The Avon Land Trust held a dedication ceremony Sunday for the Oakes Preserve, its newest property.
Avon Town Historian Nora Oakes Howard's family donated a small parcel of land that the land trust later swapped for the 17-acre Chidsey Road property. The Chidsey property, now the preserve, was named after the Oakes family.
Oakes Preserve is open to the public and has a park atmosphere. The preserve has many natural features, such as a pond, swamp, meadow and woodlands. There is also an old wagon road leading to the old town center. Land trust members installed a gazebo this past summer and there is a hiking trail on the property.
Editor's Note: The Oakes family did not donate the Oakes Preserve to the Avon Land Trust, as was originally reported. The family instead donated a small parcel that the land trust swapped for the land where the Oakes Preserve is now located. The error has been corrected.
