Miner Grant Easement Grows to 300 Acres
Graham Colditz and Pat Cox are fascinated by the history of their land in Canaan. They live and work in St. Louis, Missouri, but since the 1980s they’ve spent summer and holiday periods at their South Road property in Canaan. A 124 acre portion of their property was tracked back to the original grant from King George in the 1760s. The land was then owned by Thomas Miner who managed a sawmill and oversaw significant landholdings in Canaan. Another historic component of the property is the old Cobble Hill Cemetery located a ways off South Road, down a quiet wooded lane, to a hillside burial area rimmed with stonewalls and overseen by stately white pines.
In 2011, Graham and Pat donated a conservation easement conserving 253 acres. In recognition of the property’s history, the conservation easement is known as the “Miner Grant.” The interesting history of this property can be read about here.
Thomas Miners grave site, at Cobble Cemetery at the conserved property.
Since their conservation gift nine years ago, Graham and Pat have continued to seek to combine large tracts of land back together when opportunities have arisen. Recently, a parcel of land that is surrounded by their conserved land on three sides came up for sale. Graham and Pat decided to purchase the 54 acres and fill a gap in the northern portion of their protected land by adding the acreage to their conservation easement.
Located off the old post road, South Road, this property consists entirely of forest with considerable acreage of locally important soils, classified as Forest Group 1A. The forest also includes small tributaries to the Indian River. Filling in a gap on an already conserved parcel, along with proximity to other conserved lands, including UVLT’s Bear Pond Natural Area, Connor property and Risley Farmhouse property, this area of undeveloped forest land will continue to provide important habitat and enhance wildlife corridors.
