Helen Carlson Wildlife Sanctuary

Helen Carlson’s Family Visits

In October 2009, the Springfield Museum complex opened a new building for its history collection that included an expanded exhibit of the Indian motorcycle. Mattabeseck’s benefactor, Helen Carlson, was the daughter of Oscar Carl Hedstrom, one of the partners in the Indian business. Helen’s family from Tennessee and Sweden came for the opening event and made the rounds of special places in the lives of their relatives, including the farm at 400 William Street.
The group met at the Portland Historical Society Callender house, where the corn crib from the farm now resides. MAS president Alison Guinness took a picture of the family in front of the corn crib before the group embarked on their trip around Portland to see all the sites relating to their family. Several days later, Alison met them again in Springfield at the museum where everyone enjoyed the opening of the new exhibit.

Hedstrom family visits Indian motorcycle museum in Springfield. Helen Carlson's progenetor was the inventor of the Indian.

Corn Crib in its new home at Portland Historical Society.
Photo by Bob McDougal.

Lend-a-Paw Day at the Sanctuary

For the 3rd time, students from Rocky Hill High School came to the Carlson Sanctuary to help with maintenance as part of their community service program called Lend-a-Paw. Twenty-two students, led by their teacher and MAS board member, Kim Antol, spread wood chips along the trails, repaired vandalism to the viewing platform, cleared the trail of downed trees, removed fallen branches in the parking area, and took out 5 beaver dams to increase the flow of water through the sanctuary. When asked what their favorite activity was, they always say, “Dam busting.” Mattabeseck is grateful for their help, without which, many of these tasks would not get done.

Thank You from MAS from Joanne Luppi

Mattabeseck Audubon Society is very grateful to Ben Srb and his employees of Primary Landscaping in Portland. Ben was able to haul the corn crib from the 400 William St. property to the Portland Historical Society’s Museum property on Main St. in Portland. This is one of the few corn cribs remaining in Portland and Mattabeseck donated it the Historical Society because of its historical significance. We also appreciated Ben’s removing an old car from the rear of the property for us.
Primary Landscaping has been more than helpful to Mattabeseck. Both this fall and last fall they have delivered a load of wood chips to the Helen Carlson Sanctuary. These chips were used by the Rocky Hill High School students to mulch the trail to the new observation platform. The students were amazing as they worked at the Sanctuary for their “Lend-a-Paw” day. Spreading of the chips was only one of the many tasks they completed.

Viewing Platform Dedicated to Vince Marteka on October 19, 2008

It all began with a mid-winter presentation by Elijah Huge, Wesleyan University architecture professor, to the MAS Board of Directors. Would the Board be interested in an observation station placed strategically for greatest effect within the MAS-owned Helen Carlson Sanctuary in Portland? Professor Huge’s students would be responsible for visiting the site, developing an appropriate design, and building the final product.

It seemed like a winning combination—MAS’s need for a new observation platform, and an opportunity for Professor Huge to give his students a hands-on project to further their understanding of real-world architectural concerns.

The Board gave their unanimous approval. A series of visits to the Helen Carlson Sanctuary by Professor Huge and several students, accompanied by MAS President Alison Guinness, led to several designs that were eventually pared down to the winning idea.

The platform had to be made of durable, maintenance-free material. It had to be innovative and stylish while still functional. It had to come within budget. And it had to overcome the main physical constraint of the Sanctuary—water. Beaver dams have raised the depth of the water and made any engineering other than the beaver’s own work very challenging.

At the end of April, Professor Huge and his students undertook the challenge. They labored enthusiastically throughout the month of May, aided by MAS volunteers who broke the beaver dams every day for a week, in order to lower the water level enough to allow footings to be sunk for the upper level of the observation platform.

By June, the platform—consisting of aluminum frames with cypress railings and seating, and recycled plastic flooring—had essentially been installed. There is some minor detailing to be completed, but the platform is functional and open to the public. MAS hopes everyone will enjoy the view, and the workmanship.

Our thanks once again to Professor Huge and the Wesleyan students!

Activities

Spring Salamander Prowl,
Summer Wildflower Walk,
Fall Cranberry Picking,
Winter Ice Skating

South Road,
Portland, Connecticut

Open free to the public all year round.

Owned by and maintained by volunteers from the Mattabeseck Audubon Society.

Please visit our 19-acre Carlson Sanctuary to observe the natural diversity of this unique site and sign the register in the booth at the head of the trail.

Contributions toward the maintenance of the Helen Carlson Wildlife Sancutary can be made to the Mattabeseck Audubon Society Sanctuary Fund, deKoven House, 27 Washington Street, Middletown, CT 06457.

For Guided Tours

860-347-8464 | 860-342-1326 | 860-873-9304
For group tours, call Marcy Klattenberg 860-347-8464.

For winter skating conditions
call Joanne Luppi 860-342-1326 or John LeShane 860-342-0658.

Description and History

Paths and boardwalks lead into and around the Helen Carlson Wildlife Sanctuary and Cranberry Bog. The property was a commercial cranberry bog until 1950. In 1966, Helen Carlson purchased it to prevent its being developed. Ten years later she gave it to the Mattabeseck Audubon Society with the understanding that it would remain a sanctuary for wildlife. MAS members and other volunteers put lots of love, time, and money into maintaining the property and keeping it accessible to the public. Many insects, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and small mammals live here. In June, two species of orchid bloom among the cranberries, as well as two types of sundew, a carnivorous plant that catches its prey in sticky, spatula-like leaves.

At the beginning of the trail is a fern field containing huge specimens of cinnamon fern. Many kinds of trees are found on the site, including witch hazel, which produces a whispy yellow flower around Halloween. Along wetter portions of the trail, fragrant swamp azalea and mats of sphagnum moss (used by Native Americans for diapers because of its ability to absorb sixteen times its weight in water) may be found. You may also see wood ducks, painted turtles, wood turtles, or deer. In the spring, spotted salamanders come out of the woods to lay their eggs in the still waters.