News & Features
March 2005

Marking the Trail of Our Past
By Ron Couture
Historical Commission Chairman

Those of you who have grown up around here will remember the years of farming and rural life. Many have pushed for years to develop shopping centers, mini-malls and manufacturing—all of which would have their bad or good effect on the way we live and prosper in our community.

We are now at a very serious time in the care of our town and the quality of life we have here. The pressures that come to play as development reshapes our community's base image from a sleeping cow to an awakening bull pushes in on every street. Now, of all times, is when we need to take a strong look at our natural assets—the beauty of our valley, the recreational uses of our lakes and open fields that make up the rural character of our town.

Last year, when the Worcester County Regional Planning Commission asked for concepts for trails in the western part of the county, the Historical Commission presented a proposal to connect Foster Hill in West Brookfield—site of the first settlement of the Quaboag Plantation—to Cooley Hill in Brookfield, where Elm Hill Farm Audubon Sanctuary makes up almost 1,000 acres, much of which is in North Brookfield, with a trail along parts of the old kings road, new bay path and Devils Elbow Road.

The proposal met with good response and was designated as the most possible to achieve and the quickest to implement. The Historical Commission is now looking for people interested in working on a steering committee to make our historic trail project a reality.

Contacts with organizations and state departments have to be done along with developing a volunteer group for trail clearing and wood chipping. It will take a dedicated crew to clean up much of the area, but the final outcome will be a path and walking trail that will trace the “main street” of the first and second settlements of the Quaboag Plantation and Old Brookfield with markers for points of interest along the way. The trails would allow walking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and jogging, but no motorized vehicles.

If you are interested in helping to get this project going, or have a group that would want to help, please attend our monthly meeting to check out the progress. We meet the second Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall kitchen. Or you may call the Historical Commission at 508-867-4464.