Stone Quarries
One of the main industries in the Windsor area, started
in the late 1860's was the stone quarry industry. Numerous
quarries were opened in the western part of Windsor, several north of
US Route 322, one just west of the covered bridge and on located along
the bank adjacent to the path in front of the girls bridge and one
located along the bank adjacent to the path in front of the girls'
cabins. the quarries ere referred to as the Windsor Mills
Quarries and the Stonesville Quarry located about 1 1/2 miles northwest
of Windsor Mills. At the Windsor Mills Quarry, the stone was
sawed into slabs for sidewalks and others were turned into
grindstones. They were opened in the early 1870's by Gus Warner
and
operated for 20 years until they closed.
The old B&O Railroad built a line from Burton
Station to
the Windsor Mills Quarry but did not operate very long. People in
the
Windsor area reported tat all sandstone in the area had a defect of
hard iron
like material which made it useless commercially. The stone was
considered
for building purposes but the same imperfection limited its use.
Many
homes in the area had foundations made from stone from the various
quarries which suggested this was one of their principal uses.
The advent of cement in the late 1800's proved to be stiff competition
for stone quarries.
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Virgin Forest
The virgin timber along the rough and rocky cliffs was
the last to be cut in the area. The largest cutting took place
between 1910
to 1914. Black Walnut trees, over four feet in diameter and 50
feet
to the first limbs, were common. Other species found were
hemlock, tulip
poplar (whitewood), chestnut, basswood, ash, oak, hard maples, and
beech.
The logging trails that were used can be seen today and are used as
nature
trails. Horses were used to drag the logs up the steep
banks.
Some people also suggest these logging trails might have been
established
by early Indian tribes.
In one area logs were floated down phelps creek during
spring rains to a point opposite the picnic grounds, were a stream
winch was used to lift logs up the steep banks to a place where two
horse teams hitched in
tandem could drag them on up another logging trail. One small
area of virgin timber, thinned by some selective cutting of mature
trees, remains at the lower end of the camp property. The entire
camp area is managed with good forestry practices in order to preserve
the resources for use
in future years by the camp for forestry and nature purposes.
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Early Settlers
Most early settlers came to the Windsor area from
Connecticut. How they traveled is not known, but perhaps some
came through the dense
forests by oxcart and teams, or perhaps some of them walked or rode
horses
to Buffalo, then came by lake to Cleveland and blazed a trail down into
southern
Ashtabula County.
Early records indicate that some of these settlers
crossed what is known as Phelps Creek and came onto the farm that is
now part of Camp
Whitewood and built a log cabin on a site east off Wiswell Road, just
north
of camp. This cabin was destroyed by fire, but as late as 1942,
remains
of an old well could be seen.
In 1799, George Phelps and family migrated from
Connecticut and settled in Windsor Township along Phelps Creek.
His home was apparently on route 534 south of Windsor where an octagon
house now stands.
Warner's Hollow was named after a man by the name of
"Warner" who had a carding mill, sawmill, and some people believe, even
a woolen mill near the hollow. These buildings were probably
located on land at the eastern end of the hollow. Information
from the 1940's indicate that an old wheel pit could be seen and part
of the race that took water from
the rocks was evident at the time. Edward Wiswell came to windsor
from Connecticut in 1830 with his brother, James. They were
shoemakers. Edward settled on Phelps Creek, about 1/2 mile south
of Windsor Mills at
the present location of 4-H Camp Whitewood. The Wiswells chose
this
location because of the hemlock forests of the area. the hemlock
bark
was used for tanning leather. A building, now gone, on the east
side
of the road across from the camp executive director's property was an
original
tannery used by the Wiswells. This building was also a shoe
factory
and workshop. The tannery pond remains can still be seen north of
camp,
it was located just a little south and east of the building.
Edward Wiswell apparently built two houses on the east
side of the road. Both of these burned, the original on in 1887,
the second one somewhat later. Roland Wiswell, son of Edward,
built the large house
now used by the 4-H camp on the west side of Wiswell Road. He cut
and
seasoned the lumber and completed the home in 1892.
Another building formerly located on the west side of
the road
just south of the home but gone, was built in 1839 originally for a
school
house. Records suggest, however, that it never had been used for
this
purpose. The school was to have been started by Eliza Grizwald
Phelps
March, the first white child born in Windsor. However, she died
at
an early date and there is some question about whether the building was
occupied
as a school.
The horse block, now located at the front of the 4-H
Camp Director's
home, was originally placed on the east side of the road. This
block
was made by Augustus Warner, father of Mrs. Roland Wiswell. He
was
a stone mason and at on time worked at the quarry in Windsor
Mills. The designs on the horse block have no particular
significance and are not considered a coat of arms.
The Wiswell farm, now owned by 4-H Camp Whitewood, was
in the
family for over 100 years. Mr. Tom L. White purchased the
property in
1927 and sold to the 4-H Camp Corporation in the early 1960's.
The purchase
by the camp was a move to preserve the property for use by 4-H members
and
other educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service and was
made
possible through the assistance of Mr. White.
Christ Episcopal Church, located on US route 322 north
of camp,
was first organized in March 1817. The church was completed and
consecrated
on October 1, 1833. After many years of decay and use as a farm
building,
the church was purchased by the Ashtabula County Historical Society,
restored
by them, and is viewed by 4-H campers and other people as one of the
outstanding
historical sites in the area.
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