The Lucy T. Hammer Woodland is a 26.5 acre preserve with a remarkably varied landscape of woods, meadow and ponds that lies not far from the center of Branford. It provides a fascinating portrait of some of Branford's exciting geologic history and the multiple land uses typical of the history of early New England forest. With its varied terrain and habitat, including remarkable spring wildflowers, this is a gem among the more than 90 tracts of land that the Land Trust owns and manages.
 
Acquired:   Two parcels donated by Thorvald and Lucy T. Hammer; 23.8 acres in 1984, and 2.68 acres in 1992. 
     
Acreage:   26.48 acres
     
Type:   Woodland, field, ponds. Includes Todd's Hill, a traprock ridge. Contains an extensive trail system beside the ponds and along the top of Todd's Hill.
     
Articles:   Overview, Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, 1985 (PDF)
 

What is now the Hammer Woodland was deeded to Isaac Bradley in 1674, three decades after the original settlement of Branford. For the next two centuries, the Bradley family cleared the property for grazing and agriculture.

In addition to farming, the Bradleys created three ponds by damming a small stream that ran through the valley between Todd's Hill and Cherry Hill. These ponds supplied a flourishing ice business that provided ice to residents until electrical refrigeration became widely available in the first decades of the 20th Century. An ice house foundation can be seen not far from Gurd's Pond, named for Gurdon Bradley, the namesake grandson of the builder of the dam. The original dam was dismantled in 1940 but rebuilt by Thorvald and Lucy Hammer after they purchased the property in 1948.

LEARN MORE:

The Lucy T. Hammer Woodlands: A Gem, by Vincent A. De Luca, Jr. and Bill Horne

Lucy Hammer and the Branford Land Trust, by Peter Borgemeister
 
The entrance to the Hammer Woodland is on Cherry Hill Rd., about 0.1 mile north of the intersection of Cherry Hill Rd. and North Main St., across the street from the Montoya condominiums.
 
The Hammer Woodlands are located at 55-83 Cherry Hill Road, between North Main Street and I-95. The entrance is on Cherry Hill Rd., about 0.1 mile north of the intersection of Cherry Hill Rd. and North Main St., across the street from the Montoya condominiums. (Click on map for larger view.)