Name/Title
Haley FarmEntry/Object ID
2026.002.003Scope and Content
2 binders of material related to Haley Farm compiled by Sidney Van Zandt in 1978. The collection includes a typed history and chronology of Haley Farm compiled by Sidney Van Zandt, as well as maps, photographs, souvenir booklets, surveys, meeting minutes and news clippings relating to the development of Haley Farm and efforts to save the land as open space/"Save Haley Farm Committee," 1963-2017 (bulk, 1963-1970).
Haley Farm is 267 acre State Park located off Brook Street and adjacent to Bluff Point State Park in Groton. The land was Pequot territory until 1638, when it was ceded to the Connecticut Colony by the Treaty of Hartford. It was formerly part of the John Winthrop, Jr. farm (granted by the Town of New London in 1649). The parcel of Winthrop's farm containing Haley Farm later split off and designated as Fort Hill Farm, which was owned by a series different farmers. It was purchased by Caleb Haley in 1869 and remained in the Haley family for three generations. The Haleys maintained a dairy farm on the property and kept horses.
The farm was abandoned in 1953 and a portion of the land was considered for a housing development in the 1960s. The Town of Groton made multi-family zoning amendments to facilitate this development in September 1964. The following year, Groton residents petitioned to State of CT to purchase the property for use as a state park instead. The Groton Open Space Association (GOSA) spent two years, from 1968-1970, fundraising to support this purchase and ultimately contributed $50,000 towards the sale price. The property has officially been open as a state park since July 1970.Collection
Van Zandt CollectionAcquisition
Accession
2026.002Source or Donor
Sidney Van ZandtAcquisition Method
DonationLexicon
Nomenclature 4.0
Nomenclature Secondary Object Term
ScrapbookNomenclature Primary Object Term
AlbumNomenclature Sub-Class
MemorabiliaNomenclature Class
Documentary ObjectsNomenclature Category
Category 08: Communication ObjectsSearch Terms
Haley Farm, Haley Farm State Park, Groton Open Space AssociationArchive Details
Creator
Sidney Van ZandtDate(s) of Creation
1963 - 2017Primary Language
EnglishProvenance
Notes
Admin or Biographical History: Haley Farm is 267 acre State Park located off Brook Street and adjacent to Bluff Point State Park in Groton. The land was Pequot territory until 1638, when it was ceded to the Connecticut Colony by the Treaty of Hartford. It was formerly part of the John Winthrop, Jr. farm (granted by the Town of New London in 1649). The parcel of Winthrop's farm containing Haley Farm later split off and designated as Fort Hill Farm, which was owned by a series different farmers. It was purchased by Caleb Haley in 1869 and remained in the Haley family for three generations. The Haleys maintained a dairy farm on the property and kept horses.
The farm was abandoned in 1953 and a portion of the land was considered for a housing development in the 1960s. The Town of Groton made multi-family zoning amendments to facilitate this development in September 1964. The following year, Groton residents petitioned to State of CT to purchase the property for use as a state park instead. The Groton Open Space Assocation (GOSA) spent two years, from 1968-1970, fundraising to support this purchase and ultimately contributed $50,000 towards the sale price. The property has officially been open as a state park since July 1970.
Custodial History: Materials were compiled into scrapbooks by Sidney Van Zandt in 1978. In 2018 Sidey re-organized the material into binders, replacing newsprint with photocopies and placing items into plastic sleeves before donating them to the Groton Public Library.
