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LENGTH: 2.6
miles
PRESENT STATUS:
Paved
and open. This is the southern terminus of the rail
trail.
NATURAL FEATURES, FLORA & FAUNA:
The results of a commissioned wildlife survey and
the contents of our 4-color Botanical Brochure will
be
posted at the
website soon!
LOCAL HISTORY
Note: Many thanks to local railroad historians Heyward
Cohen, Jack Shufelt, and Lou Grogan (The Coming of the
New York and Harlem Railroad, Pawling, NY: Louis V. Grogan,
1989) for much of the railroad history that follows.
Wassaic: The Wassaic
railroad station was Mile Post 81.33 of the
original New York & Harlem Railroad that brought
service to Wassaic around 1850. (For more general railroad
history, please go to the Railroad History page). Wassaic
derives its name form “Washaick,” the
Indian work for narrow valley. The original
railroad station
was in the hamlet across from the current post
office, not
where the current Metro North station is located.
As a major customer for the local Gridley Ironworks,
the
early
railroad used iron for railroad construction
and equipment as well as transporting pig iron
from
the ironworks.
 Around 1860, Noah Gridley convinced his friend
Gail Borden to bring his milk condensery to
Wassaic citing
good transportation
and an agrarian setting perfect for a dairy-related
business. Although the area seems very rural
now, in the 19th century, it was an industrial
center
with
hills stripped
of wood for charcoal and air filled with the
smoke of iron production. Gail Borden developed
the process
of condensing and
canning milk and founded The Borden’s Milk Company.
In 1861, Mr. Borden established his first large factory
for condensed
milk in Wassaic. Condensed milk produced here was supplied
to the Union Army during the Civil War. It was manufactured
 under the name “Eagle Brand Condensed Milk” and
is still sold today. The Borden plant was a
boon to local farmers who converted their farms
to
dairy production
to satisfy the huge demand. The product was
shipped nationwide
by rail. Coal for the boiler house and tin
cans was shipped in to the plant by rail. A
portion
of the
original milk
plant has been preserved by its present owner,
the Pawling Corporation, which maintains a
visitors center
in the
building.
 In the early 1900’s, the train also carried children
to and from the Amenia and Millerton High Schools. Almost
all consumer and retail goods were shipped in by rail.
Before the telephone, the Western Union Telegraph was the
sole means of fast communications – the
railroad agent sent and received the telegrams.
US Mail
was picked up and received at the station,
and newspapers
were delivered
from the cities by train.
Conrail freight trains used the track in Wassaic until
1993 to deliver freight cars to Maxon Mills and Tri-Wall
Container Corporation in the hamlet of Wassaic. Service
ended when both businesses closed their doors. The railroad
tracks were not removed as they were in 1979-80 when 45.8
miles of track were removed from just north of Wassaic
to Chatham, NY. In 2000, Metro North Railroad built a new
Wassaic train station north of the hamlet.
Amenia: Please see Section 2 Local History.
DIRECTIONS
To the Wassaic
trailhead (see further below for parking information):
From New York City: Take Saw Mill Parkway (from Manhattan)
or the Hutchinson River Parkway (from Queens, Bronx, Brooklyn)
north to interstate 684. Take 684 north to Brewster where
684 becomes Route 22. Continue north on Route 22, and after
passing through the town of Dover Plains, continue northward
about 5 miles to the traffic light at the train station.
From Poughkeepsie: Take Route 44 east to Amenia. At the
traffic light, turn right and proceed south on Route 22
about 3 miles to the traffic light at the Wassaic train
station.
From Connecticut: Take Route 4 to Sharon, CT. At the clock
tower in Sharon take Route 343 west heading toward Amenia.
At the Amenia traffic light, turn left and proceed south
on Route 22 about 3 miles to the traffic light at the Wassaic
train station.
From the north: Take Route 22 south to the traffic light
in Amenia (the junction of Routes 22, 44 and 343). Continue
southward on Route 22 for about 3 miles to the traffic
light at the Wassaic train station.
To the Amenia trailhead:
Please go to the webpage for Section 2 and scroll
down the page to “Directions to Amenia trailhead.” Click
here: Section 2
PARKING
Parking
at the Wassaic train station is free on weekends
and holidays.
Parking
at the Amenia trailhead is free every day.
The trail is open from dawn to dusk. To get
on the
trail once
you’ve
parked at the Wassaic train station, cross the
tracks where you drove in. The trailhead is on
your right. From New
York City, you can take Metro-North Railroad’s
Harlem Line to Wassaic. For schedules, maps
and info, call 800-Metroinfo,
NYC (212) 532-4900 or http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/. |
