History
As early as 1693 and until 1932, a mill operated at the eastern end of Stony Brook Pond. It may have been initially operated as a corn mill. In the early eighteenth century it operated as a sawmill owned by the Blake family until 1814 when the mill was sold to a cotton manufacturer The Norfolk Woolen Company took over the property in 1862 and managed the mill until 1932 when the company went bankrupt. The dam at the easterly end of the pond and the original building foundations are still visible. Mrs. Bennet Bristol, a descendant of the original Blake settlers, purchased the land in 1959 and donated 140 acres to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In 1963 she gave the farm buildings and 83 acres to Mass Audubon. Mass Audubon now works cooperatively with the Department of Conservation and Recreation in operating the joint properties. Both organizations have added additional acreage to the properties.
Specialties
Stony Brook Wildlife Sanctuary is cooperatively managed by the Mass Audubon and the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. The sanctuary encompasses 245 acres of forest, field, and wetland habitats, each offering exciting opportunities for nature exploration. The 2 miles of trails on the sanctuary include a scenic boardwalk across a pond and marsh, and a trail for the visually impaired. Indoors, the visitor center contains displays on various natural history topics, program space, and a gift shop with nature-oriented items. Educational programming on site takes advantage of the unique features of this varied landscape. Stony Brook's staff is well versed in ecological and educational concepts and strives to provide only the highest quality programs stressing hands-on, experiential learning