Ida Carrington Lowell Land

The first piece of property given to the Land Trust, the Ida Carrington Lowell Land is a 27-acre tract of beautiful woodlands off Cedar Road on the west side of Bethany.

History

The Bethany Conservation Trust (later renamed the Bethany Land Trust) was created in 1968 to receive this property from Marion Jenkins, the daughter of Ida May Carrington and William Lowell. Abram Carrington, Marion’s grandfather, had purchased the land in 1867 as a cow pasture from Jay Andrew, and the so-called “Jay” land was given to Marion and her husband, Tom Jenkins, in 1943 as a weekend and summer retreat. The couple, who both held doctorates in psychology, eventually built a cabin, barn and root cellar on the property, where they spent weekends writing and wandering through the woods.

Description

The property slopes down toward Hopp Brook and the Birmingham Utilities land on the western side of town. There is more than a mile of wide hiking trails going around most of the perimeter and through the middle of the rectangular-shaped property. The property is surrounded on three sides by stone walls and features an abundance of large trees. Old Abram Carrington had planted an apple orchard there, and Dr. Jenkins transplanted many nut trees and other specimens onto the property.

Trail Use

The trails in the Ida Carrington Lowell Land are suitable for hiking and nature study. From the main entrance, the Upper Trail goes along the eastern and northern edges of the property. On the western side, the Lower Trail crosses two seasonal streambeds. The Gooch Trail connects the Lower Trail with the Upper Trail, near the spot where the Jenkins’ cottage once stood. And the Middle Trail cuts across the Gooch Trail and leads back to the main entrance.

• No motorized vehicles.

• No hunting, trapping or fires.

Access

Parking is available in the cul-de-sac at the end of Cedar Road. To reach the Ida Carrington Lowell Land, walk down the driveway of 45 Cedar Road and look for the entrance to the Trust property on the right.