Time to take notice of what isn’t on Leeds road-sides. The soda and nip bottles, beer cans, plastic waste, styrofoam cups and to-go containers, pieces of house siding, old tires, debris and other trash that marred the beauty of the village are gone. Every Spring an effort is made by Leeds volunteers to clear the thoughtless disposal of other people’s trash. The volunteers listed below picked up nearly a dumpster’s worth of trash on Saturday, April 30th and Don Willard’s group picked up two truck loads on Sunday in the rain! Saturday’s volunteers filled large black bags which they left on the roadsides they cleaned. Sue Carbin and Marc Freedman rounded up the bags into Sue’s truck and hauled them to the DPW dumpster at Leeds School. Lynne Imre helped Sue sign people up in front of the PO. Please take notice as you drive or walk along the following roads and trails and if you see any of these helpful folks around the village give them a hearty “thank you.”
Driver & Trash Loader – Sue Carbin & Marc Freedman
Reservoir Rd – Bruce Walker, Rob Urbank, Tom Silliman & Arissa, Trish Reidy, Jason Johnson River Rd – Chart Pak employees
Arch St & trail – Singwen Mientka and Pine Forest Northampton Ueshiro Karate Studio members Spring & Dimock – Rondina family
Mulberry & Main – Margaret Aroj, Michael MacDonald
Lower Main Street – Jason Johnson
Florence, Bernache, Stowell, Heffernan Streets, Route 9, east side – Hodgson-Skantz family
Route 9, west side (E. Center to Scotti’s, Look Restaurant to VA) – Heidi Stevens, Justin O’Connor
Chesterfield/Kennedy/Reservoir intersection – Fran & Wayne Thibault
Yankee Hill neighborhood – Kim Wojcik and Steve, a new resident to Beaver Brook Extension
Mill River dirt trail (north) – Alisa Klein, Amy Stamm
Mill River banks – Penny, Leo, Otto and Juni Geis
Beaver Brook Conservation area on Rt 9 – Deb Jacobs
Sylvester Road and the intersection – Don Willard’s group had 21 volunteers
Who is the “Robert” in Roberts Hill Conservation Area?
by Sue Carbin
It’s a bit hard to describe Robert Lyman. He was a wanderer during the 1600’s, spotted everywhere. Many people thought he was a bit strange. And in truth he was a member of a prominent Northampton family and he was not poor. He had extensive land holdings in New Jersey and rode down to check them every so often. He also sold land and bought land. Robert is not mentioned much in the Lyman family history, most likely because he was thought to be “odd,” men of his station with a lineage back to England were not expected to be wanderers in the woods! However, Robert loved being outside in the woods and meadows. His favorite place was the “Long Division,” what most of Leeds was called way back then. After trips to check on his holdings he would return to his house lot on, what today is, Pomeroy Terrace, and soon head out with his dog and gun or fishing rod to the Long Division. He’d come up over his favorite hill (Robert’s Hill) and hunt or go down into the meadow and fish in the many little streams. He often wandered over into the Mineral Hills. On one of his adventures in the Mineral Hills he stumbled onto the Lead Mines, most likely his only claim to fame in Westhampton history.
In 1691 Robert sold his holdings in New Jersey and other places. When he returned he transfered all of his local property to his wife and eldest son. Court records indicate that Robert could no longer manage his affairs, but that didn’t stop him from wandering up into the Long Division. Its fascinating that these beautiful places in Leeds, Robert’s Hill, Robert’s Meadow, Robert’s Meadow Brook carry not the Lyman family name, but simply the wanderer’s first name, Robert. Robert Lyman died somewhere between 1691 and 1693. Still, after more than 320 years his name still graces some of the most beautiful areas in Leeds. Robert’s life ended while hunting in the place he loved best, Robert’s Hill.
More Green Space for Leeds
The City closed on the purchase of a 20-acre property on Reservoir Road — called the Talon Trust property. With this purchase, the City is able to preserve the rural feeling of Reservoir Road, keep the ecological and trail connection between the Saw Mill Hills/Robert’s Hill Conservation area, Reservoir Road, and the reservoir itself.
