Being that I live only 50 minutes from Cornwall Bridge, I decided to take an evening ride over to Dudleytown a few weeks back. I visited the site many times in the mid 90s, before the fire and the "closing" of the forest.
Catching route 45 off of route 7, I noticed there was no longer a "Bald Mountain Road" sign. They renamed the street! The only way I recognized the road was the "dead end" indicator. I wish I wrote down the new name for you, but I didn't.
Driving up to the top of the residential road ... the dead end parking area, the "No Trespassing" signs were reinforced with "No parking on either side of the street" signs. "Violators will be towed!"
I took out my digital camera, to photograph this comical area ... posted like area 51. Although I understand the need to keep freaks, cultists, fire bugs and rowdy teens away, I can't help but feel there's something morally wrong with closing a site of HISTORICAL significance. Also, the diverting of the Mohawk trail. It's all annoying.
I was sitting at the dead end but 30 seconds before some SUV came backing out of a neighbor's driveway, ready to threaten me or warn me. These overzealous gate gaurdians have been described in various Dudleytown accounts found on the net.
What, do these people have no life? They sit around, just WAITING for an outsider to drive up their precious, renamed road? ALARM! ALARM! INTRUDER ALERT!
There should be a compromise for this AREA 51 of CT, a compromise that maybe designates the site a historic landmark, to be watched over by police patrols. After all, the police patrol this road already! Yeah, I know ... money. Resources.
"The Dark Entry Forest Association" owns this as "private land." Would Old Salem be owned privately, and kept from the public? It's not American, damn it!