Submitted by Tim Teran
(April 18, 2023) — More than one hundred people gathered at the Higganum Cove on Sunday, April 16, 2023, and as they walked the property, they had a chance to learn about the Cove’s history, its importance to the Higganum/ Haddam community over the past 300+ years and the plans for its future. Among the many in attendance were Haddam First Selectman Bob McGarry and Selectwoman Kate Anderson.
Lisa Malloy, Director of the Haddam Historical Society, (above photo, left) talked about the numerous mills including a sawmill, an oakum factory and the larger factories that made webbing, textiles, and carbon paper. Stephen Gephard, former fisheries biologist with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, (above photo, right) talked about the Cove’s significant living resources and habitat.
Higganum Cove Advisory Committee members talked about its future. After a significant EPA clean up in 2013-2015, the area is now being redeveloped as a park by this Advisory Committee. Their redevelopment plan received the “Exemplary Site-Specific Master Plan Award” from the Connecticut Chapter of the American Planning Association in 2022.
The property has recently been nominated for the Connecticut State Register of Historic Places and new walking trails have begun to be installed among the mill foundations.
By all counts the afternoon was a success with attendees making comments like, “I learned
more about our history today than I have in the 35 years I have lived in Haddam.”
To see the plan, take a stroll down to the Cove and view the plans on the sign board posted at the entrance to the Cove and then take a walk through history by exploring the site itself.
Photos by Tim Teran