The trails on the property will be managed by the Leeds Civic Association (LCA) and may be marked as the LCA decides. Sometime over the summer, the City will install a Saw Mill Hills Conservation Area sign and a Robert’s Hill sign on Reservoir Road. (Roberts Hill is one hill within the Saw Mill Hills. The official name of the conservation area is Saw Mill Hills, with the northerly section being the Roberts Hill section.)
Frontage of the property at the reservoir.
Historical Mini Signs on Rail Trail in Leeds
In late Autumn when the leaves have fallen from the trees Hotel Bridge can be seen clearly from a certain spot on the bike path. Mounted on the railing at that spot is an 8 x 10 inch historical sign depicting the Hotel Bridge in the late 1800s. Another photo sign showing the 1904 electric trolley car heading north on River Road is now on the railing at the Beaver Brook arch bridge where River Road is visable across the river. The Burgy Bullet train accident sign will be mounted on a new railing this summer at the Haydenville town line, exactly where the 1902 derailment occurred. A fourth photo sign showing the Mulberry Street silk mill in the 1940s will be mounted on a post at the site where the photo was taken. We (LCA) hope you enjoy seeing these reminders of Leeds history as you walk and ride on the trail. You may also notice more color along the trail side this summer. Leeds Civic volunteers planted five pounds of wild flower seeds!
Seth Mias Catering Comes to Leeds
The talented chef and entrepreneur, Seth Mias, will be moving his successful catering business to the Look Restaurant building on Route 9. Seth purchased the building in April and will be making major renovations throughout the summer to get the space in order for some serious cooking! He is hoping to have the business moved in by September. Seth’s catering business has won the Advocate Best of the Valley Readers Choice Award for seven consecutive years, 2009-2015! Many of us were sorry to see Look Restaurant close, but to have a thriving business operating rather than a vacant building is a big plus for the community. A bonus is to have a business owned by someone who was raised in Leeds and cares about the village. Soon the chocolate dipped strawberry logo of Seth Mias Catering will be hanging in front of his place. We wish him the best of luck in his new location.
Big volunteer turn out for Leeds litter pick up
Time to take notice of what isn’t on Leeds road-sides. The soda and nip bottles, beer cans, plastic waste, styrofoam cups and to-go containers, pieces of house siding, old tires, debris and other trash that marred the beauty of the village are gone. Every Spring an effort is made by Leeds volunteers to clear the thoughtless disposal of other people’s trash. The volunteers listed below picked up nearly a dumpster’s worth of trash on Saturday, April 30th and Don Willard’s group picked up two truck loads on Sunday in the rain! Saturday’s volunteers filled large black bags which they left on the roadsides they cleaned. Sue Carbin and Marc Freedman rounded up the bags into Sue’s truck and hauled them to the DPW dumpster at Leeds School. Lynne Imre helped Sue sign people up in front of the PO. Please take notice as you drive or walk along the following roads and trails and if you see any of these helpful folks around the village give them a hearty “thank you.”
Driver & Trash Loader – Sue Carbin & Marc Freedman
Reservoir Rd – Bruce Walker, Rob Urbank, Tom Silliman & Arissa, Trish Reidy, Jason Johnson River Rd – Chart Pak employees
Arch St & trail – Singwen Mientka and Pine Forest Northampton Ueshiro Karate Studio members Spring & Dimock – Rondina family
Mulberry & Main – Margaret Aroj, Michael MacDonald
Lower Main Street – Jason Johnson
Florence, Bernache, Stowell, Heffernan Streets, Route 9, east side – Hodgson-Skantz family
Route 9, west side (E. Center to Scotti’s, Look Restaurant to VA) – Heidi Stevens, Justin O’Connor
Chesterfield/Kennedy/Reservoir intersection – Fran & Wayne Thibault
Yankee Hill neighborhood – Kim Wojcik and Steve, a new resident to Beaver Brook Extension
Mill River dirt trail (north) – Alisa Klein, Amy Stamm
Mill River banks – Penny, Leo, Otto and Juni Geis
Beaver Brook Conservation area on Rt 9 – Deb Jacobs
Sylvester Road and the intersection – Don Willard’s group had 21 volunteers
Mark Kouniotis fly fishing In Mill River
New Updated Roberts Hill Trail Map
All major and minor trails were recently GPS mapped by trail volunteer Dave Litterer and a new map has been developed by LCA volunteer, Heidi Stevens.
