Deerfield, Grafton County

[jjmcgo]

RoySwkr was kind enough to send me a copy of a 1941 WMNF map earlier this year when we were discussing Hawthorne Falls hikes.
On this map, there is no road linking the current Gale River Trailhead and the Garfield Trailhead. However, there is/was a road off Route 3 that runs east of the North Branch of the Gale River which has a southwesterly spur that leaves the main road just north of the Littleton Reservoir and runs uphill (south) to about 1,560 elevation where there is a dot on the map labeled "Deerfield." This dot appears to be south of the current loop road and thus deeper into the forest than you can now drive.
Is Deerfield a ghost town deep in the woods or is there an active town center north of this dot on the map?
Anybody been to the location of the former village of Deerfield? Anybody know the history? Google didn't seem to have anything on it.

 

[dr_wu002]

Here is the Map, I believe.

-Dr. Wu

 

[jjmcgo]

Thank you Wu

That is indeed the map. Thanks for posting it. As you can see, the easterly road, which is now connected to the Gale River Loop Road, is the same as now but that spur seems to have gone further south than the present connecting loop road. So, parts of that spur road must be in the forest as well.

 

[arghman]

Sounds like a logging camp or sporting camp. Too few buildings shown to be a village. Perhaps someone could look at the Town History of Bethlehem.

 

[JCE]

Just a follow-up, did anybody find out anything about Deerfield?

I've been to both of the abandon buildings there and seen the Deerfield on the various topo maps. I've checked with the libraries at Woodstock and Lincoln (haven't tried Bethlehem - yet). Checked with Steve Smith and nobody seems to have a clue about Deerfield.

Thanks!

/JCE