Groton Pond History – Dates Detail

1873: M & WR Railroad line completed

1876: Forest Fire?

1883: Forest fire of 2000 acres around the Pond (from Lanesboro over Owl’s Head, Little Deer, Big Deer, to Stillwater Brook around to Coldwater Brook

1908: Forest fire on west side of pond (from behind Plainfield Camp up Jerry Lund Mtn and down the Pond shore to about the Page camp (#002A)

1931: Town built road to south end of lake from Ricker’s Mill

1933, Nov 22^nd : CCC starts construction of Forest Road (Rte 232) from    both ends 

1934: Forest Road (Rte 232) and small Stillwater campground & picnic area completed by the CCC

1937-38: Forest Road (Rte 232) widened to 2 lanes

1938: Hurricane

1947: Electricity to the north end

1947 General Assembly authorizes leasing of land in the State Forest

1956: Last train through the forest

1959: Construction of road around the north end

1959: Construction of Log Pile Lane

1961: Boulder Beach opened

1962 Lord Drive built to Goodines

1963- Act of 1963 – Natural Areas law set Peacham Bog aside for protection

1963 Big Deer Campground constructed

1965: Telephone to most of Pond (Molly’s Pond Telephone Co.)

1966: Concrete dam built by state – raised water a couple of feet

1975-79 Nature Center Built (with the hands of John LaRosa)

1987: West Shore Road Constructed

To be resolved:

1938 ish stillwater loop complete, 1958 second loop completed

1955 Boulder Beach road contructed

1959 Boulder Beach, 1962- original large bathhouse constructed

1965 stillwater contact station built