History of Peoples State Forest

Forest Ranger Art Brooks and Annie Matthies dedicate a replacement plaque to the memory of Mrs. Matthies' husband, George E. Matthies, and her father William H.H. Woosted. The original memorial was washed away during the Flood of 1955.

As the twentieth century dawned across America there was a major awakening to the need for natural resource conservation. Art and literature had moved the public consciousness to an appreciation of natural beauty, and to the necessity of wild areas for the American soul, spirit, and economy. The influence of John Muir, Henry David Thoreau, and later Aldo Leopold on the business and political leaders of the day laid a strong foundation for a conservation movement, which is still at work today. Theodore Roosevelt was strongly influenced by the vision, character, and vitality of John Muir (1838-1914), a Scottish naturalist and conservationist who explored and lived in many of the wilderness areas in America. He is well known for his founding of the Sierra Club in 1892. Leopold (1887-1948) earned a Masters degree in forestry from Yale in 1909. He is known as the father of wildlife conservation in America and the author of A Sand County Almanac.

The formation of the Connecticut Forest Association in 1895 pushed Connecticut to the front of the nation in the conservation movement. Known today as the Connecticut Forest and Park Association, it provides forest stewardship, education, political action, and maintains over 700 miles of hiking trails. In 1901, the association leveraged the General Assembly, making it the first state in the nation to appoint a state forester and to use state funds to purchase land for the establishment of state forests.

During the first two decades of the twentieth century most foresters received their training in Europe, and European practices influenced forest management in the United States. Troops returning home from World War I carried vivid memories of managed forests and natural resource conservation in France and Germany. They provided new energy and vision to our conservation movement, and the American Legion and People’s State Forests of Barkhamsted are, in part, a result of their efforts.

Alain White of Litchfield and Mrs. Franklin W. Gerard (Jessie Gerard) of New Haven brought about another Connecticut first. They proposed that a state forest be established using donations from private individuals, with an opportunity for people of modest means to contribute. In 1922, a fund was established by the Connecticut Forest Association under the leadership of White and Gerard with the understanding that an $8 donation would buy one acre in the new people’s forest—a forest of the people. Agnes Bowen, then the secretary of the Barkhamsted Chamber of Commerce and a strong advocate for forest management to ensure a timber base for the town’s wood products industries, influenced the selection of Barkhamsted as the site of the new People’s State Forest. The name People’s State Forest broke with the practice of choosing Native American names for State Forests, such as Meshomasic, Pachaug, Cockaponset, and Shenipsit.

The name “People’s” (with the apostrophe) reflects that this forest was bought with private donations and given to the State. Early documents use “People’s” but through the years the apostrophe has fallen from use, as witnessed in recent documents and signs.

By 1923, the first acres of land were purchased and in October 1924, nearly 3,000 people gathered to witness the dedication of 400 acres and the official establishment of People’s State Forest. The dedication was held on the east bank of the Farmington River in what is now called Roberts Pines. They enjoyed a pageant created by Elliot P. Bronson. Mr. Bronson’s father was Elliot B. Bronson, who arranged many of the land sales to create the forest. By 1928, the forest had grown to 1,264 acres through the generous donation of over 180 individuals, 13 DAR groups, and 50 clubs. The Forest continued to expand through donations including 27 acres from the Kiwanis Club and 37 acres given by Connecticut Federated Woman’s Clubs in memory of Jessie Gerard.

On August 2, 1929 the Matthies family of Seymour, Connecticut purchased the 210-acre Ullmann farm, including the house, barns, and outbuildings. In a special dedication ceremony, Governor John H. Trumbull received the deed for the Ullmann farm from the Matthies family—the largest single donation to People’s State Forest. The ceremony took place in the beautiful pine grove along the Farmington River, which today carries the Matthies name. Mrs. Annie Matthies, her son Bernard, and daughter Catherine made the donation in memory of Mrs. Matthies’ father, William H.H. Wooster, and her husband, George E. Matthies.

William H.H. Wooster helped organize the Connecticut 6^th Regiment at the start of the Civil War and in 1878 established the Seymour Manufacturing Company, which was one of the largest producers of nickel silver sheets, rods, and wire. He served as a Connecticut senator in 1905 and, with his son in-law, George Matthies, bought and reorganized the Seymour Light Co. and helped to establish the Seymour Water Co. When Mr. Wooster passed away on December 17, 1917, George Matthies assumed the presidency of Seymour Manufacturing Co. Serving as president, vice president, or treasurer of eleven companies and a member of the New York Stock Exchange, George Matthies passed away on April 11, 1922. Both of these men developed a deep appreciation of nature and an interest in conservation. Mrs. Matthies, following in the spirit of Connecticut Federated Woman’s Clubs, recognized the new People’s Forest as a fitting site for a memorial to her father and husband.

For over 60 years the Ullmann house was to serve as the home and office for five of the rangers who managed People’s State Forest and the other area forests. They were Raymond Perry (1930 to 1940), Arthur Brooks (1940 to 1968), Warren Whitney (1969 to 1974), Albert Goldstone (1974 to 1985), and Mike Reed (1985 to 1990). Major renovations to the house started about 1930 and were carried out by State of Connecticut trades people and the pre-Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) program, which was housed in the old Chatfield house on Park Road. The last major State renovation was completed in 1968–69 for Warren Whitney. One of the Ullmann barns, which was across East River Road from the house, was used as a State facility for many years until it was torn down in the 1950s. In 2001, the house was leased by the State to the Town of Barkhamsted for the Barkhamsted Historical Society.  Known again as the Squire’s Tavern, the building was leased to serve as the Society’s headquarters and the repository of the Town’s historical collection.

The pre-CCC program also developed a tree nursery where the Upsons, Squires, and Ullmanns had raised hay and crops. The state tree nursery, which had been located in Simsbury, was then moved to People’s Forest. In the 1930s, the nursery produced up to 500,000 seedlings of pine, spruce, larch, and fir per year. A 1941 report states that the nursery produced around 1.5 million seedlings per year under the management of Art Brooks. Many local people remember working in the nursery during the summer months, and many trees being harvested now in state forests and on private land got their start at the People’s Forest nursery.

South of the nursery, where the picnic pavilion now stands, was the campground with 70 sites for tents and trailers. From 1940 to 1955 the Forest had four softball diamonds, four horseshoe courts, river swimming, an archery range, and picnic tables with fireplaces. This became the major camping area in the Forest after the one near Roberts Pines was damaged in the hurricane of 1938.

In 1940s, there were no restrictions on how long you could stay in the campground and many people have pleasant memories of family summers spent along the river, with fathers commuting to work from the campground. During the years of World War II many families found peace while camping along the river.

After the 1955 flood caused severe damage to the nursery; it was moved to eastern Connecticut. The flood also damaged the campground, so the Austin Hawes Campground was built across the river to replace it.

Today we are reminded of this past history as we drive along Kiwanis Road, hike the Agnes Bowen, Jessie Gerard, and Elliot Bronson trails, stop for a picnic in Ullmann Grove, or walk and picnic in the majestic pines of Matthies Grove. The next time you come, stop to visit the memorial rock commemorating William Wooster and George Matthies, which was replaced after the 1955 flood.

by Walt Landgraf, reprinted from Squire's Tavern Quarterly, published by Barkhamsted Historical Society.