Tour Explores Tolland County's Rich Cranberry Bog History

TOLLAND COUNTY, CT — Did you know that north central Connecticut once had an agricultural similarity to Cape Cod?

More than a century ago, it certainly did have its share of cranberry bogs.

Local historians Richard Symonds Jr. and Gregory R. Gunn are offering a "Tri-Town Crantastic Cranberry Bus Tour" this month, sponsored by the Tolland, Vernon and Ellington Historical Societies. It is slated for Oct. 19, from 2 to 4 p.m. The rain date is Oct. 26.

Participants will meet at the Tolland County Jailhouse and Museum parking lot, 749 Tolland Stage Road, at 2.

Pre-registration is required via email — society@tollandhistorical.org (leave a name, contact number and town). The event is free but donations will be accepted to be divided among the three historical societies.

The bogs were operated by prominent families.

Cranberry Bog Spots

• Reed (observed from Reed Road) 41°50'41.6"N 72°24'49.3"W
• Kelly (observed from Reed Road) 41°50'42.1"N 72°24'49.9"W
• Maxwell (Gehring Road) 41°50'16.5"N 72°24'06.7"W
• Grant Hill Road 41°50'48.7"N 72°22'30.2"W
• Tolland Marsh (observed from Anderson Road) 41°50'48.7"N 72°22'30.2"W
• Maxwell (Baxter Street) 41°51'06.8"N 72°20'34.5"W
• Charter (Charter Road) 41°53'29.8"N 72°21'01.9"W
• Ladd (Ladd Road - Ellington/Tolland line) 41°55'27.5"N 72°21'11.3"W – stretch legs/photo
• Brooks Mill at Johnson Pond (Johnson Road) 41°54'07.2"N 72°21'24.4"W
• Schindler-Schmidt Conservation property (344 Sugar Hill Road) 41°54'15.8"N 72°22'14.4"
• Knofla Conservation Area (148 Bakos Road) 41°54'17.0"N 72°22'55.7"W
• Leonard’s Corner (Rte. 74 and Rte. 30) 41°52'21.3"N 72°24'16.6"W
• Mitchell/Poehnert Pond (Rte. 74) 41°52'39.5"N 72°23'29.2"W

The tour will end at the Jail Museum parking lot with an exchange of cranberry recipes and conversation.

According to Harold Weigold's "An Old Post Road Town: A History of Tolland," six cranberry bogs were maintained in Tolland in the Victorian Era through 1915.

Historians also tell us that the Rockville textile tycoon George Maxwell and his family operated two bogs in Tolland County.

The bogs were controlled by stone dams, some of which are still visible, according to historical accounts. Pickers made 50 cents per bushel, which were sold for $2 to $4, historical accounts tell us.