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Last summer
I joined the East Hampton Trails Preservation Society (EHTPS)
on Lee Dion’s hike “East Hampton’s Ghost Town,” a 3-mile
tour through an abandoned Northwest settlement. While leading the hike through the
Grace Estate Preserve in the Northwest Woods, Lee enabled us to visualize the once thriving colonial town. The walk
takes you over a stream, by freshwater ponds, and along the
Northwest Harbor Shoreline. We enjoyed
lovely vistas of the Harbor while we listened to accounts of
the colorful personalities who centuries ago resided in an
area now all but reclaimed by nature. The colonial
settlement was abandoned and W.R. Grace purchased the 626 acres in the early 1900’s, but never lived
here. In 1985, the holders of his estate sold the land to a
developer who began plans for a large summer community.
These plans were scaled down to a 110-acre development and
the Town of
East Hampton
purchased the remaining 516 acres by public referendum.
Lee, a former science
teacher at East Hampton High School, freely shared his
understanding of the natural features we visited. In the early 1980’s he was president of the newly formed
East Hampton Trails Preservation Society. |
The
ease with which he speaks of pond, kettle hole, and colonial
strife shows that he has led this hike many times. Your
experience of this area will be greatly enriched if you walk
it while referring to the informational pamphlet created by Lee. You can obtain the pamphlet at no charge by
mailing a stamped,
self-addressed envelope to EHTPS, P.O. Box 2144, Amagansett,
NY 11930 and ask for The Ghost Town Tour Pamphlet. Another
excellent resource for exploring this area is
Charles Whalen’s
East Hampton Trail Guide.
Before you
cross the
Northwest Road
to start your tour of the Ghost Town, you may be interested in visiting the plaque that commemorates an old
schoolhouse. This monument is slightly above ground level
by the south side of the parking area. Also, if you walk
the trail back into the woods from the parking area you will
find the Scoy cemetery with its ancient headstones. If you
follow Lee’s Ghost Town Tour, the cemetery will be your last
stop before returning to the parking area.
To begin
the hike, cross the road to the monument dated 1985,
dedicating the purchase of this property and declaring it
parkland by public referendum. As you walk, note the
painted white blazes along the trail; you are now walking
along the Paumanok Path. This portion of the Path is a woods
road used by hunters and enforcement personnel, so you may
on rare occasions encounter a motor vehicle here. If you
are following Lee’s pamphlet you will be looking for metal
house numbers seven feet above the ground that are used to
identify the “steps” in his interpretive hike. When I
re-walked the hike I found that I missed several of the
numbered steps, but I was still able to stay on the designated trails by paying close attention to Lee’s narrative. Where the Paumanok
Path turns left, continue straight. This will put you on
Scoys Pond Road. Continue until you are looking out onto the
Harbor, and then retrace your steps to the first right
turn. You are now walking parallel to the shoreline. After
a short distance you will find the shore again to your
right. This is a pretty place even though the shoreline has
been churned up by recreational vehicles. At this point,
turn around and continue straight up the trail. This is
another woods road called Whalebone Landing Road.
Take this woods road to Five Corners. The trail you want to
take is at 10 o’clock; it is not straight ahead and it is
not the white blazed Paumanok Path. When you cross back over
Northwest Road
two quick left turns will bring you past the old cemetery
and back to your car.
Directions:
On
Montauk Highway
heading east pass the Wainscott Town sign. Pass
Daniels Hole Road, and take the next left turn onto Stephen
Hands Path. Follow the signs for
Cedar Point Park.
Bear left onto
Old
Northwest Road. Stay on Old NW Rd. until you reach
Northwest Road.
Make a right onto Northwest Road. Park by the School House
Plaque on Northwest Rd, about 3/10 mile from the intersection with
Alewive
Brook Rd. |
