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The Captain's Letterbox LbNA #64724

Owner:Everyone Outside
Plant date:May 31, 2012
Location: Wadsworth Falls State Park & Captain's Field
City:Middlefield
County:Middlesex
State:Connecticut
Boxes:1
Found by: Nairon
Last found:Feb 3, 2024
Status:OFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Last edited:May 31, 2012
This Everyone Outside letterbox is on land that most people just assume is part of Wadsworth Falls State Park. It is actually a small preserve owned by the Rockfall Foundation that is referred to as Captain’s Field. This 16-acre Rockfall Preserve is open to the public and makes a nice extension to the park. Wadsworth Falls State Park was created through the generosity of the Rockfall Corporation (later renamed the Rockfall Foundation) and its founder, Clarence S. Wadsworth, who owned the 267 acres of land as part of his holdings that included Long Hill Estate (A.K.A. Wadsworth Mansion). According to his wishes, this land, the "Rockfall Tract of Great Falls Region," was donated to the state of Connecticut shortly after Wadsworth's death in 1941. Rockfall is named after the beloved rock falls in the park. It is fortunate Col. Wadsworth had the foresight to preserve this land for all to enjoy.

To find the Captain’s Letterbox, park at the Big Falls parking lot (not the main one) for Wadsworth Falls State Park, which is just north of Connwood Foresters (39 Cherry Hill Road, Middlefield). You should definitely wander down to see the big falls. If you give them a carefully look you will see that the “rock fall” is made of black basalt rocks. They can also be called lava rocks because they are part of an ancient volcanic lava flow. If you look at the rock wall to the left of the falls you will notice the interesting jointing that is characteristic of cooling cracks for lava. Remember what this looks like when you go to the Little Falls that has a very different geologic history.

After visiting the big falls follow Cherry Hill Rd. south over the bridge and the railroad tracks to the start of the Orange trail. This trail goes to the main parking area. Follow the orange trail north and visit the Little Falls. Notice how different they are with the water trickling over many layers of rocks. These rocks are sedimentary socks. If you look closely you can see they are made up of little pieces of other rocks that have been cemented together. The rocks that form the Little Fall are the same arkose rock type as the brownstone rocks that were mined for so many years at the Portland quarries.

Once you have enjoyed the little falls, make your way back south on the orange trail towards the Big Falls. As you start down the last hill and can hear the sound of the big fall look on the right side of the trail look for a sign on a Red Oak tree about 8 ft off the ground that says “Rockfall Foundation”. You have just entered the foundations 16-acre Captain’s Field preserve. As the trail starts to level out look on the left side of the trail for a Beech tree (smooth grey bark) whose roots are giving a hug to a slightly larger Ash tree.

Look beyond this pair of trees and find a yellow blaze on a Black Birch tree. Follow this yellow trail. As you head up the first small hill, notice a few trees on the right side of the trail that have been girdled. Girdling is a way of killing a tree or a portion of it by cutting a groove or grooves that completely encircles the trunk. If the cuts are deep, they will stop the flow of nutrients up the trunk and kill the tree. In the Captain’s Field girdling was done to try to remove the less desirable trees or encourage the more dominant trunk of a tree to grow bigger. Just after the tail turns to the right, look on the left side of the trail for a 2-sister Red Oak where one of the sisters was girdled. For now the girdled sister still stands, but who knows with it will fall. Look behind this Red oak for the Captain’s Letterbox. Please hide it well where you found it when you are finished. This is a busy park with lots of visitors.

This letterbox was placed by Everyone Outside in conjunction with the Rockfall Foundation. Everyone Outside enables and provides opportunities for people of all ages to enjoy time outside to connect with the natural world to promote healthy living and environmental stewardship. Visit the Everyone Outside website to learn more about fun free programs and other letterboxes in the area. www.EveryoneOutside.org

Founded in 1935, The Rockfall Foundation supports environmental education, conservation and planning initiatives in Middlesex County. As one of Connecticut’s oldest environmental organizations, its mission is to be a catalyst-- bringing people together and supporting organizations to conserve and enhance the county’s natural environment. To learn more visit www.RockfallFoundation.org.