Residents of Gales Ferry, Connecticut, are worried that Mount Decatur, a historic site from the War of 1812, could be wiped from the history book.
A developer, Cashman Inc., wants to get zoning permission to turn the site into a quarry.
Anne Roberts-Pierson owns a home in the shadow of Mount Decatur. She said apart from quality-of-life issues, she doesn’t want to see their history destroyed by the blasting and excavation of the site.
“This is a significant site that relates to the War of 1812 and Commodore Stephen Decatur, and it’s really never gotten the attention that it needed,” Roberts-Pierson said. “A fantastic study has been done by heritage consultants, paid for by the applicant, and it really reveals the significant attributes that the site has. So far in the application documents, we haven’t seen anything that will really protect this site sufficiently.”
Paul Cerveny found out his house would only be 100 feet from the boundary of the blasting zone.
“Well, I bought the property from my dad,” Cerveny said. “I grew up there. I wanted to bring my wife to a peaceful place, and it sounds like it’s going to sound like a war zone for the next five to 10 years. And loud noises upset her, they shock her and she can’t live under those conditions.”
A public hearing was canceled due to fire codes when the meeting hall exceeded over 70 concerned residents.
They worry about increased traffic on local roads, the operation of a quarry in their neighborhood and the erasure of local history.
Cashman Inc. has been in talks with the state’s Historic Preservation Office and local advocacy groups.
The developer did not respond to requests for comment.
