The history of Waterbury, Connecticut - citizen hylbom blog

HISTORY OF WATEEBURT. 97
" northward forty four rods to a lieep of stones three rods from
tlie bank on the west side of Bronson's Island." It tlien ran a
little more eastward nine rods to an apple tree three rods from
the river bank ; then northward one hundred and thirteen
rods to a rock three rods from the top of the river bank, bound-
ing east on said bank ; then a little west of north twenty rods;
then " northward," in all, one hundred and ninety-four rods,
terminating at a heap of stones " between Joseph Bronson's
and 01)adiah Richards" at "the passage that conies from
Tompkins to Isaac's Meadow."
From the description of this road, it would seem that the
river above the bridge (or a branch of it) at the date mention-
ed, ran down across the meadow three rods from the higliway.
The road was designed to give the Westbury people and those
living north up the river, access to the lower bridge.
In Dec. 1721, there was a higliway laid out to Judd's
Meadow,* on the west side of the river. It began at Long
Meadow bars and passed down the river a distance, then over
the hill and across Hop Brook, and ended at Joseph Lewis'
home lot.
To reach this road, people went in at the south meadow
gate, followed the course of the present turnpike to the lower
end of Mad Meadow, and crossed the Naugatuck River at the
"Long Meadow riding place," at the foot of Benedict and
Burnham Manufacturing Go's race way.
The river road to Plymouth (now called) did not exist at an
early period. There was one, however, laid out on the west
side December, 1735, from Steel's Plain northward to Buck's
Meadow Mountain, for the accommodation of the inhabitants
living in that direction. On the east side of the JS^augatuck,
tliere was the pent road to the upper end of Manhan Meadow.
From this point, it was extended (at a very early date, doubt-
less) to Ilancox Meadow, for the accommodation of the farm-
ers. There was a passage above for those living upon the
river, north ; for in 1738, it was stated by the people of North-
* March 26th, 1699. " Abraham Andruss, Sen., John Warner, Sen., and John Hopkins were
chosen a committee to lay out a passage to Judd's Meadow."
Where it was proposed that this passage should be, or whether the committee did anything on
the subject, does not appear.