Just about 17 years ago, Joshua’s Trust was given our Coney Rock Preserve. Take a look at the old newsletter article! The text is typed below.
One of the largest gifts of land in the history of Joshua’s Trust, 134 acres in Mansfield, was recently received from David Storrs Chapin of Avon. The property, known locally as Coney Rock, provides one of the area’s finest vistas. Mr. Chapin had earlier granted the Trust a license for public access, which had been a key piece of a grant proposal seeking funds to purchase a 60-acre parcel from John and Anne Olsen. To celebrate Mr. Chapin’s generosity and the collaboration between Joshua’s Trust, the Town of Mansfield, and the state DEP, the public is invited to a walk and party on May 18th, starting at 1:00 p.m.
The Chapin property is located along Mulberry Rd., but the access trail to Coney Rock begins on Chaffeeville Rd. No one knows why the cliff was called Coney Rock, but that name is used in land records of the early 1800s. In 1993, the property was divided; the western portion was purchased by John Olsen’s father, and the remainder by David Chapin’s father. The Chapin family spent summers in Mansfield, often visiting with the grandparents who lived in the oldest house in Mansfield Center, now known as the Williams House on Rt. 195.
Although David Chapin has never lived in Mansfield, he always felt an attachment to the Coney Rock property. He recalls driving a Model A to the top of Coney Rock, during one of his summer visits and can easily describe the family tree that links him to the Storrs family. His gift of the property to Joshua’s Trust springs from a desire to see the land preserved as he remembers it, lightly touched by human hands and slowly reverting to its natural state.
Coney Rock vista, Fall 2019
Have you visited and seen the vista for yourself? You can learn more about the property and get directions here.