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“Wilderness … and Woods”
What follows is a description of Great Pond by an unknown
writer—more than 100 years ago. Even though the description was
taken from the pages of The Ellsworth American’s Sept. 17, 1891,
edition, the descriptions of the town’s layout and landscape and the
town citizen’s hospitality are remarkably accurate today.
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These children attended the Great Pond school about the same
time The American published the story above. More than 100 years
ago, Great Pond residents numbered about 100. Only about half
that number live there today.
Photo Courtesy of Joan Archer |
“A few days ago we
spent the night at Great Pond and were hospitably entertained by the
postmaster John R. Shuman. Mr. Shuman seems well up in knowledge of
postal laws and seems to have a commendable pride of office. He is
also a trial justice, fire warden, and road agent.
“Like Daniel
Webster, perhaps, he takes as much pride in his agricultural
products as in the fruits of his political life. He showed me a lot
of potatoes of the early
Ohio variety. It took 15 to fill a peck measure. Great Pond
District comprises about 100 inhabitants, enclosed by a vast stretch
of wilderness on the one hand and several miles of woods separate it
from the settlements on the other.
“The land is
elevated and rises gradually for a mile or more, commanding quite an
extensive view of mountain scenery; and the locality affords to be
very healthful and free from epidemic diseases. We saw no cemeteries
on the road and we were led to suppose that when the inhabitants got
tired of living, they simply emigrated.
“This locality
affords an excellent hunting ground for large and small game. There
were several bears killed in this plantation last year and there
have been five killed this year. Foxes, deer and partridges abound
plentifully.
“From all sections
of the country, Ellsworth not excepted, and all seasons of the year,
sportsmen flock to this place for fish and game. Within a radius of
five miles there are 11 ponds and lakes. Alligator Lake has been
stocked with 40,000 salmon and the ponds generally have a good
supply of trout and pickerel.
“On your way back
from Aurora
to Great Pond, you get a fine mound some 80 to 100 feet above the
level on either side, scarcely wide enough in some places for two
teams to pass with safety, extending some three miles away until
lost in the dense forest.
“To the northwest,
the Middle Branch of the Union River sluggishly winds its way
through an extended heath, a narrow stream, and at this distance
seems broken into numerous pools.” |
