Conservation Easement in Water Mill Protects View

A Water Mill couple donated a conservation easement last week to the Peconic Land Trust, agreeing to preserve the viewshed at a Cobb Road former dairy farm for future generations.

The 1.1-acre parcel of open space is part of 19 acres owned by Charlton and Nancy Halsey since 1948. The Halseys bought the land from William H. Pierson, who ran the Suffolk Dairy there, according to the Peconic Land Trust. “The Halseys decided to place an easement on this property in honor of Mr. Pierson as well as to ensure that a portion of the original farming operation would be preserved forever,” reads a Peconic Land Trust statement issued Thursday. “The easement protects the property’s scenic values by preventing any structures or screening in perpetuity.”

“Now anyone traveling down Cobb Road can always have the scenic view that has been there for over 100 years,” Charlton Halsey was quoted as saying in the trust’s statement. He added that Pierson’s home was directly across the road from the protected landscape.

Suffolk Dairy operated on several pieces of farmland in the Wickapogue area, as well as a pig farm on Lower Seven Ponds Road, according to the Peconic Land Trust. The cream from the dairy was shipped to New York City by train. The surplus milk was believed to be used to feed the pigs. According to Charlton Halsey, the original buildings on the property included a dairy barn and water tower, built in 1910.

“This is a wonderful tribute to Mr. Pierson that protects a glimpse of Water Mill’s agricultural heritage,” Peconic Land Trust President John v.H. Halsey said. “Dairy farming has all but disappeared from Long Island with the exception of a few small herds for cheese production. This gift of a scenic easement by Charlton and Nancy Halsey is a great credit to them and personally gratifying to me, as I worked on their farm while I was in high school.”

In addition to the new conservation easement, Charlton and Nancy Halsey have sold development rights on three parcels to the town of Southampton, according to the Peconic Land Trust, two 1-acre building lots on Cobb Road in December 2005, which provide a viewshed into the adjacent farmland, and an 11.5-acre property in October 2003 on Montauk Highway in Bridgehampton adjacent to Little Long Pond, which is currently used for nursery stock.