How One Ancient Dirt Path Paved the Future for Western CT

Amazing Tales from Off and On Connecticut‘s Beaten Path

The successful development of western Connecticut, following the arrival of European settlers, can largely be attributed to a single dirt path, that was nearly lost to history. The 350-year-old Old Woodbury Path ran from the 1600s settlement of Woodbury to the bustling port of Derby, known at that time as the “new Boston” due to its importance as a trading hub. As development expanded around Woodbury and into Litchfield, farmers brought their crops to Woodbury for transport down the 21-mile cart path to Derby for export. A Seymour man has spent the past 10 years painstakingly poring over ancient maps and walking through the woods to piece together the route and backstory of this path. Pete Rzasa shares his findings in this episode.