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In 1917, Edith Morton Chase received a gift from her father, 16 acres of pristine woods in the Litchfield hills. Today, Topsmead is a 510 acre state forest, gifted from Ms. Chase in 1972 to the citizens of Connecticut to enjoy and preserve. Her legacy includes diverse landscapes, including bike and nature trails, formal gardens, unique bird habitats, and a meticulously crafted English Tudor style cottage well appointed with her international collection of art and antiques. ...more
Our MissionFriends of Topsmead State Forest (FTSF) is a volunteer non-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose purpose is to work with the State of Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) to provide programs and activities to promote, preserve, protect, and maintain the history, heritage and environmental integrity of Topsmead, thereby supporting the wishes of Edith Morton Chase as put forth in her will.
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by Margaret Hunt
Winter at Topsmead | Photo by Tom Holzel
Winter Lover...or Not? February~March 2021Wow! February is flying by. I know it is the shortest month, but it seems as if Punxsutawney Phil was just coming out of his burrow to check the weather back on Groundhog Day. He apparently did see his shadow and scurried back into his burrow to shelter from another six weeks of winter. We are about four weeks past that day, and Phil sure got it right. For winter snow lovers in NW CT, we have had fabulous, deep, dry snow accumulation. Every few days yet more snowfall filled the air with fat flakes building up the drifts and alternating with crisp, blue sky, sun shiny days.
The Topsmead landscape has been a winter dream: tree boughs lined with white, snowshoe and cross country ski tracks galore, insulating quilts of snow keeping the gardens cozy until spring. With our slight February thaw, the snow has become snowman-making perfect so keep your eyes out for snow creations on your winter ramblings about the property...or make one yourself! If March comes roaring in like the proverbial lion, we can expect a few more weeks of Old Man Winter. But for those who are not irrepressible winter lovers, do not despair. Daylight is chasing darkness so that by the March 20 vernal equinox, the amount of darkness will be equal to the amount of daylight. From that point, I promise, the days will lengthen out to the warm days of summer. In the meantime, you can remain cozily inside with a cup of hot chocolate, a hot toddy, or one of Miss Edith’s favorite cocktails and enjoy virtually the Friends of Topsmead State Forest “Lectures on the Lawn” series. Zoom in and participate in Master Wildlife Conservationist Ginny Apple’s presentations on animals of CT. So far, I have been to the bald eagle and the beaver lectures. Future lectures will feature moose, fishers, coyotes, and bears. Check out the dates and register right here on the FTSF website! Whether you are looking for exercise and fun outside or entertainment and fun inside or both, Topsmead has experiences for you! If you have a minute, leave a comment below to let us know what you love about Topsmead in the winter. Margaret Hunt Musings BlogMistress -more Musings- |
Topsmead Events Coming Soon!
This documentary film chronicles the history of Topsmead, the summer estate of Edith Morton Chase, through archival photographs and beautiful film footage. The 20 minute film also features interviews with Topsmead historian Jerry Geci, and with Robert Orintas, the son of Miss Edith's chauffeur, who for several decades spent his summers there. The breathtaking aerial footage showcases the expansive Topsmead State Forest meadows and woodlands and the Tudor revival style, Cotswold "cottage”; an unusually well-preserved home of a bygone era that remains today essentially as it was when Miss Edith Chase owned the estate. Lectures on the LawnOur popular nature and Topsmead history Lecture Series returns! The events are free and planned to take place online OR outside on the lawn behind Chase Cottage. Bring a blanket or lawn chair for comfort. Please see below and also check back here for more details and updates. |
Keep Topsmead in mind as you begin your holiday shopping. Click HERE to set "Friends of Topsmead State Forest" as your default AmazonSmile charity and Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchases to Topsmead.