The Blue trail has an entrance on Dimock Street and the Blue trail from Musante Beach is now blazed. Follow the Blue trail to the summit and enjoy a beautiful view recently opened up by the City’s professional forester. The Green trail is a historical route, a section of the 1812 stage route to Albany. Its’ entrance is at the end of Water Street and is now clearly marked and leads out to Chesterfield Road through a narrow leg of conservation land. The Orange trail is an inner loop off of the Green trail and follows the old power line path west of the summit, comes around and up the north side of the summit and connects with the blue trail. Another Orange trail link has been blazed from Main Street to Water Street. Small connector trails are marked with yellow. There are also several small trails without blazes that have been added to the map.
Get out and hike Robert’s Hill!
Litter Pick-Up Day
Beat The Winter Blues Pizza Party
All kinds of prizes and surprises await you at the Annual LCA Pizza Party.
Whose lucky tickets will be drawn from each little brown prize bag? Nibble on appetizers, eat hot pizza, break your New Year’s resolutions and enjoy delicious desserts! There will be free juice drinks for kids and a cash bar for adults. All parents are reminded to mind their kids. Hope you can make it to the party and have fun with your Leeds neighbors! Contact Heidi to arrange for prize donation pick-ups and drop-offs, 585-9923 or email heidi@heidistevens.com.
Group brings Leeds’ concerns to Mayor Narkewicz
by Heidi Stevens
LCA board members Earl Meuniur, myself, Leeds-Mill River Greenway Chair Jason Johnson and Ward 7 City Councilor Alisa Klein met with Mayor Narkewicz on October 13th. Northampton Fire Chief Duane Nichols, Wayne Feiden of the Planning Department, and Ned Huntley of the DPW were also at the meeting. Below are the issues we have been hearing the most about from Leeds folks and were presented at the meeting:
Water Street evacuation
The first concern presented was an alternate evacuation route for Water Street residents if a situation arose where Water Street was cut off due to a storm event or other emergency. The City’s current emergency route is through Roberts Hill Conservation area. Earl Munier and Red Greene have long thought that Old Newco Road (the first driveway on the west side of Water Street after the brook) to be a good alternative and this option was presented at the meeting. Since the meeting, Fire Chief Nichols has looked at and walked the proposed route and agrees it is a viable option if needed. Chief Nichols is having the DPW check and see if the city has any utility rights of way in this area. They are aware that a tree would need to be cleaned up for access. If the city has a right of way the DPW could cut up the tree to clear the path. If not they will need to work with the landowner to make it passable. Fire Chief Nichols also said in his email response to Councilor Klein “that the residents who we met with were great. I always appreciate when someone offers solutions and not just problems.”
Mill River Conservation area
The second concern brought up was the abusive use, excessive garbage dumping and day camping that occurs along the Mill River on and upstream from Chartpak Dam.The Northampton Police have made extra efforts regarding this activity since early in the summer of 2015. Now, the Planning Department is onboard to try and help address the problem. Next week Wayne Feiden from the Planning Department will walk the site with LCA board members and Mill River Greenway chair, Jason Johnson to determine what can be done in advance of summer 2016 to help the situation. Our goal is to encourage respectful use of the river front and maintenace along the new bike path extension.
Hotel Bridge
The third concern addressed at the Mayor’s meeeting was the status of the Hotel Bridge. In the short term the LCA requested help from the DPW to keep the entrances looking better, even if they are closed to pedestrians. The bridge is a stop on the Mill River Greenway’s historical walking tour. Guard rails and invasives need attention. In the long term, the LCA offered our continued support to find a way to open the bridge to pedestrain traffic. The Mayor will be discussing options with DPW, and the planning department will be helping to locate grant funding for restoration. Restoration will be expensive and the process will take time.