History of the Area
Author Laurie Tavino published "Suffield's Old Bridge Neighborhood" (click on this link to purchase the book from Amazon) in 2009 providing a very interesting history of our area. Laurie has also provided additional maps and photos shown below, not all in the book, for this website.
Ms. Tavino's book goes on to tell the story of the many residents along River Road (now River Boulevard), their farms and their families. The book presents an interesting cross section of the old Yankee farmers and the newly arrived Greek, Polish and Italian residents and how together they built our community. When the old bridge was in place, our area had a strong tie to Thompsonville across the River where many residents worked in the carpet mill. The book has many interesting stories - Including several stories about the “Hermit of River Road” who once lived near the entrance to our community - Deep Brook Harbor. For any resident of our community, this book is well worth reading.
Legend has it that in early colonial times, pelt traders on the Connecticut River used Deep Brook as a sanctuary from the River's current as they moved pelts from Springfield and other points North to Warehouse Point downstream. By the late 1600s, farming along the River had already commenced. At that time, River Boulevard was known as "Feather Street."
By the mid-1800s, our area had numerous farms with houses and barns.
The map from 1869 shows a dam on Deep Brook where Mr. A. N. Sykes used water power at his shop to make cigar boxes, near the present Deep Brook Harbor Community.
By the 1960s, the Deep Brook Harbor area was owned by George and Pat Stewart where they operated a farm called Karandrew Turf Farm, incorporating the names of their children.
An arial view of the Karandrew farm is to the left, showing the future site of the Deep Brook Harbor Development. Many arrowheads were found on the property, particularly near the river, especially near Deep Brook.
The turf farm was mainly wholesale business with some retail. The City of Boston, the City of New York bought turf for athletic fields and football fields from Karandrew.
There was a huge tobacco barn on the property and a 60 head cattle barn, all brick and wood, delapitated, that the Stewarts took down because it wasn’t safe (on River Road where the tennis courts now stand).