Date: Fri 14-Aug-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: CURT

Quick Words:

edink-The-Ram-Pasture-Cruson

Full Text:

ED INK: The Ram Pasture: A Gift Of Circumstance

The erection of a new sign in the Ram Pasture last week, sent us off looking

for Dan Cruson once again. The town historian has followed his insatiable

curiosity about the long-forgotten stories of Newtown people and places into

the mustiest corners of the Booth Library's brittle collection of ancient

Newtown Bee s and town record vaults. We were hoping to pique his curiosity

about the Ram Pasture and to bring the historical tale that would inevitably

ensue to our readers. As usual, Mr Cruson was way ahead of us (or in the

pursuit of history we should say behind us ) in searching out the real story

behind the Ram Pasture. He had already set down the story in the Newtown

Historical Society's newsletter, The Rooster's Crow.

In reading over Mr Cruson's research on the 12-plus-acre parcel in the center

of town, it struck us how such a revered natural asset for the town today

evolved through serendipity, even neglect. It was leftover, and therefore

common, land after the original proprietors of Newtown laid out the town and

apportioned property among themselves. It was sold off piece by piece over

time, and then reassembled again, first through a marriage, and then through

Mary Hawley's considerable capacity for acquisition. Ironically, it became

leftover land once again when Miss Hawley died in 1930, warranting no specific

mention in her will. It was transferred to Yale University as a consequence,

though it returned to local control a year later through the entreaties of

Arthur Treat Nettleton, Miss Hawley's longtime financial advisor.

How the Ram Pasture came to be makes for interesting reading (see story below)

and impresses upon us once again that some of the nicest things about Newtown

happen by chance. The Ram Pasture is for us a gift of circumstance.

Thankfully, through the auspices of the Newtown Village Cemetery Association,

which now owns and maintains the parcel, we are taking no more chances with

it. The new sign that went up last week has but one verb on it: "Preserved."