Darien Unveils Latest Additions To Heritage Trail

DARIEN, CT — It's often said that history is one of life's greatest teachers. From now on, those who visit Darien's Heritage Trail will be enriched and educated for years to come.

Last Friday, the town unveiled four new markers to the trail with ribbon-cutting ceremonies.

Then newest markers are:

Battle of the Post Road & Nearwater Farm

This marker, next to Hindley School, recounts an historic Revolutionary War battle in which Loyalists and Patriots clashed.

It also pays homage to the original Hindley School, then called Noroton District School, as well as Nearwater Farm which was built by Nathaniel Weed in 1750.

Noroton River Cemetery

This marker runs through the history of the Noroton River Cemetary, which had to be moved to its current location in the mid-1920's to accommodate road construction. Gravestones date back hundreds of years.

Tilley Pond

The pond was originally built to provide ice for storage in the icehouse that today sits near the West Avenue entrance to the park. It also served as a geographical marker for travelers and freight train workers on the New Haven Railroad.

The marker also shares history about George Dudley Tilley.

Rings End Bridge

A wooded bridge was first built in 1825, then replaced by an iron bridge in 1895. It was rebuilt in stone in 1930.

The Landing, as it's called, is where the community that became Darien actually began. This marker recounts Darien's beginnings, and the history of the bridge which served as a vital connector.

These latest markers are part of a network of nine — the last markers will be installed downtown this fall or next spring.

The trail was conceived by Darien's 2020 Bicentennial Committee thee years ago, and undertaken by volunteers who have worked over the past few years with the Museum of Darien and the Monuments and Ceremonies Commission.

The Darien Foundation issued a $40,000 gift for the project.

"This is fantastic," said Alan Miller, chair of the Bicentennial Committee, at last Friday's dedication near Hindley School for the Battle of the Post Road and Nearwater Farm.

"[The project] started in 2019 for the bicentennial, then COVID hit, so here we are in 2022. It gave us a chance to make it better than we originally planned," Miller added.

For Shannon Silsby, a volunteer and the project manager for the Heritage Trail, life is about stories.

"These stories speak to people in different ways, and they're stories a lot of us don't know," she said of the historical markers. "It's about bringing them to life again, to be looked at through today's eyes, and hopefully impact how we see the future."

The logo of the Heritage Trail features the Rings End Bridge and its three arches. Each arch represents the past, present and future, and the bridge serves as a symbol to connect generations together through history.

Each marker has a QR code, so passersby can use their phones to scan for more information.

First Selectman Monica McNally said the markers, especially the one near Hindley, provide great opportunities for education.

"These are a terrific way to memorialize the things that have happened in our community," she said. "We have these spread out all over town, and I think it's a fantastic way for us to remember not just today, but in the future, the different events that happened at these sites."

Sarah Woodberry, executive director of the Darien Foundation, said the foundation was excited to work on this project.

"I feel like for me, it's been really inspirational," she said. "I think [the markers] are being well-received and people are learning from them."