Canton Land Trust Dinner and Auction March 21: Digging into the Land’s History

The Canton Land Conservation Trust’s mission, to preserve land in its natural state, can lead down some interesting paths. The Trust invites the public to learn about one of these – an archaeological dig into the history of the Mary Conklin Sanctuary – at its Tues. March 21 Annual Dinner and Silent Auction at La Trattoria Restaurant, featuring guest speaker Historian Anne C. Hall, Ph.D.
Dr. Hall will discuss the history of the sanctuary and the surrounding Indian Hill area, including findings from last fall’s dig at the foundation of a barn at the former Canton Poor House.
She will also share information from written history, natural clues and aerial surveys, covering a broad time range.
“When history and archeology combine, the story of a person or of a place becomes far more complete,” she said. “The two-day dig last fall made remarkable progress in a very short time,” finding “very little decorative ceramics or glass; almost everything found was utilitarian. This was not a wealthy farm, at least not in the early 20th Century. The finds revealed changing technologies: a discarded oil lamp, small glass medicine vials, early mass manufactured canning jars, the large bones of a butchered cow, a section of tile pipe used for modern drainage.”

As the dig continues in warmer weather, she said, “This investigation will create a more detailed picture of Indian Hill’s history and the old farm on the Mary Conklin property.”

The evening will begin at La Trattoria Restaurant in Canton with a 6 p.m. silent auction and cash bar, followed by dinner at 7 p.m. and Dr. Hall’s talk at 8 p.m. The cost is $40 for members, $45 for non-members and $20 for the talk only. See www.cantonlandtrust.org for details and an RSVP form (reservation deadline is March 7).
Dr. Hall grew up in New Hartford, CT, where her love of history and the Connecticut landscape was fostered from an early age by her family's historic house, its woods, and old fields. She received her Master of Science in Historic Research Methodology and then her Doctorate in History from the University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom. On her return to New Hartford, her interest in the land use and industrial history of northwestern Connecticut was driven by involvement in New Hartford's Inland Wetlands Commission, Historical Society, and Land Trust. She continues to be a board member of all three bodies. It was furthered by several years of writing 'History Notes', the back page of the weekly New Hartford Independent newspaper, which focused on historical topics relating to the region. Currently, she works as a freelance historical researcher and as a contract historian for the Metropolitan District Commission. Her primary interests are land use, architectural and engineering history.

The Canton Land Conservation Trust is a non-profit conservation organization formed in 1972 to acquire, preserve and protect land of scenic, natural or historic value within the Town of Canton; to maintain this land and its plant and animal life using the best conservation, wildlife habitat and forestry practices available; and to promote public awareness, understanding and enjoyment of the land. The Land Trust manages more than 2,000 acres in Canton.