Town of Kent – 9.47 acres.
Preserve Overview: A long, thin strip of land that stretches diagonally from the northwest to the southeast , with a stream running through the property. From the northwest end of the property you can see Stump Pond, which is owned by Putnam County. There is a stone and earthen dam that holds back the water, but the structure has deteriorated where the stream breaks through. As the stream meanders through the property, it passes under an old bridge which affords excellent access for fishing.
Public Uses & Activities: The Ludingtonville Road Preserve has no official trails due to its small size and proximity to Interstate 84, however the property is accessible for passive recreating such as fishing, photography and nature study. ATVs and other motorized vehicles are not allowed on preserve property.
The Property: Once part of the Smalley Dairy Farm, this preserve protects the stream at the outlet of Stump Pond (on older maps it is referred to as Drew Lake), serving as a buffer between the highway and the watershed. The property was donated to the land trust in 1999 by three sisters – Dr. Beverly Moss Spatt, Dr. June Handler and Leslie Sweedler. Their parents, Maximillian and Grace Moss, owned the property since the 1940’s, when it was part of a larger farm. Maximilan Moss was a Supreme Court Judge, Kings County Surrogate and President of the NYC Board of Education.
The surrounding area is known as Ludingtonville. Col. Henry Ludington, of the Revolutionary War, led the 7th Regiment of the Dutchess County Militia. His daughter, Sybil, is known as the “female Paul Revere” for a 44 mile horseback ride the night of April 26, 1777 to rally the local militia to respond to the British burning of Danbury, CT. Henry Ludington owned a mill nearby, and the foundation remains intact today as part of the Kent Historical Society’s Ludington Mill Preserve which is on the west (other) side of Route 84.
Directions/Location: If you are coming from the south, from Route 311 turn north onto Ludingtonville Road. Continue for 2.4 miles to limited parking area on left, in front of the guardrail and old bridge. Alternatively, to get there from the north, from Route 84 exit 17, head southeast on Ludingtonville Road. About one mile from the exit, there will be a small pull-off on the right side of the road. Look for the guardrail set back from the road.
Visiting the Preserve: The old bridge on the property was the original path of Bowen Road. When Interstate 84 cut through the neighborhood, an overpass was built a little to the south, leaving the old bridge and small section of abandoned road to be reclaimed by nature. There are a few unmarked footpaths along the riverbanks created by people fishing on this preserve, and some old stone walls transverse the property. Also, if you look carefully you will find an old highway marker hidden in the woods of the preserve, a little north and west of the bridge.
Note: Across the street from the preserve, a little north of the parking area, you may notice one of Putnam’s unique stone chambers. Please note that the stone chamber is NOT on Land Trust property. It is privately owned, and we urge visitors to our preserve to stay away from and out of the stone chamber.
