.
After six years, we finally stopped to have a proper look at Varak Park.
Constructed in 1890, this is reputed to be the oldest covered footbridge in the northeast.
.
The bridge crosses the Owlkill Brook which was originally a swamp that divided Cambridge into two separate villages, the east end and west end.
The swamp was filled in to allow construction by the Rice Seed Company.
.
Rice Mansion, built in 1903, is on Main Street, east of the Owlkill.
For some years it was run as an upmarket inn but now it is up for sale. $850,000 the asking price for 18 bedrooms, 17 baths, 12,000 square feet.
.
Back “in the day”, Cambridge was quite the place.
Hubbard Hall, just down Main Street, is still functioning as an arts and education centre.
There have been efforts in recent years to update and renovate the village which is nice to see.
A few enterprising small businesses are struggling to make a go of it. These are the sort of people I would like to support, but our needs are few and our resources must be dedicated to our feline dependents.
.
The Rice Seed Company was sold some 50 years ago and now operates as the Bentley Seed Company, which is still located here, in the Victorian Building.
.
The Owlkill flows out of Lake Lauderdale and runs into the Hoosick River, a tributary of the Hudson.
.
Cambridge water tower now doubles as a cellular tower.
.
Meanwhile back at home…
.
It was bath time
.
.
“So, will you be finished soon?”
.
“I was only asking!”
.
A “come look” call got me outside the other day in time to not see a stag thrashing about at the edge of the corn field. It had something stuck in its antlers.
The deer disappeared so Grant went down to see what he could see and came back with a cornstalk which had apparently been the problem.
.
He peeled it and cut it into chunks which he offered to our outdoor friends.
A groundhog examined a piece but tossed it aside.
Then came the grackles.
“W’os that then?”
.
“It’s mine now, so buzz off!”
.
“Go get your own!”
.
Ownership settled, the grackle worked out a system for pulling out the tasty kernels.
“Hold it steady and…yank!”
.
But it yanked too hard and the corn cob shot off almost under the hedge, drawing the interest of Zoomer the chipmunk.
.
“Hm. how to distract a big-beaked bird?”
.
Zoomer got lucky because with another yank, the piece of corn shot off down the bank, out of reach of the bemused grackle.
Zoomer rushed off after it.
“And I was enjoying that!”
Grackles always look so surprised!
Thank you, Carolyn, for your summer tale! Add the photos and it makes me happy that it’s so relaxing to read!
Joanna
Brilliant! A lovely place right on your doorstep, but how did a river come to be known as the Owlkill?
Dutch in origin, meaning Owl Creek.
Apart from the fantastic wildlife pictures I really found the information about Cambridge very interesting and looked up further facts, trying to find the origin of the name OwlKill. I failed but did find lots more about the area and community.
chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2023-03/Village_of_Cambridge_NYF_1_Application.pdf
But that link seems to be blocked!
Owlkill is from Dutch it means Owl Creek. No dead owls, I’m glad to say. Cambridge features in wikipedia which probably tells all.
The blocked link tells about the revitalisation project.
Yes, I was able to read it but it didn’t want to be copied!
I really enjoyed both of your stories today. ☺️
Very interesting to learn about Cambridge, NY.
Thank you.
Catherine
I’m really glad you guys showed us Varak Park — and it’s always nice to hear more about the history of a place. We also try to support the smaller local businesses – sometimes with our weekly shopping in the big store we won’t intentionally buy certain products and then drive to the smaller deli’s and butcheries to buy their products. As I look at your photos of the bird in the water bowl, I think I should also remember of the stick in the bowl, especially for the smaller birds. Love your story of the corn, the grackle and Zoomer!