The following article is from our Spring 1996 newsletter.
A 6.8 acre parcel ahs been donated to Joshua’s Trust by Charles and Mabel Owen. Located between South Eagleville Road and Separatist Road, the property contains a small pond, known to family and friends as “Owen’s Mere.” The land is attractively planted with species that provide berries for birds, marsh marigolds, hemlock, and hardy Rhododendrons from the garden of Peggy Taylor.
In addition to its scenic value, the property is close to another Trust holding, the Dunham Pond Preserve. It is also contiguous with a small triangle of land at the intersection of South Eagleville and Separatist roads, which was previously offered to the Trust.
Charles Owen, who retired from the University of Connecticut English Department in 1981, explained that the land was purchased in the early 1950’s, shortly after he and his wife built their house on the opposite side of Separatist Road. Boarded by old stone walls, the land was probably pasture at one time. The tributary of Eagleville Brook that meandered through the property has turned most of it into swamp. The Owens used stone from the walls to construct a dam and create a swimming hold. They began referring to the pond as the “mere,” a word whose old French roots have a poetic ring, because it seemed appropriate for their small bit of water. The pond, now maintained by the Fire Department, is accessible from South Eagleville Road.
The Owens were early members of Joshua’s Trust and had been contemplating the gift of property for some time. The land was transferred on December 15. They stated that they were “really pleased that the Trust had accepted the property.”
Transplants from New York and New Jersey, the Owens clearly love the rural spaces that Joshua’s Trust is preserving. The Owens first came to Mansfield in 1946 after Charles had served in the army as a member of an antiaircraft artillery unit in the Pacific. They joined other young members of the expanding university faculty who were housed on “Oil Can Alley,” named after the kerosene barrels which held the fuel for the poorly insulated pre-fab housing. Since retiring, Charles has continued his research on Chaucer, adding to an extensive list of publications with a recent book on the manuscripts of the Canterbury Tales.
Do you have land that you are considering donating to Joshua’s Trust? Visit joshuastrust.org/ways-to-give to learn more.