe - The site was evaluated by an expert of early American life, particularly
the 100 years before the Revolutionary War. This was done by Sarah Holmes, Ph.D.
(Archaeology Consultant)
Chairman Rodriguez questioned the acreage of the Spicer Homestead they were looking
to preserve with a historic designation. Mrs. Parkinson stated at this time they do not
know the acreage of the area they would like to preserve. She stated that once they have
determined the boundaries and have a map that they would then know the acreage,
noting that she would expect that it would be less than one acre. She stated if they
decided to use the natural landmarks that the site to be preserved could be both stone
walls, the creek, and the town line. Councilor Dombrowski suggested they use the
Eversource Easement as a boundary, as not to cross any jurisdictional line.
Mrs. Parkinson noted that Connecticut Preservation Archaeologist Stefon Danczuk
stated
